Norfolk Broads Visitors’ Centre

Broads Visitors’ Centre – Thatch Tower and Landscape Landmark

• Location: Acle Bridge, Norfolk
• Client: The Broads Authority
• Status: Competition Entry
• Team: Percy Weston, Tom Surman, Hilton Murrell

Overview

This thatch-wrapped visitors’ centre includes a viewing tower, educational facilities, a water-powered lift and a generous café, creating a new destination and future landmark for the Broads.

Thatched Form

The building draws on the rich history of the Broads and the distinctive landscape in which it sits – a man-made patchwork of lakes, rivers and wetlands formed in the Middle Ages. Its form references the windmills and cottages that punctuate the landscape, while the thatch cladding takes cues from local vernacular buildings.

Broad Views

The 16 metre-high tower forms a beacon within the flat landscape. Accessed via a bicycle-powered water lift, the viewing platform offers expansive views across the Broads. On a clear day, the cathedral city of Norwich can be seen to the west and the sea to the east. The height of the tower is carefully calibrated so that these distant landmarks sit just above the curvature of the earth.

Atmosphere and Acoustics

The hollow interior of the tower is informed by the reverberant acoustics of nearby St Benet’s Abbey. Positioned at the river’s edge, the tower is open to the River Bure at its base, allowing the sound of water to echo through the chapel-like space and emphasise the tidal rhythms of the landscape.

Movement and Interpretation

A stair winds through the volume, forming a gradual descent from the viewing platform to ground level. Along this route, educational installations are positioned to interpret the history of the Broads, creating an engaging and active visitor experience. Openings cut into the thick thatch walls frame key local landmarks, including Hardley Mill, the Isle of Flegg and Great Yarmouth.