Redcar Eco Tourism Visitor Centre
James Robinson
Redcar is located on the North Sea coastline, south of the Tees estuary, on the border of North Yorkshire and County Durham.
The town grew out of a fishing village, called Reidkarri established in the 14th century. From the 19th century, the town developed as a popular tourist destination with the extension of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. However during the 20th century tourism declined. The major employers since then have been coalmining, steelmaking and, more recently, the petrochemical industries in the Tees Valley. These industries are now suffering after the ‘mothballing’ of the Corus blast furnace at Warrenby, Redcar and from competition in the supply of commodity chemicals produced by developing countries. If Redcar is to avoid a terminal decline, it needs to learn from the success of other seaside towns, and to take advantage of its greatest asset, the surrounding natural environment. This proposal for an Eco Tourism Visitors Centre will promote an appreciation of indigenous marine life in the North Sea surrounding Redcar, thereby encouraging tourism and environmental awareness.
The project is located at a ‘pivot point’ in Redcar: at the junction of the High Street and the Esplanade, and in close proximity to the remaining local fishing industry. Deriving in form from the ‘spinal’ nature of the High Street, which has been the historic heart of Redcar, the building also reconnects the town with the sea and the geological rock features of the area.
The town grew out of a fishing village, called Reidkarri established in the 14th century. From the 19th century, the town developed as a popular tourist destination with the extension of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. However during the 20th century tourism declined. The major employers since then have been coalmining, steelmaking and, more recently, the petrochemical industries in the Tees Valley. These industries are now suffering after the ‘mothballing’ of the Corus blast furnace at Warrenby, Redcar and from competition in the supply of commodity chemicals produced by developing countries. If Redcar is to avoid a terminal decline, it needs to learn from the success of other seaside towns, and to take advantage of its greatest asset, the surrounding natural environment. This proposal for an Eco Tourism Visitors Centre will promote an appreciation of indigenous marine life in the North Sea surrounding Redcar, thereby encouraging tourism and environmental awareness.
The project is located at a ‘pivot point’ in Redcar: at the junction of the High Street and the Esplanade, and in close proximity to the remaining local fishing industry. Deriving in form from the ‘spinal’ nature of the High Street, which has been the historic heart of Redcar, the building also reconnects the town with the sea and the geological rock features of the area.
Local Marine Life and Definition of Eco Tourism:
“Eco tourism is facilities/activities that are environmentally neutral. They actively promote the education, awareness and conservation of the natural environment and the threats that the natural world faces. Eco tourism should proactively funds research of habitats that provide bio diverse environments for endanged species.”
Local marine mammals - In recent years reduced pollution and EU controlled fishing in the North Sea has seen an upsurge in sightings of marine mammals. Sightings of pinnipeds (seals) and cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) have significantly increased over the last few years. (As reported to NSBC) The image below indicates commonly sighted mammals in the North Sea Harbour porpoise, Bottlenose dolphins, White-beaked dolphins, Killer whales, Minke whales and Common seals. Redcar Rocks - falls within the remit of the Habitats Regulations as it is a Special Protection Area (SPA.) The rich habitats for small marine life, such as crabs are a major foraging resource for wading birds at low tide, including approximately 11.5% of the SPA Redshank population, 3.9% of the SPA Ringed Plovers and 0.7% of the SPA population of Knot. (Data Source: Environment Agency)
“Eco tourism is facilities/activities that are environmentally neutral. They actively promote the education, awareness and conservation of the natural environment and the threats that the natural world faces. Eco tourism should proactively funds research of habitats that provide bio diverse environments for endanged species.”
Local marine mammals - In recent years reduced pollution and EU controlled fishing in the North Sea has seen an upsurge in sightings of marine mammals. Sightings of pinnipeds (seals) and cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) have significantly increased over the last few years. (As reported to NSBC) The image below indicates commonly sighted mammals in the North Sea Harbour porpoise, Bottlenose dolphins, White-beaked dolphins, Killer whales, Minke whales and Common seals. Redcar Rocks - falls within the remit of the Habitats Regulations as it is a Special Protection Area (SPA.) The rich habitats for small marine life, such as crabs are a major foraging resource for wading birds at low tide, including approximately 11.5% of the SPA Redshank population, 3.9% of the SPA Ringed Plovers and 0.7% of the SPA population of Knot. (Data Source: Environment Agency)
Design
The design is a balance between two architectural languages: those of defensive structures, drawing inspiration from the pillboxes of the Second World War, found both locally on the surrounding coastline and forming the ‘Atlantic Wall’ of Northern France, and a lightweight, fabric structure redolent of sails.
The Visitor Centre design concept is concerned with reconnecting Redcar and the natural environment around it. Through following the axis of the High Street, Redcar is directly connected with the Jurassic Redcar Rocks and the wide sandy beach that surround them. The building plan is driven by the surrounding urban form, continuing the spine of the High Street to create an open internal exhibition space, and developing pods either side which mirror the building blocks that line the High Street. The pods provide educational and research facilities with direct access to the main exhibition space. Evoking a defensive architectural language influenced by bunker architecture and the inherent nature of the building to defended against North Sea tides. The Pods are centrally connected by an opaque tensile roof structure which portrays the ribbed nature of the urban language, emphasizing the continuation of the High Street into the main exhibition space.
The design is a balance between two architectural languages: those of defensive structures, drawing inspiration from the pillboxes of the Second World War, found both locally on the surrounding coastline and forming the ‘Atlantic Wall’ of Northern France, and a lightweight, fabric structure redolent of sails.
The Visitor Centre design concept is concerned with reconnecting Redcar and the natural environment around it. Through following the axis of the High Street, Redcar is directly connected with the Jurassic Redcar Rocks and the wide sandy beach that surround them. The building plan is driven by the surrounding urban form, continuing the spine of the High Street to create an open internal exhibition space, and developing pods either side which mirror the building blocks that line the High Street. The pods provide educational and research facilities with direct access to the main exhibition space. Evoking a defensive architectural language influenced by bunker architecture and the inherent nature of the building to defended against North Sea tides. The Pods are centrally connected by an opaque tensile roof structure which portrays the ribbed nature of the urban language, emphasizing the continuation of the High Street into the main exhibition space.
