EARTHLY HILLS:EPPING FOREST CENTRE OF ECOLOGIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Earthly Hills is a university research centre based in Epping Forest in collaboration with UCL and Imperial College to research climate change and how Epping Forest can be adapted to it through genetic engineering and preserving the diversities existing. The project is focused on studying different ecologies of Epping Forest and exploring how it will be affected in future years.The project aims to enhance the biodiversity of Epping Forest and to coexist with the existing buildings as well as wildlife. The brief includes a range of research laboratories, educational facilities, greenhouse,permaculture workshops, and sports facilities. The final design concept emerged from the idea of the building being an ecology of its own and growing different microhabitats. This concept is further pushed by the building shape and hallowed panels that allow for water retention, hence more growth of moss and lichen. Moreover, the building material of bio-receptive concrete in addition to the panel shapes allow for the growth and inhabitation of the different species that exist within the forest, to exist on the facade. The building becomes an ecology of its own that can be explored and examined closely by the students