Newhurst Quarry

Leicestershire

Energy recovery facility. Designed by SLR Consulting.

We are pleased to comment on this energy from waste facility and we applaud the client’s commitment to commissioning a well designed building. We think that the chosen design approach, based on a curved envelope following the form of the equipment, has the potential to be successful if carefully thought through. This plant is located on a prominent site adjacent to the M1, and we feel that this exposure, combined with the scale and building type, demands a particularly accomplished and ambitious design. The proposed building envelope is wrapped competently around the complex plant equipment underneath, but we do not think that the proposal has yet achieved the high design standard required for this location; the proposal requires refinement and needs further work, particularly regarding materials and detailing.

Setting in the context

On this highly visible site adjacent to the M1, we expect to see a successful piece of architecture which works with the context. Generating the curved form from the internal technical equipment and the necessary space requirements of the facility has created a pleasing object building, but we feel that the proposal needs to do more to develop a convincing relationship to its particular location.

Design approach

We believe that these buildings, which in addition to processing waste produce renewable energy and generate economic value, should inspire a more ambitious and bold design. We would welcome facilities which would exhibit some of the internal processes and suggest exploring a design which for example includes transparent or translucent elements in the form of display windows. The long term success of the scheme also depends on robust detailing and high quality materials which require little maintenance and we urge the design team to revisit their proposal and simplify and refine the choice of material and detailing which at present appears over-complicated and potentially vulnerable in terms of weathering and ageing.

Landscape

The design of the landscape responds well to the building and shows a commendable grade of care and detailing. The car park, for example, is successfully integrated into the overall site layout.