Wakehurst Place is owned by the National Trust but is leased by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Its soils and range of microclimates complement the conditions at Kew and allow an enhanced collection of plants. It is also the site of the new Millennium Seed Bank, which Kew built on a plot of land adjoining the estate.

The new Visitor and Interpretation Centre is aligned to face the Millennium Seed Bank and is located in a glade overlooking a deer farm. It is housed in a new steel and glass pavilion, which also serves as a gift shop, plant nursery, and cafeteria.

The superstructure is designed to provide a flexible open space and is composed of a series of slim steel portal frames. Pods at each end house service zones. Floor levels are set to minimise disruption to the surrounding landscape and allow the building to float over the gently sloping site.

Principal: Nirupa Perera

 

RIBA South East Region Award "Sensitively and discreetly located, the centre's appropriate use of materials and colours help it to sit very comfortably within the landscape. The restrained and elegant steel and glass structure allows the eye to pass through the building and register the beautiful landscape beyond."