Dalby Forest Visitor Centre, North Yorkshire
- Client: Forestry Commission
- Principal designer: White Design
- Principal engineer: Halcrow
- Principal contractor: Miller Construction
- Contract value: £2.1 million
About the project
This centre has been built as part of a regeneration of facilities to develop the forest as a regional centre of excellence for sustainable economic activity. It will cater for the needs of the 250,000 people who visit Yorkshire's largest forest every year.
The centre was designed to minimise its impact and the building sits very lightly in the valley. The focus on sustainability is clear in the landscaping and construction. The building is clad in larch grown and milled in the forest, which not only reduced the building's embodied energy but also supported local businesses. The main timber structure was semi-prefabricated which reduced time on site, site traffic and disruption. The centre has been designed to be recycled at the end of its life, leaving behind a minimal footprint.
Passive and renewable energy systems have been incorporated in the thermally efficient building, and rainwater is harvested to reduce its demand on the village well.
The judges said: 'The client had the vision to maximise sustainability in creating the building - and then to use it as an educational example for all visitors.'