Secret Garden Cafe
Location: New Forest, Hampshire
Type: New build cadence and landscaping
Service: Architectural Design - Cafe for adults with learning difficulties in heritage landscape
This project is another commission from the Stable Family Home Trust exploring the potential for a community cafe within the walled gardens of Bisterne Estate.
Expanding the existing refurbished day services at the Stables for adults with learning difficulties, the brief is to provide a small public cafe that provides training and work experience for adults with learning difficulties.
It is conceived as a new walled garden adjacent to the existing walled gardens of Bisterne Manor. The primary move is to create the walled enclosure with a tall new brick wall. the cafe then forms a contemporary lean-to structure within the walled garden and is discovered through a small aperture creating the front door.
The wall divides the existing courtyard car park from the landscaped garden. The cafe is a calm, north facing space that offers a simple and visual quiet space suitable for adults with learning difficulties without high contrast created by direct sunlight. A richness comes from the exposed brickwork softened by views of the garden.
