Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum

The Wolfson Tree Management Centre: a glimpse inside the new mess building

Posted: February 18, 2016 at 13:17 pm Author: Sophie Nash

Work is currently underway on what will become the new Wolfson Tree Management Centre. The new facility will provide all that Westonbirt’s expert tree team needs to manage the tree collection.

Work is now taking place to complete the interior of the Tree Team’s new mess building.

PorchPolycarbonate wall

The entrance to the building is covered by a substantial overhang, which acts as a big porch as you enter and exit the building.

Inside, one of the most striking features is the polycarbonate end wall – this lets lots of diffused daylight into the main space which the team will use for tea breaks and meetings.

Plywood ceilingKitchen

The ceiling of the building is plywood sheeting – this is soon to be varnished, and the lights installed where you currently see dangling cables.

The heart of any mess room is the kitchen. It’s nearly finished and the worktops will be installed in the next few weeks! Look closely and you’ll see that the taps above the sink are made of copper piping with stop taps… a simple solution and alternative to off-the-peg kitchen fittings.

The kitchen will be an area for food preparation (the fuel essential for a busy arborist!) and a washing machine where kit and ropes will be washed to improve their condition.