The project

WHAT: A new visitor centre at Windsor Park sporting a rather fashionable look for the Crown Estate, including a trendy undulating roof. We presume Prince Charles approves...

HOW: The roof is made of four layers, which create a 1m grid of 80 x 50mm of larch. During construction the timbers were still pliable, allowing then to be bent into position. The timber has a layer of aluminium over it for waterproofing.

The three-domed shape has a tubular steel beam running around the perimeter, which is held in place by paired legs. The whole building is balanced by a series of below ground tie beams.

HOW BIG: Gross floor area is 1800m2

WHEN: Contract duration was 70 weeks, work started on site in October 2004 and the building was opened on 26 June 2006.

HOW MUCH: £4.8m

CONTRACT: GC Works 1 without quantities

WHO: Project manager: Ridge, QS: DBK Back, architect: Glenn Howells, structural engineer: Engineers Haskins Robinson Waters, gridshell structural engineer: Buro Happold, contractor: William Verry, gridshell contractor: The Green Oak Carpentry Co, client: The Crown Estate.

THE QS SAID: “Developing an iconic piece of modern architecture such as the Savill Building calls on an immense amount of team work and ‘on the job’ negotiations. So many elements of the building were crafted in a highly bespoke fashion, and so cost planning, procurement and constructing the building to schedule could not be approached in a typical fashion... the extra investment in the building fabric was a brave and astute business decision for the Crown Estate” - Keith Davis, associate director, DBK Back