Duchy of Cornwall Nursery

Project

Duchy of Cornwall Nursery

Location

Lostwithiel, Cornwall

Client

Duchy of Cornwall

Contract

£1.47m

Duration

37 weeks

Total Sqft

XX sqft

Opened by HRH The Prince of Wales, this project for the Duchy of Cornwall was launched in 2019 with the purpose of increasing the overall capacity and visitor experience, as well as improving staff resources. The business was reliant on the use of covered outdoor seating areas to meet increased demands. However, this was not reliable during inclement weather. Owing to this unexpected increase in demand, the client needed to increase its all-weather capabilities as well as its operational resources. The result is a building that, through the use of a holistic architectural approach, utilises space, form, tones and glazing to bath its visitors in natural light whilst conjuring a sense of freedom, warmth and intimacy.

The project includes a new steel and timber extension, new feature oak front and rear entrances, new shopping area, new contemporary botanical themed washrooms, new double height atrium with octagonal lanterns, link areas between the existing building and greenhouses, new restaurant orangery with lantern, new bar and new connecting openings between the existing gift shop and entrance. The kitchen underwent a comprehensive refurbishment creating a modern work area for catering staff. New first floor spaces have provided a new administrative centre for The Duchy. Externally the project boasts new landscaping and a range of external features and finishes – including trebarwith stone, larch cladding, zinc rainwater goods, lime render and a shingle roof. Externally, the extension is wrapped by grassed banks with retaining gabion baskets, large cladding and a wooden roof covering.

The scheme was designed to incorporate several sustainable and offsite manufacturing credentials. The client team commissioned a specific SBEM calculation to assess predicted impacts and help identify opportunities to optimise the building’s design and ultimate energy usage requirements. The use of renewable technologies such as underfloor heating powered by a biomass boiler, pv panels and rainwater harvesting technologies – ensured the project is minimising its long-term impact to the environment. The superstructure frame utilised offsite mmc techniques, and where timber was specified on the scheme, oak, larch and douglas fir were all sourced from the client’s existing national stock.

The HRH The Prince of Wales was so taken with the standard of the works, after the official opening ceremony had taken place and the nursery had closed to the public, he walked back up to the nursery from his nearby accommodation to personally inspect the works.

“It’s turned out amazingly. It’s really fantastic.” – HRH The Prince of Wales

“We have created an incredible space that visitors say ‘wow’ when entering. The entire project team cared – which is one of the most important attributes. The team were very accommodating. The appointed subcontractors and trades were excellent and produced some great work.” – Karl Taylor, Duchy of Cornwall

The project was recognised in the following awards:

• ‘Leisure and Tourism Project of the Year’ – Michelmores Property Awards 2024
• ‘Building of the Year’ – The Building Forum Awards 2024