The Hard Rock Cafe was built for the Knepp Wildland Foundation to support a new campsite with the sole focus of youth engagement at the Knepp Estate 3500-acre rewilding project.
The triangular framed structure is lightly clad with corrugated sheeting, with roof flashing repurposed as planted trays to contain rocks, blocks and earth as ballast as well as slowing rainwater run-off. One side provides shelter, whilst the other has shutters which open out to allow chefs to serve food on rocky platforms embedded within a herb garden.
This was designed using wood reclaimed from the film industry by material agency, ReCollective. We embraced contingencies in material by allowing this to drive form; using full lengths and widths of existing stock wherever possible minimise waste as well as cutting time.
We worked with Youngwilders’ community of volunteers to put the structure together over one long weekend, using basic power tools and framing techniques.