Ripple Retreat

Description

An exceptional project for the charity It’s Good 2 Give! Ripple Retreat is a purpose-built sanctuary for children affected by cancer.

Background
Situated on the banks of Loch Venachar, Ripple Retreat takes in beautiful views across calming waters. The ultimate goal, of course, was to create a safe and relaxing haven for families contending with cancer. The waterside location inspired the eye-catching design which features a rippling roof form, reflecting the undulating surface of the loch and the surrounding hills.

Challenges
This was a beautiful, but complicated design in a remote location. As it hugs the shoreline, we also had to deal with limited access to the site. Plus, to ensure a lightness of touch and provide a ‘floating’ sensation above the water meant avoiding heavy structural elements. A tight budget meant careful planning and collaboration with the charity and teamwork was central to success.

Solutions
Starting with a light steel frame, the build materials (zinc, glass, oak) sympathetically fit the building into the local landscape. Long cantilevers needed to be constructed to enhance the feeling of floating. The design also makes the best use of passive solar gain with larger areas of glazing facing westwards. This unique project is a model sustainable building. Low carbon energy will be produced using an air source heat transfer system providing heating and hot water. In addition, everything was designed to be naturally ventilated.