We are delighted to announce that The RHS Garden Bridgewater is one of 35 winners in the 2022 Civic Trust Awards and one of only three winners in the Selwyn Goldsmith Awards for Universal Design.
The Welcome Building is a horizontal composition which seeks to respond to a commanding horizon defined by the elevated Bridgewater Canal. It is the culmination of our long-standing interest in architecture in the landscape. Structural trees support an overarching timber diagrid roof beneath which the primary components of the brief; ticketing, a learning centre, retail area, indoor plant sales, and café, can flex in response to seasonal demands. The roof extends beyond the enclosure to the north and south, blurring the edge between building and landscape. Natural light permeates the building either by louvred curtain walling, or filters through the diagrid via a rooflight that extends centrally along its full length. The building is very much aligned with the Royal Horticultural Society’s sustainability strategy ‘The Planet-Friendly Gardening Campaign’.
John Pye, RHS Capital Projects Manager – North said, ‘The attention to architectural, engineering and servicing detailing is second to none with an end product that delights visitors as a truly light, airy and welcoming experience. With the building being in operational use for over 18 months it is proving a great success and functionally efficient design.’
The Civic Trust Awards scheme was established in 1959 to recognise outstanding architecture, planning and design in the built environment. Its aim is to encourage the very best in architecture and environmental design, to improve the built environment for us all through design, sustainability, inclusiveness, and accessibility, but also to reward projects that offer a positive cultural, social, economic, or environmental benefit to their local communities.
To read more information on the RHS Garden Bridgewater please click here