Invited Competition, RIBA Stages A - C, Project Value £6 million English Heritage, National Trust
The design of the visitors centre is inspired by the archaeological context of the ‘henge’ monuments - prehistoric manmade enclosures - and is conceived as a contemporary settlement within a forest offering shelter from the exposed conditions of Salisbury Plain. The building forms an oval ‘clearing’ set into the hill and is articulated by a colonnade. The plan provides a variety of internal and external circulation routes around and through the oval courtyard, encouraging visitors to experience a sequence of information and recreation spaces prior to, following, the visit to the monument. The camera obscura offers a magical link with Stonehenge and the vast tapestry of archaeological remains.
