Conservation & Heritage Issue 49 October 2025 - Flipbook - Page 123
Knepp Estate Wilding
Kitchen and Shop
The Knepp Wilding Kitchen & Shop acts as the new ‘public face’ of the Knepp Estate,
welcoming thousands of visitors to the rural site, south of Horsham in West Sussex. Aligning
with the client’s internationally renowned rewilding philosophy, the project prioritised
sustainable and ‘low tech’ construction techniques and improved biodiversity to a degraded
former farming site.
The masterplan included forming a new vehicle access
to the A24, an extensive market garden, new public path
networks, strategic landscape improvements, car parking
and infrastructure for renewable energy sources and
drainage. One of the key challenges was the extensive level
changes across the site and management of visitor flows.
Carefully integrated sloped paths in the rewilded landscape
allow for an inclusive environment with subtle wayfinding
methods between the primary buildings.
Instead of demolition, the project utilised the existing
buildings where possible. The centrepiece is an unlisted
18th century threshing barn which was carefully restored
and converted into the Wilding Kitchen (walkers’ café and
restaurant) and extended on two sides with contemporary
annexes. Refurbishment and demolition options were
assessed for a large redundant asbestos panel and blockwork
cow shed at the north end of the farmyard. One of the
project’s engineering teams, Structure Workshop, compared
embodied carbon for different structural approaches and
the final scheme retained the foundations, lightweight steel
structure and block walls. Extended at each end with glulam
frames, the refurbished building was converted into a new
farm shop as well as the visitor main entrance to the site,
highlighted by the use of corten steel roof, cladding and
entrance ‘portals’.
The client championed the use of recycled doors, windows,
screens and even rusty metal panels from a demolished pole
barn on the site to enhance the character and sustainability
of the project.
Collaborative construction was also undertaken with
rammed earth utilising materials from the site. After some
experiments with mixes and techniques, the construction
was physically undertaken by the client, volunteers and
the architect with guidance from expert Rowland Keable.
The completed wall measures 7 metres long and acts as the
working servery and visual focus for the restaurant.
The renewables strategy for the site include a large ground
source heat pump installation coupled with a future solar
PV array. Generally, a ‘low tech’ approach to services
has been taken utilising natural ventilation generally
with some mechanical assistance only where necessary.
Careful management of glazing size and orientation, cross
ventilation and good insulation levels where possible
have avoided the need for cooling or large mechanical
plant. Rainwater is harvested from the larger roofs and is
utilised on the site. Careful choice of fittings with waterless
urinals and greywater systems further reduce the site’s
water consumption.
Installation of swift and swallow boxes on the buildings as
well as a purpose designed bat loft over the main entrance
Locally grown douglas fir from the nearby Cowdray Estate
was milled and used for new build framing, sarking boards are initial components to restore ecology to the site. The
as well as external cladding. Specialist timber framer, John landscape planting approach to the courtyard and adjacent
Russell, sensitively strengthened and repaired the oak frame field will further develop the biodiversity.
of the threshing barn, enabling the additional load of wood
fibre insulation and clay tiles (in lieu of asbestos panels).
Below, completed entrance and farm shop
by Richard Chivers
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Conservation & Heritage Journal
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