Freya and Robin
FREYA AND ROBIN
Studio Weave
ARCHITECTS
Studio Weave
CATEGORY
PUblic Space
PROJECT YEAR
2009
PHOTOGRAPHS
Peter Sharpe, David Williams, Studio Weave
LOCATION
Northumberland, United Kingdom
COLLABORATORS
Kielder Art
ARCHITECTURE PROGRAMME
Price & Myers, Millimetre
Text description provided by architect.
Freya and Robin are manifestations of a love story embedded in the stunning landscape of Kielder Water and Forest Park, home to the largest man-made body of water in Europe and surrounded by commercial forest.
With the client, we chose two sites on either side of the lake and through our proposals sought to create evidence of an imagined fairytale, creating a playful and magical link across the water.
The structures form stopping points that peer at each other and enhance a sense of place along the new Lakeside Way for walkers and cyclists.
We embraced the man-made nature of this ‘rural’ context and considered the site a stage set against which we could tell a story. We developed a narrative that guided and informed design decisions from beginning to end, proving an effective forum for architect, client and fabricator to collaborate.
While creating evidence of an imagined fairytale, the pavilions also meet technically demanding requirements, including all-year-round accessibility, robustness for constant public use and resistance to extreme weather conditions.
The project has been recognised in the Wood Awards and the European Copper in Architecture Awards. It was even chosen as a perfect spot for a marriage proposal!
