Silecroft beach is situated in the southwest corner of the Lake District National Park and is overlooked by Black Combe fell to the north and gives spectacular views across the Irish Sea towards the Isle of Man. The design brief for this project outlined a vision for a the creation of a new beach cafe which would become Cumbria’s premier beach destination, offering a world-class visitor experience as well as being a quality amenity for local communities.

The concept of this proposed design was to meet the brief objectives by creating a visitor centre and beach café facility to serve visitors and locals whilst also creating a space which connected and explored the stunning natural landscape. This was achieved by the creation of framed views which were intrinsic to the concept design; to the North, the impressive views of Black Combe are drawn on, to the West, a focal viewing panel draws out views of the Irish Sea and the Isle of Man and views to the East embrace the natural topography of the site – each viewpoint connects the building with the surrounding physical context.

The design creates a hub of regenerative facilities for the area; the main café area serves as the primary area for visitor interaction, with a Kitchen, accessible WC’s and an external shower area and storage for securing all weather outdoor equipment and an outdoor seating area.