The competition is organised by TRADA (The Timber Research and Development Association) in the UK. Arboreal is the name of future flagship building at the Sylva Wood Centre, to accommodate businesses and research activities that together will lead advances in our bio-economy and promote their benefits to society.
The challenge was to design a flagship timber structure for Arboreal at the Sylva Wood Centre in south
Oxfordshire. To be creative, technologically advanced and inspirational.
Requirements:
1. Design a new two storey timber structure to serve as a multi use building, housing offices, seminar space, exhibition space and a field laboratory (please note the existing buildings will be taken down to make way for the brand new Arboreal building).
2. Incorporate cutting-edge materials and technologies throughout to act as inspiration to visitors and users.
The development should:
• provide office accommodation for at least 20 people.
• provide an exhibition space.
• provide a seminar room sufficient to hold 30 people.
• provide a modest field laboratory including laboratory workbench space for up to three researchers plus space for a freezer, fridge, incubator and some limited storage. The laboratory must have
immediate access to the outdoors (please note, no extraction or specialist equipment other than that mentioned is required for the laboratory).
• provide a welcoming reception function.
• ensure that the structure’s design and use follows sustainable development principles, ranging from building design and energy efficiency, to efforts to support a green transport policy for site users.
The challenge was to design a flagship timber structure for Arboreal at the Sylva Wood Centre in south
Oxfordshire. To be creative, technologically advanced and inspirational.
Requirements:
1. Design a new two storey timber structure to serve as a multi use building, housing offices, seminar space, exhibition space and a field laboratory (please note the existing buildings will be taken down to make way for the brand new Arboreal building).
2. Incorporate cutting-edge materials and technologies throughout to act as inspiration to visitors and users.
The development should:
• provide office accommodation for at least 20 people.
• provide an exhibition space.
• provide a seminar room sufficient to hold 30 people.
• provide a modest field laboratory including laboratory workbench space for up to three researchers plus space for a freezer, fridge, incubator and some limited storage. The laboratory must have
immediate access to the outdoors (please note, no extraction or specialist equipment other than that mentioned is required for the laboratory).
• provide a welcoming reception function.
• ensure that the structure’s design and use follows sustainable development principles, ranging from building design and energy efficiency, to efforts to support a green transport policy for site users.
