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A work of art ? London Wetland Centre's new bat house |
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8 Aug 2009, 4:31 PM
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A highly unusual building is taking shape among the reeds and pools of the London Wetland Centre, at Barnes. It is a green designer home for bats, manifesting a concept generated by Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller.
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Groundwork for the Berkeley Bat House has now finished, and the structure itself is beginning to take shape with scaffolding surrounding the walls as they are built and cured. The bat house will be built from Hemcrete – a more sustainable alternative to concrete made from hemp and lime - which is breathable and should be ideal for the bats to roost in. It locks up CO2, partly because of its organic basis, which is helpful in the fight against climate change..
It is hoped that the bat house will act as a prototype, showing how architects and developers can create space for wildlife within new buildings in an innovative and artistic way.
Arts Council England, the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT), the Greater London Authority, plusequals and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust have all worked together to make the idea a reality. Funding for the project was generously provided by Berkeley Homes. Construction is scheduled to last throughout the summer, with completion set for early autumn.
Carol Williams, bats and built environment officer for BCT said: “Bats and their roosts are protected by law due to the large declines they have suffered in recent decades. This has been partly due to the loss of suitable roosting opportunities. The culmination of this project and construction of the bat house is an example of a building that is sustainable in the fullest sense of the term. It is hoped that in time this building will provide a valuable roosting opportunity for local bat colonies in the years to come.”
Jorgen Tandberg, one of the pair of architects commissioned to design the bat house added: “I believe that this project is a brilliant way to provide a valuable resource for some of our bats, whilst raising awareness of the vast biodiversity within London’s very urban environment. We had to be very selective about the materials used in the design and we chose Hemcrete because of its excellent recommendations for sustainability. It will also help us to create an almost ideal climate for the bats within the structure.”
The Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) is the only national organisation solely devoted to the conservation of bats and their habitats in the UK. Its network of 100 local bat groups and more than 1,000 bat workers survey roosts and hibernation sites, and work with householders, builders, farmers and foresters to protect bats. BCT operates the National Bat Helpline on 0845 1300 228, providing advice for all who come into contact with bats or have questions about them. More information can be found on BCT’s website, www.bats.org.uk.
BCT has a dedicated built environment project officer and is currently working on a publication to provide the construction industry with details for the provision of biodiversity in low and zero carbon buildings.
Credits:: Illustration by Jorgen Tandberg and Yo Murata.
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