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North Shields architects land Wildlife Trust contract

Northumberland Wildlife Trust has appointed North Shields-based Brightblue Studio to design the new visitor centre on its Hauxley nature reserve in Northumberland.

The design will now allow the wildlife charity to apply for funding - a process will take more than a year from start to finish.

Established in 2004 by architect Henry Amos, and based in Ballard’s Smoke House in North Shields, Brightblue Studio has a passion for sustainable design which is evident throughout its work.

The Company was selected by the wildlife charity because of its strong social and environmental responsibility and history of designing eco builds and use of recycled and natural materials.

The new Hauxley visitors centre will replace the previous building which was burnt down in an arson attack in June 2010.

Demolition of the old building took place earlier this year, delayed slightly by great crested newts and a pair of breeding barn owls who liked the place so much, they nested there for two consecutive years. Barn owls boxes had to be installed, before the demolition, which proved popular with the birds.

Alex Lister, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Druridge Bay Estates Officer said: “The work of architect Henry Amos and his team fits the bill with their design for our new green visitors centre and I am particularly looking forward to the installation of the meadowland turf roof which will hopefully provide valuable habitat to resident wildlife.”

The Hauxley site is best known for its birds but also plays host to some fabulous flowers including: kidney vetch, viper’s bugloss, bloody cranesbill and northern marsh orchid, making it an ideal place to spot a large variety of butterflies and one of the best places in the North-East to spot stoats.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sue Bishop .