THE COTSWOLD WATERPARK, CIRENCESTER, GLOUCESTERSHIRE (RJA)

The Cotswold Park visitors centre was conceived and designed as a low impact building to sit on a flooded gravel pit. The brief was to design a flexible building which could be partially made by unskilled labour and would have a lifespan in excess of 200 years. The sensitivity of the site meant that the works had to be reversible and must not pollute the immediate environment. The building's function varies throughout the year but includes offices, a lecture hall, school study rooms, café/shop, and mooring facilities for windsurfers and small boats. Heating and cooling of the building is provided via a heat pump system laid in the bottom of the lake. The stainless steel roof collects rainwater for a grey water sanitation system and the glazing is orientated to achieve maximum passive solar gain. The project was awarded the Queens Award for design sustainablity in 2001