Chestnut Nursery
Chestnut Nursery is a registered charity and a project of SWOP, Sheltered Work Opportunities Project, which provides meaningful work in a supportive and pressure-free environment, for adults with enduring mental illness. SWOP aims to use the therapeutic nature of horticulture to restore mental well-being.
Footprint Architects were asked to design and develop a new retail garden centre for employees to work in a warm and comfortable environment, whilst providing a high quality area for displaying the centre’s goods for customers.
Sustainability
A well insulated thermal envelope of natural materials, air source heat pumps, and strategic glazing placement result in a building with low energy usage. Locally sourced materials reduce the carbon footprint.
Designing an Uplifting Centre for Positive Community Experiences
Chestnut Nursery is centred around designing a positive and uplifting user experience, ensuring that the space would be a safe, comfortable and an enjoyable place to help regain structure and purpose to the lives of those affected by mental health. The design focused on establishing an understanding of an atmosphere that would aid in the support and development of those with mental health issues. Providing the volunteers with a comfortable environment also ensures the atmosphere is relaxed for customers, therefore creating a positive, friendly environment and relationship for staff and visitors.
Creating Comfortable Community Environments Through Sustainable Design
The staff and volunteers used to work in greenhouses, and therefore suffered from overheating in summer months and cold in the winter months, making an uncomfortable work environment. Through simple sustainable design techniques we worked to create a comfortable community environment.
An exposed timber frame structure that continues from the inside to the outside of the building creates an external entrance canopy and solar shading. Locally sourced Purbeck stone gabion walls wrap the space provide excellent thermal mass to keep the internal environment comfortable. This highly insulated thermal envelope means the building is producing less carbon to run it. A glazed element of curtain walling faces the entrance car park welcoming customers and providing daylight and natural ventilation for the health of the staff, visitors and the plants. Sweet chestnut cladding is used to bring warmth and comfort to the space.
Context & Place
The building design utilises natural materials to reflect the park setting and connect the interior with the surrounding context, creating a comfortable natural setting.
A Cost Effective Approach for Longevity
The Nursery employs the use of an air source heat pump which runs a low surface temperature under-floor heating system, which in turn creates an ideal constant climate and environment for the Nursery’s plants. The air source heat pumps enable very low energy demand from the grid. During the construction process, the use of sustainably sourced timber glulams and Sweet Chestnut Cladding, reduced the carbon footprint during manufacturing and transportation. Being in such close proximity to Poole Harbour and its strong sea breeze and mists, the natural materials were chosen for their weathering properties, resulting in a building designed to have less maintenance in the future.
Chestnut Nursery was designed on principles of simple passive energy, creating a building that is well adapted for future use. This is evident in the benefit of the building’s simplicity; it can be controlled and managed easily by staff and users and can function without the need of complex technologies. If their building were to change use, the simple construction and design also means it would require minimal impact or intervention to do so.
People & Communities
The motive of the project was the creation of a safe, therapeutic and stress-free environment in which people rediscover their confidence and their self-esteem.
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Get Your Project Off The Ground
Get in touch today to kick-start your project. Let us know a few details and we’ll be in touch to discuss bringing your vision to life.
