View across the natural pond from the main access road towards the main entrance and car park with secure bike storage in the foreground. The volume to the left houses the main collections stores.
Our plans for a new Science and Digitisation Centre
The Museum has one of the world’s largest and most important natural history collections, with over 80 million specimens from around the world, spanning 4.6 billion years of history.
We are proposing to build a flagship collections, digitisation and research centre in Shinfield to house 28 million of these specimens: mammals, non-insect invertebrates (such as corals, crustaceans, molluscs and worms), fossils and molecular collections.
Download the full design document as a PDF.
Facilities to research these specimens will include state-of-the-art labs for digitisation, molecular and imaging & analysis labs. Together, these scientific provisions will transform research capability and expand the UK’s role in finding solutions to the planetary emergency we face.
The project is generously enabled through a substantial £201m investment from the UK Government as part of its priority to increase investment in science, research and development.
The development site, looking south west. The proposed development is indicated with a red outline.
Benefits
This new facility will protect our irreplaceable collections by providing suitable storage. Through on-site labs and novel analytical technologies, the facility will help us to find solutions for nature from nature. Digitisation suites will increase accessibility of the collection, allowing scientists to better research and innovate to find solutions to the planetary emergency.
Community plans
Whilst the building will not be open access to the public, we are keen to share the wonder of nature with the local community in and around Shinfield. We are in the early stages of exploring what we and the University of Reading can offer as benefits to Wokingham through our partnership.
We want to encourage young people to pursue STEM subjects and careers, which might involve linking up with local schools at GCSE and A-Level, as well as other possible partnerships and voluntary opportunities. We also want to make the most of the natural surroundings, which could involve a range of activities designed to engage the community with biodiversity around the site and on your doorstep.
Main entrance with library and archives collection above seen from main approach road; office accommodation beyond.
Access and movement
Access will be achieved via a proposed roundabout at the north-western frontage of the Site, with a secondary road running along its western perimeter of the site to enable service and delivery activities to be undertaken at the rear of the building.
Secure cycle parking and electric car charging points will be provided within the development. A comprehensive Travel Plan will also be implemented to promote a range of initiates and measures so that employees and visitors are encouraged to travel by sustainable modes.
Aerial view of the building looking north. The service yard is in the foreground, the car park is between the building and the new access road at the top of the view.
Ecology
The site itself is comprised partly of arable land and partly of species-poor grassland and is of low ecological value. However, the surrounding area includes St John’s Copse immediately to the west, an area of Ancient and Semi Natural Woodland (ANSW) of high biodiversity importance, and New Covert, a more recent woodland to the east.
Surveys have also shown badgers to be foraging in the wider area whilst a range of bat species use the edges of the woodlands for foraging. A range of woodland and hedgerow nesting bird species make use of habitats around the site itself, including woodland areas for breeding in summer and for overwintering.
The key ecological consideration will be how to deliver the development without impacting on surrounding important habitats – particularly the ancient woodland at St John’s Copse and the veteran Oaks. Opportunities include using new habitat creation both on-site and in the wider area to improve connectivity between different areas of retained habitats and secure improved long-term conservation-oriented management.
Looking north along the western access road to the service yard, with office accommodation above ground floor laboratories.
The proposals have incorporated ‘buffer’ habitat zones along the site boundaries to help protect adjacent areas, in particular St Johns Copse and the veteran Oaks, from impacts such as disturbance from noise, vibration and light, as well as accidental impacts during construction.
These habitats will comprise of native tree and shrub planting and wildflower-rich grasslands. This increases the area of habitat available for wildlife to use whilst buffering adjacent habitats from the proposed development, as well as space for occupants to take breaks from working and a micro-climate around the building to lessen the impact of weather events, e.g. high temperatures, rain and wind.
The area to the north of the site will provide species-rich grassland and native woodland containing an attenuation basin designed as a wildlife-rich pond feature. The pond will benefit aquatic and marginal plants, aquatic invertebrates, and amphibians; species such as bats will benefit from increased insect prey, whilst grass snakes will hunt amphibians using the pond. The southern area will provide an open species-rich meadow area and another native woodland area that will help connect St John’s Copse and New Covert to act as a wildlife corridor and include various fruit and nut-bearing tree species.
Biodiversity enhancement measures include using native wildlife-attracting plants; planting species-rich native hedging; creating green ‘wildlife’ corridors around and across the site; planted drainage features; plant-rich and bee-friendly borders; and large legacy native broad-leaved trees.
The project aspires to deliver a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) of 20% – double the anticipated legal minimum, but due to the small site size, this cannot be achieved solely within the site boundary. Instead, the proposals will fund additional meaningful habitat creation and restoration within the River Loddon corridor, a separate proposal from the University of Reading.
The main entrance reception adjacent to a multi-purpose room to the right.
Energy
An all-electric strategy has been proposed for the new facility, which meets and exceeds ambitious regulations targets and planning requirements. The strategy incorporates a combination of energy efficient measures and low carbon technologies able to minimise the predicted energy demand of the building whilst maximising on-site generation.
The proposed Energy strategy consists of:
• Optimised and beyond-standard façade design adopting rigorous energy-efficient design standards.
• Adoption of high-efficiency air source heat pumps to provide space heating and cooling.
• High-efficiency ventilation strategy with heat recovery throughout for optimal indoor air quality and pest control.
• Energy-efficient lighting fittings, controls and metering.
• Energy-efficient equipment.
• Adoption of renewable sources of energy to offset the electricity demand of the building.
The proposed new facility provides an opportunity to develop a new asset which is fit for the future and an exemplar of Sustainable Design.
Landscape
We want to create a sense of place which connects people and nature as well as promoting a healthy and curious working community.
Care has been given to the design and siting of vehicular access, drop off and servicing, as well as managing the movement of cyclists, active travel and people movement. External lighting will comply with public health and safety as well as the planning guidance to minimise light pollution and preserve dark skies for ecology and visual amenity.
Key site opportunities
Ground floor layout of the proposals
With topography and the likely screening effect of existing buildings and vegetation, the building will have limited visibility within the local area. By incorporating additional landscape treatments at the southern site boundary, the visibility of the building can be further reduced from the more rural Loddon River Valley.
Sustainable urban drainage system techniques will be adopted to attenuate water flow, help treat drainage runoff and provide on-site storage. Nature-based solutions to water management include the attenuation pond at the entrance, rain gardens and swales around the perimeter of the building together with porous paving in the car park. These features will enable the reduction of peak flows and removal of a portion of runoff by evapo-transpiration as well as create amenity features and enhance the biodiversity value of the site.
Sustainability
There is an opportunity for the site to have biodiversity links with adjacent woodlands through landscaping and integrated sustainable drainage design though the compact size of the site makes it challenging to achieve high levels of on-site biodiversity net gain and water and energy resilience. Within the landscape, there could be restorative spaces like paths and seating for staff. Renewable energy generation has been considered and adopted wherever possible (e.g., solar).
To encourage zero or low emissions, we are proposing linkages to networks within cycling, footpaths, public transport and roads. We will also support electric bike and vehicle charging, bike storage and changing facilities.
Renewable Energy
The building will be all-electric and solar PV panels on the roof will provide approximately 25% of the energy required.
Energy efficiency
This will be achieved through high levels of insulation, airtightness, appropriate glazing ratios, optimised design for cooling, heating and humidity controls and selection of high-efficiency mechanical and electrical equipment and fittings.
Water resilience
Harvested rainwater will provide water for non-potable uses in combination with low flow and flush fittings to reduce overall water use.
Main entrance from the car park. The smaller volume over the main entrance houses the library and archive collections.
Embodied carbon and circular economy
Lower embodied carbon will be achieved through maximising the utilisation of the space and the structural components of the building, using recycled materials where possible, and considering whole-life carbon, e.g. choosing durable materials and materials that can be reused or recycled when they need to be replaced.
Climate resilience
The building is being designed to operate at a global warming of two degrees Celsius with the ability to adapt the building and services for global warming of four degrees Celsius.
Well-being
Non-hazardous materials and finishes will be selected, and the air quality in regularly occupied spaces will be monitored and displayed.
Waste in operation
Adequate space internally and externally has been allowed for a comprehensive recycling programme.
More information
• Find out more about our planned science and digitisation centre here.
• We intend to submit the planning application to Wokingham Borough Council in November 2023. If you have any feedback about the design or proposals ahead of this, please email us.