The project is for a business centre set on a brownfield site within an area of mature planting in the Hampshire countryside.
The building configuration is E shaped with tenanted units to the perimeter. The central building contains communal facilities such as formal and informal meeting places and coffee shop to encourage interaction between tenants.
The buildings are simple in plan and linear in form and the spaces between the buildings contain seating areas to further encourage interaction and symbiosis between the various tenants.
The aesthetic is modern rural with traditional materials such as black timber, brick and tile but used in a contemporary manner so they sit comfortable within the setting.
The buildings are a mix of one and two storey, all with pitched roofs. They include large format windows and rooflights to utilise natural light and ventilation deep into the building plan and also make the most of the views out to the countryside.
The roofs are vaulted internally to maximise the volume and feeling of spaciousness.
The single storey buildings are positioned to reduce massing when the site is viewed from the adjacent highway. They also benefit from multiple access points to provide flexibility of unit size and potential subdivision.
The two storey buildings have private entrances to the ground floor with shared stair access to the first floor. This permits a variety of unit size to encourage tenants to stay on the campus should they need more or less space.
Extensive planting is used within the development to reduce the visual impact of the parking. Cycle stores are located throughout the site rather than in a single central location and showers are also provided near to the cycle stores.
The existing mature boundary planting is enhanced to improve biodiversity and also to mitigate the impact on important views into the site.