The Orchard Building, Serge Hill Project

The Serge Hill Project for Gardening, Creativity and Health was granted planning permission in January 2020. The aim is to develop a community garden on a one-acre site known as The Orchard, at Serge Hill in Hertfordshire. The proposed building at the heart of the Orchard has been designed by architect Ben Stuart-Smith, as part of architecture and design collective Okra https://okrastudio.com/, and will function as an education and resource centre. It is constructed with radically low embodied carbon from cross-laminated timber infilled with hempcrete internally and vertical cleft oak pales on the outside. The foundations were laid in May 2021, and it opened in Spring 2024. Strocks were used for the floor of the Orchard Building and finished with a coloured linseed oil paint to surprisingly good effect. The floor was subjected to testing including with red wine and found to be quite robust enough for public events. For more on Strocks as a flooring material please do get in touch.