Weald & Downland Open Air Museum

Client: Weald & Downland Museum
Architect: ABIR
QS: Focus Consultants
Engineer: Cooper & Withycombe Ltd
Value: £3,500,000
Programme: 54 Weeks

This Lottery funded project within the Grade II registered park and an Open Air museum, comprise deconstruction, landscaping and new-build construction to provide a new forecourt and main entrance, and Orientation and Interpretation Gallery, retail and catering facilities, and an annex for use for community events. The Gateway Building facades are constructed in local materials and substantial areas of glazing provide the public spaces with views of the surrounding landscape.

The buildings comprise of numerous methods of construction including traditional oak frame, cross laminated timber (CLT) and including glulam beams and structural steel framework with large expanses of curtain-walling.

Multiple roof finishes are used across the buildings, including zinc standing seam, Keymer clay roof tiling, chestnut shakes, single ply felt-roofing and sedum green-roofing.

A photovoltaic array and solar thermal collectors, for water heating, are both mounted on the roofs and form part of the contractor designed M&E installation. This installation includes full BMS control and BEMS monitoring, the installation of a bio-mass boiler, controlled ventilation and CCTV.

In addition, the lake providing water to the working mill was drained, cleaned and re-lined prior to being filled with water by a local spring.