Project Description
CLIENT: Goodwood Estate
PROJECT: Education Centre
We were appointed to deliver a new Education Building, replacing an outdated facility with a modern, environmentally conscious space to support the Estate’s nature-focused education programmes. The brief was clear: the building needed to blend seamlessly with its woodland setting, using sustainable, locally sourced materials and embodying the values it would help teach. The new single-storey structure includes a classroom, WC, and kitchen. Works involved the demolition of the existing building, clearing undergrowth, and installing associated drainage and external works. The building features a timber frame, with roof shingles and cladding all sourced and milled directly from the Goodwood Estate, making full use of the estate’s natural resources. Heating is provided via an Air Source Heat Pump, aligning with the estate’s sustainability goals.
The design also prioritises biodiversity: bat and bird boxes have been integrated into the building, and surrounding areas have been planted with native trees and shrubs to encourage wildlife to flourish. This project wasn’t just about building in nature, it was about building with nature. By using estate-grown timber, we quite literally gave back to the woodland. The result is a natural, sustainable, and inspiring space that supports education and enriches the estate’s unique environment.
Run by the Goodwood Education Trust, this fantastic purpose built, sustainable facility connects children and young people with the natural world across the wider estate. With room for up to 60 children, it also offers support to disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, allowing them to learn beyond the classroom, outside in the open.
This independent environmental education charity, established in 1976 by the 10th Duke of Richmond, promotes awareness and understanding of the natural environment and sustainable agriculture whilst allowing them to enjoy the great outdoors in a safe and welcoming setting.