Sevenoaks Nature and Wellbeing Centre
In 2017, ZRP entered a competition for the development of Sevenoaks Nature Reserve. A former gravel pit, cultivated over decades, the reserve now offers a varied series of landscapes, abundant with ever diversifying wildlife. Providing a wealth of different habitats, it is living proof of the power of nature to heal, regenerate and recover.
We took – and take – the stance that In order to engage with nature, people need to experience it: nature is about doing. We propose a journey composed of three principal functions.
• Entry (arrival, greeting, orientation)
• Education (learning, understanding)
• Experience (engaging, being, doing)
The proposal is based around a connecting ligature from the west to east lakes. At the west, the public – or human – end we propose a Gateway which performs the function of ‘entry’. In the centre, partly cut into the hillside, will be the Education Centre which eventually leads to a tower and sunken hide – Experience. These are connected together along an accessible boardwalk through the woods.
By creating a network of spaces, rather than one mass, the proposal promotes interaction with nature and creates a stronger physical and emotive connection with the local environment and its flora and fauna while serving as a primary navigation tool from which to orient and discover the wider reserve.
