Birling Gap in East Sussex is an extraordinary site to have for an exciting and challenging brief. The name itself comes from the view of the see that can be seen framed by the landscape on the approach from the village of East Dean. Located within the South Downs National Park, the National Trust own and run a visitor centre with a café and exhibition space from which visitors may explore the Seven Sisters cliffs.
The cliff edge however is disappearing at an alarming rate with the visitor centre already dangerously close to collapse with parts of the building already demolished for safety.
With the National Trust as a live client, the brief proposed the design of a new visitor centre that would specifically address the moving and eroding edge of land.
The National Trust kindly their time for a detailed briefing as they themselves begin to consider options for the future.
On this site visit students were invited to look for three specifically qualitative aspects to this extraordinary landscape (or in other words qualities to which they had an emotional response). This will provide the seed for their subsequent designs.