White Red Architects have been shortlisted in the top six as part of the RIBA's international design competition for the Kaisen Ancient Tree Wellness centre and retreat.
Director, Dicky Lewis, RIBA, ARB reveals that the main challenge of the competition was the arduous task of designing buildings to co-exist with the special ancient trees. Their solution was to produce a design that aims to enhance and blend with the surrounding natural beauty and ensure that their design complements and respects the natural environment. The trees will serve as a habitat to escape the chaotic lifestyle of the city.
The team purposely positioned the main building area under a tree canopy and simultaneously raised it above the forest floor so that visitors can explore from various perspectives and connect with the magnificence of nature.
Before setting up White Red Architects, Dicky and his fellow directors worked in large international firms, including Foster + Partners and Allford Hall Monaghan Morris. This gave them experience with large scale projects and a realisation of the importance of design while improving sustainability.
Dicky commented: "We believe that our expertise in innovative structures and materials has provided value to the project. We have come up with exciting innovations that make it an internationally recognised visiting destination.
We enjoyed this competition, and our team is honoured to be in the finals. Our intention to participate in the competition is to subvert people's prejudice that buildings are only harmful to the environment. We believe that sustainable architecture should be fun and attractive. Therefore, we appreciate the scale of this competition and propose design solutions to improve on beautiful natural environments. As designers, we like to participate in global issues and advance the design to produce beautiful buildings."
Competition summary and White Red Architects' submission
The Kaisen Ancient Tree Wellness centre and retreat international design competition is organised by Kaisen Holding Group, executed by RIBA WFOE and delivered by designverse and Young Bird Plan. The competition was opened to all global designers and architects to submit proposals for the delivery of a new eco-hotel and guest houses model, while retaining the natural forest and protecting the ancient native trees of this popular attraction.
White Red Architects' concept "Discovery" caught the judge's eyes, as it is designed to elevate and inspire visitors to discover the site and allow them to engage with nature through exploring the many layers of a forest, escaping the traditional perspective of the forest floor. As a result, "Discovery" enables stronger connections and forms memories.
The master plan included various typologies of buildings. The essence of the design was to connect with the nostalgia associated with the timeless ancient forest. The designs of these structures focus on three main concepts: the stages in the growth cycle of a tree: ancient tree, young tree and saplings/sprouts.
The proposal composed of buildings and elements situated within all the layers of the forest: the undergrowth, the understorey, the canopy, and the emergent layer. Construction would have minimal intrusion on the existing nature and would co-exist in harmony. The foundation structure would be driven by timber piles, ensuring that the buildings can float about the forest floor. The soil would not be interrupted or contaminated with harmful non-organic materials whilst building materials would be sustainable, have a minimal carbon footprint, and be durable to ensure longevity and maximise the lifespan.
About White Red Architects
White Red Architects is an international design studio based in London. With experience across multiple sectors and scales, from bespoke residential solutions on complex sites in central London to large commercial campus schemes worldwide, they offer clients contemporary design through a refreshingly efficient, ideas-led, pragmatic process.
