Press Release

LANDMARK VISITOR CENTRE FOR SAVILL GARDEN TAKES SHAPE

24 May 2005

Construction is proceeding on schedule as The Crown Estate continues the development of a new architectural landmark for The Savill Garden, on the edge of Windsor Great Park. This impressive structure is being built at the entrance to The Savill Garden, one of the finest public gardens in the UK today, which receives nearly 200,000 visitors every year.

The major attraction of the new 2,000 sq. metre building will be the dramatic curved timber roof. This will be the largest grid-shell structure in the UK and will ensure the Visitor Centre will be a landmark attraction in Windsor Great Park when completed. For the first time all the Garden’s visitor facilities will be brought together in one exciting space and is another example of The Crown Estate’s commitment to balancing to its core values of commercialism, integrity and stewardship.

On 9 May 2005 Deputy Ranger of Windsor Great Park Philip Everett started the ‘bending’ of the timbers of the roof. This was the ceremonial launch of a process that will shape the structure into its distinctive double-curve.

The building of the £5.35 million project commenced in May 2004. One year into construction the programme remains on schedule. The painting of the steel structure is now complete, the facing bricks are under consideration, and the roof is currently being bent and lowered to its final position, with the form of the curves clearly recognisable. It is expected to be officially opened in the spring of 2006.

Commenting on the project at its beginning, Ian Grant, Chairman of The Crown Estate said: “From the outset the new building has been designed to blend in with its surroundings and will provide visitors with an enhanced visitor experience that also integrates with the garden landscape.

“It will be a very environmentally friendly building with a number of unusual, modern construction techniques used in its build. A specially mounted visitor viewing area is being created within the Garden for everyone to watch the project progress over the coming months.”

Once completed the roof will measure nearly 100 metres in length: it will comprise a four-layer, doubly-curved, inter-locking lath timber gridshell construction, and include three domes. Manufactured from larch, it will be shaped and jointed by specialist carpenters working to a unique computer-generated design. Lengths of English oak will then be used to clad the outer roof.

A number of other environmentally friendly construction techniques will be used in this project.