ROLE: Project Architect and Contract Administrator

In July of 2020 we completed the Lake Head Visitor facilities in one of the most sensitive sites in the newly designated UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Lake District National Park.

Lake Head is the entrance to one of the most iconic landscapes in the UK, accessing England’s highest mountains from a unique destination enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Many people come to walk to the top of England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, to explore the wider mountainous landscape, enjoy walking along Wastwater lake shore, or simply to enjoy the peace and tranquility of this remote valley.

Our client, The National Trust, is committed to looking after the nation’s special places for ever, for everyone.

Since the early 2000’s The National Trust have been working towards the introduction of new visitor toilet facility at Lake Head adjacent to the car park in order to improve the experience for visitors and reduce the inconvenience for residents and businesses in the valley. By sensitively making a number of separate, but related change and improvement projects, we believe we can improve Wasdale for the better, solve or reduce some of the problems that have hindered the valley for decades so that Wasdale can be enjoyed by everyone, for ever. The project at Lakehead was the first of those improvements.

The new facilities have been designed with a keen awareness and understanding of the landscape and environmental sensitivity of Lake Head site adjacent to the Wastwater SSSI, the current and projected visitor numbers and the purpose and nature of those visits. In no way does the development intend to accommodate or attract an increased number of visitors to the Valley.

Despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was with great thanks to the team at John Carr Construction Ltd that we could bring this complex project to a complete in both a timely manner and well within the available budget.

“It was therefore such a pleasure to listen to you explaining what you see for the site, and the sorts of designs you have already thought about and come up with. It’s a delight to hear an architect who not only really believes in what he is saying and describing, but then actually puts it into action as well; and it was quite obvious that this belief and desire was coming from you, not just because your client has asked you to do something and you were trying to ‘sell it’. I’m always very appreciative of those who carry through the strength of their convictions, whatever they are – not just in the planning process”

Lake District National Park Authority

#DESIGN

A great shot from our time on the roof at Thurland Castle which was made safe by the team at @abseil_commercial_ltd . Our condition survey will inform future phases of work which will add long term resilience and durability to this wonderful Grade II* Castle by Paley and Austin. has been converted into apartments. Surrounded by a moat, and located in parkland, Thurland Castle was originally a defensive structure, one of a number of castles in the Lune Valley. #heritage #conservation #vernacular #aonb #nationalpark #kendal #vernaculararchitecture #castle #crosbygranger #design #paleyandaustin

RELATED PROJECTS

Tarnhows

Tarnhows

The Education shelter and toilet facility is situated in the wooded car park at Tarn Hows, Coniston - one of the ‘honey pots’ of The Lake District National Park.

Footprint

Footprint

Architectural design for this contemporary educational shelter within the woods above Windermere for the National Trust.