Creating an immersive visitor experience that aids learning and engagement

About the project

This award-winning project was an extension of the original Airfield project, established in 1998, and contains a new shop, restaurant, and demonstration areas to enhance the learning experience of visitors. Also on site are gardens and a heritage experience, offering visitors the opportunity to learn more about the natural world. The visitor experience was expanded to the whole site and to encourage visiting areas to the south east which were little visited

The listed main house was also restored as part of the project. The existing café was moved out of the house to the new pavilion which allowed for the restoration of the existing building. This restored protected structure now is the location for the exhibition of the Overend archive. A restructuring of The Hive, a complex of educational and event facilities to the east of the House was carried out. This intervention re established the historic building line and spatial rhythm of the complex.

IN2 were responsible for the building services and environmental design for both the new low-energy buildings and the refurbishment of the existing listed buildings on the site. Low embodied CO2 materials and passive servicing strategies informed the approach to all buildings, while habitat restoration, water conservation and recovery and the minimisation of the impacts of traffic and nearby development govern site strategy and approaches to land use throughout. IN2 carried out significant wind, energy and photorealistic lighting analysis to ensure that the high design standards were achieved.

Airfield Evolution was awarded the RIAI Best Sustainable Design Project and Best Cultural Project in 2014. In addition the project won the Green Building Award at The Green Awards 2014.