Taplow Court, SGI Headquarters

Architype was commissioned to masterplan and design new facilities for Taplow Court to provide a training and conference centre, and a venue for the performing arts, for SGI-UK, a lay Buddhist Organisation. The first phase provided a 500 seat 'Butsuma', or chanting hall, which is used for performances and conferences, together with seminar rooms, exhibition spaces and a shop. Later phases provided residential course study bedrooms for 80 people, a small visitors’ centre, estate management facilities and a full landscape scheme.

Location

Taplow, UK

Area

1,700 m2

Status

Completed

Year

2000

Client

SGI-UK, a lay Buddhist Organisation

Transformative architecture: a synthesis of ecological and participatory design

In 1996 SGI-UK formed a building committee to consider how Taplow Court might develop its role as a training and conference centre, and as a venue for the performing arts. The initial brief was to be examined during a membership wide consultation process. A masterplan for the whole site was to be formulated, within which a phased development could be planned.

Architype was keen to represent and reflect the particular philosophy of SGI-UK within the design, so the building would become an expression of the values of the movement. This included a strong ‘green’ agenda to show a commitment to creating a sustainable future, and a consultation process that would create real ownership amongst the whole membership.

A particular challenge was the complexity of the planning issues surrounding the site, including the new project site being on Green Belt land, partly in a Conservation Area involving Grade II Listed buildings and an Historic Park, near a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and all within grounds listed as an Area of Attractive Landscape!

Vision

All vision

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Design

We designed the buildings to express SGI's message as a movement for culture, education and peace, and to be inspiring and uplifting. We created a practical and flexible functionality, alongside a strong emphasis on design for the senses and sensitivity towards the environment.

The completed building is designed with high levels of insulation and with heavy thermal mass to reduce energy consumption for both heating and cooling. The main hall space has adiabatic ventilation and air cooling, with heat exchange on the extracted air. Ancillary spaces are all naturally ventilated by means of opening windows. Night purging is used to cool the entire building in warm weather.

Natural materials were carefully specified, including home grown green oak cladding and structural elements, cedar shingles and recycled aluminium sheet roofing, recycled newspaper insulation, natural rubber flooring and wool carpets, organic paints and stains, and non-PVC wiring and cabling.

All spaces are full of natural light and all artificial light is low energy. Grey water is recycled to flush toilets and irrigate areas of green roofs. Taplow Court has rich layers of sacred and secular history, and we designed the new development to integrate and enhance these special landscape qualities.