Serene connection between towering pines and ever changing sea
South RIBA Regional Award 2019
Hampshire County Council Architects (HCC Property Services) for Hampshire
Contract value: £1.7m
GIA: 355.00m²
Cost per m²: £3,526
Sited at the coastal edge of the New Forest National Park, the Lookout is strategically raised 2.5m above the sand at the predicted 100-year extreme weather high-water level. The slanted roof of the café forms a serene connection between the towering pines and the ever changing sea. The strong verticals of the window frames and timber facade reinforce the spare verticality of the trees behind the building. It is orientated to cope with the elements and designed with well thought out materiality. Inside, the wood burner instils a feeling of cosiness in this well-scaled refuge and the vistas outward are breathtaking.