Adams + Collingwood have been commissioned to help the Chiswick Horticultural Society replace their Trading Hut which is currently housed in an aged Asbestos Nissan Building. The brief not only requires a new building but also that the building makes use of sustainable building techniques and is economical. Most members of the society are allotment holders and cultivate their vegetables with great economy!

The final design is one of great simplicity relying on passive solar energy to heat a massive rammed earth wall which is enclosed in a green house to the south. The wall will store the energy(heat) and will be transferred into the main space to the north by radiation or convection currents. The three other walls and roof to this space will be highly insulated to retain that heat. The green house will double up as an area for the society to germinate seeds and bring on plants ready to be sold to society members for planting out in their allotments.

In addition the building will have an earth WC and the earth used for the rammed earth wall will form a pond which will allow the society to diversify into breeding fish for the members. The roof is a single plane mono-pitch with grass covering to improve the insulation and protect the waterproof membrane from the weather.

The design has planning approval but will be developed in the choice of materials to keep the construction to a minimum. This will be achieved by close collaboration of the contractor, architect and client.

For more information on the Chiswick Horticultural Society, visit www.chsw4.org