The Sill is a National Landscape Discovery Centre and YHA at Once Brewed and responds to the client, NNPA’s brief to create a high quality facility which excites and inspires visitors to explore and engage with landscape. The building features an exhibition space, learning and event spaces, a local produce café, rural business hub, a world-class 86 bed Youth Hostel and a shop. Situated in Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site, within the Northumberland National Park and partially covered by a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the design responds to this sensitive setting. Inspired by the geological outcrop The Great Whin Sill, the building grows from the landscape that surrounds it, appearing as another geological ripple. The Sill’s fully accessible living roof sweeps gently upwards, giving all visitors a bird’s eye vantage point across one of the UK’s most magnificent landscapes. The Sill has been designed on sustainable principles, a central atrium provides daylight in to the heart of the building while allowing natural ventilation. The south facing entrance canopy provides solar shading while also supporting photo voltaics for generating electricity. Solar panels on the roof also provide hot water while the remaining fully accessible whin sill vegetation roof increases biodiversity and reduces surface water runoff. The building also incorporates high levels of insulation and air tightness, locally sourced stone and enhanced ecology including habitats for bats and birds. Design work commenced on the Sill in Spring 2013 via a series of community workshops, planning permission was granted in October 2014, works commenced on site in September 2015 following a two stage tender. The Sill opened to the public in July 2017. The Sill truly demonstrates inclusive design, providing a safe entry point for people from all backgrounds, including children, young people, families, disabled people and those less confident at exploring natural places. Address: The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre, Bardon Mill, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 7AN Awards: 2019 Civic Trust Awards, Selwyn Goldsmith Award for Universal Design; 2018 RIBA North East Award; 2018 RICS Awards North East, Tourism & Leisure, Highly Commended ; 2018 RICS Awards North East, Community Benefit, Shortlist; 2018 Constructing Excellence in the North East Awards, Sustainability, Finalist; 2018 RTPI Awards, Planning Excellence, Shortlist; 2018 Planning Awards, Design Excellence, Shortlist; 2018 AJ Architecture Awards, Public Building of the Year, Shortlist; 2018 RIBAJ MacEwen Awards, Longlist; 2015 Planning Awards, Planning Permission of the Year. "We were a very demanding client for JDDK. We asked for: design by community engagement; a landmark building which will draw people from across the country and Europe to visit the new centre; achieve a building with BREEAM excellence; and gain support from peers via the North East Design Review. The new building needs to be low cost whilst its main aim is to provide an attractive building to more than double visitor numbers, triple average dwell times and produce much higher income earning facilities. The overall aim is to create a stunning building to inspire people to visit and then go on to learn about and discover their landscapes. JDDK have achieved all the above and much more. JDDK have both managed our reputation and created a fantastic design within overall income generating and cost parameters and on time." Stuart Evans, Project Director for The Sill, NNPA