Nutley Hall Garden Project
Nutley, 2020 – ongoing
Nutley Hall is a long established residential living and working community serving those with a wide range of learning disabilities. There are presently 33 residents in the age range 20 – 90 and nearly 50 staff, many of who live on site. Nutley Hall is a non-profit charity and provides a unique environment whereby all involved can reach their full potential. Residents normally stay long-term, but there are also daycare facilities.
The extensive gardens are part of the therapeutic learning philosophy and food grown on site is used in the kitchens and is all grown in a form of organic known as biodynamic. Other activities are baking, weaving, music, movement and drama. Orchard House, which I designed about 20 years ago, is the cultural centre and is a community hall for the entire site and surrounding houses owned by Nutley Hall.
The present hut that supports the gardening activities is inadequate: being too small, lacking any heating, and with no wc or washing facilities. This proposal is designed to meet these needs. Materials used will be largely from the Woodland Project that has run for many years as part of the teaching programme and residents will be involved in the production of timber shingles for the roof and walls. Whilst complying with strict Health and Safety rules, the hut will be partly self-built with qualified staff overseeing the work.
This project is currently on site.
Design Team: Nic Pople, Sophie Woodhatch, Muneeb Ali Khan