UK-based Mole Architects and Invisible Studio have designed the Big Roof, a low-carbon, low-energy storage and training centre in the Cambridgeshire Fens for Forest School Camps, a charity providing educational camps for children. The single-storey, 745m2 building includes 400m2 for camp equipment storage for sites across the country and replaces three dilapidated buildings.
The woods where the building stands were planted by Forest School Camps and the funding for the project was raised by its members. The design process has been one of collaboration and community involvement.
The new timber frame building sits on a beam and block floor and is clad in black corrugated fibre cement, with translucent fibreglass for doors and rooflights. The design aims to minimise the use of steel, utilise natural materials, and maximise daylight. It features 15m span trusses and a central 7m-high tent bay with louvres for ventilation.
The interiors are finished with concrete screed floors, linoleum, and plywood linings. Collective spaces, including a kitchen, dining area, workspaces, and a flexible training space, are insulated with recycled newspaper and heated. The Big Roof is oriented to face the evening sun and the campfire, with volunteers camping in the adjacent woodland. Photo by David Butler. Mole Architects
drop-off and loading. Photo David Butler
fields across the country, benefitting around 1,500 children. Photo David Butler
