Ecological Centre for Learning and Convivial Conservation practices

Our current food system has negatively impacted the state of the natural resources and we need to invest in restoring the damaged ecosystems in order to continue comfortable existence not stained by famine and other human-acuity induced disasters.

One of the oldest ecosystems on Earth is peat bogs, that are unique habitats that can store one-fifth of all carbon kept in soil on Earth while occupying only 3% of the planet’s land surface. Many of these rare habitats have been damaged or destroyed and the ancient Cors Goch bog in Carmarthen, Wales is not an exception to this devastating tendency.

To protect and conserve the Cors Goch bog the project adopts principles of convivial conservation and aims to offer new strategies promoting the health and prosperity of both nature and human. An Ecological Centre for Learning is a main centrepiece of this project. Awareness of the unique natural site runs like a golden thread through all of the design decisions, whilst also aiming to maintain a good level of comfort for those visiting the site. This design project is meant to demonstrate that sustainable and environmentally conscious architecture is attainable without any significant decreases to our regular living standards. The environmental impact of the project is further minimised through the use of sustainable materials such as roundwood timber and thatch. Those materials will not need to be imported from afar, and thus, the project promotes the sustainable methods of construction that do not require excessive transportation that also inevitably drain and contaminate earth’s limited resources.

There is already a train track going right through the bog, which will be incorporated into the project. A small train station is included in the design, improving accessibility and encouraging people to engage with the natural site in a meaningful way. Through these efforts, the project aims to establish a harmonious relationship between human activities and the surrounding raw natural environment.