Durrell Centre for Wildlife Education

  • Client Cornwall College
  • Location Newquay, Cornwall
  • Cost £1.4m
  • Year 2006

This Higher Education building for Cornwall College provides a Wildlife Education Centre delivering university level courses in applied zoology.

The centre was designed and built using a timber Modern Method of Construction system (MMC) and is clad in natural western red cedar in order to reduce the overall embodied carbon of the project. A fabric first approach was taken and the building was highly insulated using a sustainable recycled paper insulation. Natural ventilation of the lecture theatres is achieved using windcatchers on the roof. This provides a natural and healthy internal environment, whilst reducing operation carbon and running costs for the college.

Working closely with wildlife experts and ecologists we provided a design that integrated and respected the local wildlife and enhanced the important habitats found around the site. The building achieved a BREEAM ‘very good’ rating.

We were able to bring our marine and shoreworks experience to the project to ensure the details and materials specified were suitable for the exposed coastal site.

"To see the project now happening is one of the most exciting moments in my life. Zoos these days are all about the care of our environment. To educate is to care".

Mike Thomas, Newquay Zoo MD
Durrell Centre for Wildlife Education