Forager’s Retreat Conwy, Wales
The coastal town of Conwy relies heavily on traditional seaside tourism, making it particularly vulnerable to changes in recreational habits. However, the surrounding landscape has great diversity in natural habitats, ranging from tidal waters to dense forest and hedgerows, all of which offer up wild ingredients to the vigilant forager. Forager’s Retreat aspires to encourage ecotourism in Conwy by connecting visitors with their natural surroundings, through collecting wild food and cooking on an open fire. The scheme also proposes to incorporate a mussel farm within jetty of the small building complex, encouraging greater biodiversity and cleaner water. A site was chosen at a point where a woodland meets a rocky peninsular, creating an ideal opportunity for a visually striking piece of architecture that celebrates the rhythms of nature and the seasons. A study was also undertaken to understand the genius loci of Conwy, looking at the different phenomena that make up the character of the area, such as texture, stratification, patina, landscape, vernacular and memory.
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Christopher Nils Shaw Portfolio
