Camping & Training Centre for Middlesex North West Guides

Client: Middlesex North West Guides Association

Location: Harefield, Middlesex

The client needed to provide a permanent site in the Home Counties for Guides, Brownies and their leaders to camp and train, on a 15 acre site near Ruislip.

The main design aim was to provide an unobtrusive building that would incorporate all required facilities. For the first phase of the project the proposed building was to be a 20m x 7.5m shower block, which would later be expanded in a second phase to include two large dormitories, kitchen, Guiders' rooms and a multi purpose dining/activity meeting room, as and when funds allowed. It was of paramount importance that all facilities had to be fully accessible to the disabled.

The Guide Division Commisser, Dawn Palmer and her husband, a former Building Surveyor, Denis, wanted everything on site to be of a natural appearance, in harmony with the surrounding countryside. They appreciated that as an open countryside site, obtaining the necessary permissions, may be a problem. Several companies who specialise in timber buildings were contacted to work to Denis's own design and after drawing up a short-list of manufacturers, Pinelog was selected.

Said Denis Palmer: " Of all the companies who tendered, only Pinelog empathised with what we were trying to do - all the others were simply in it for the profit. They however clearly believed in our aims for the project and from the outset nothing was too much trouble for them."

The highly insulated building is of traditional redwood half-round log construction with Rockwool insulating bats, vapour control layers and an internal split log finish to provide a sandwich walling detail. This form of construction provides a natural appearance whilst still offering the permanence of other methods. High level lighting in the roof and large windows ensure that diffused light reaches every corner of the building and creates a bright airy feeling.

"Everyone loves it", says Denis. " Even Princess Margaret, the President of the Guide Association commented on it when she officially opened it earlier this year. It is now fully operational, thanks to the support we received from Pinelog."

In addition to the main building, Pinelog also provided two timber camping barns, which are used as stores, drying rooms and for various outdoor activities.