This shorlisted design for a visitors centre for Hardwick Park, near Durham, took inspiration from both the parks picturesque landscape and the contemporary landscape of the roadside. We tried to avoid the cliche of the tasteful timber pavillion and instead aimed to design a more contemporary building that acknowledged the contradictory role of the centre as a new building concerned with heritage. The planning of the interior of the building uses views, axis and vistas to organise the various spaces and refers to the picturesque gardens beyond. The facade acts as a giant sign that communicate to the scale of the car park and formed the formal approach to the visitor centre.