You either love it or you hate it. Thankfully the majority love it and the Royal Institute of British Architects agree, having just awarded the new Parrinder hide at Titchwell one of its eight awards in the East.
As you can imagine all the team here are pretty excited. We are used to punching the air when pintail breed on the reserve for the first time and avocets have their best year ever (all happened this week) but winning an architectural award for a hide is new one for us all. The usual design format of dads old shed plus some windows is out and modern airy interiors which would get Mr Kevin McCloud salivating, are in.
Our own grand design was orchestrated by a big team with Patrick Ward of Haysom Ward Miller Architects at the design controls. Throughout the process we talked to our visitors, volunteers and sought other lessons learnt from recent hide designs. One of the biggest challenges was getting the windows right. We took this so seriously we even trialled the design for twelve months before finally deciding on what to go for.
Feedback overall has been very positive but the most common complaint is the lack of toilets, personally I wanted a bar but apparently its only a hide so will have to make do with the stunning views, close encounters with birds and a hip flask.
Well done on getting a well deserved award and for all the hard work put in.
Hi-
it does look great but 'Marmite hide' ?? I'm afraid my friends are still saying Tracy Island.
The bar idea is great, Lets have Ray doing cocktails. The open area just needs some tables with parasols and in the evening we can have....... night jars :)
S
Thanks for the comments. Other names I've heard are terminal five and the bridge of the bismark but I quite like Tracy Island can we start raising funds for thunderrspbbird 2.