An abbey in the Middle Ages and converted to a residence in the thirties, Mottisfont Abbey is a historical English home with a large park along the river banks, a greenhouse, and a rose garden. A place of respite and relaxation, – in the past century its guests included artists, writers and architects – it now belongs to the National Trust and is open to the public throughout the year, offering a full programme of contemporary art exhibitions.

The new visitor centre at the park entrance comprises three building: one for the ticket office, one for the shop and another for the café, all of which are arranged around a central courtyard; the natural materials and the figures of the pavilions offer a contemporary interpretation of the traditional rural forms found in the English countryside.

The winner of the RIBA South Award in 2016, the greatest attention was paid to the history of the site and the reduction of energy consumption. As a result, the products selected for the windows and doors and uninterrupted glass panes were EBE 75 and 4F 2 in corten steel, the impeccable and high performance profiles of which outline the simple design of the façades with its extensive surfaces.