Brief

Architype’s Centre for Understanding the Environment (CUE) at the Horniman Museum in South London opened in 1995, and is situated next to Charles Harrison Townsend's 1901 Art Nouveau Horniman Museum. Dr. Elizabeth Goodhew, then a curator at the Horniman, commissioned the CUE building as she wanted to raise awareness of ecology through a building with an environmental message in its design. The nearby London Wildlife Garden Centre, designed by Architype, impressed Elizabeth, who approached us with a project brief that required flexible exhibition space, an auditorium accommodating 60 people, a seminar room, office and ancillary space and an overall construction timeframe of 6 weeks.

Rationale

The design concept evolved into a building that would be an exciting, contemporary feature – and in itself, be a living exhibit, promoting awareness of ecology and conservation issues. The CUE building visibly demonstrates its ecological construction and environmental strategies. We successfully created a solution with an energetic, textural, strong architectural language.

Process

The building had to be built to a very demanding timescale, achieving a water-tight shell within 6 weeks, to enable the museum to host a special event. Architype had to commission a firm of kitchen builders to manufacture the structural elements in a boathouse in Lyme Regis, as they were the only people who could manage the tight timescale, and in a space big enough to build the beams and columns. There were also sensitive planning issues and site challenges such as proximity to the Grade ll* listed museum buildings, being sited within the Horniman gardens, and the proximity of very large trees.

Results

CUE was ahead of its time, with an environmental rigour that anticipated the transformation in sustainable thinking. Built from sustainable timber, CUE is insulated with recycled newspaper and finished with organic paints and stains. A natural passive ventilation system is routed through large section hollow prefabricated timber beams and columns, integrating structure and services. The building collects rainwater and recycled greywater through reed beds whilst photo-voltaic cells and solar collectors generate electricity and heat water.

The original green roof is still growing despite fluctuations in plant biodiversity due to climate changes, roof microclimates, bird and wind plantings. Fauna is also abundant - British entomologist Richard Jones found over 50 species of insect.

CUE is a wonderfully light, airy space. Glass walls and picture windows create a fluid relationship with the Horniman’s 16-acre garden. CUE also demonstrates the tactile and sensory qualities of ecological building, where organic paints and natural materials with a variety of textures and finishes stimulate our sense of smell and touch, and colours based on natural pigments create a harmonious visual finish. The building has proved highly adaptable and now houses the Horniman’s rich library.