THE EARTH CENTRE

Conceptual design and site planning for the early fund-raising stages of the Earth Centre. Our design proposed a series of enclosed and semi-enclosed garden spaces celebrating the themes of diversity, sustainability and ecology. The fragile nature of the restored former mining area is a generator for the simple interventions of walled spaces on a restored natural ecology. The gardens are located as an abstraction of a utilitarian pastoral landscape, echoing and drawing inspiration from the former sheep pens and dry stone walls of the area.

The walls are created from recycled local stone, selected to blend with the surrounding landscape. From within they take on a remarkably different form; smooth and richly coloured, they glow like jewels against the Yorkshire sky.

This simple refined concept is designed to accompany the proposed forms for simple rectilinear buildings by Will Alsop.

Client: The Earth Centre

Architect: Alsop and Störmer