Crowning glory

摘要

Gridshell construction offers something for everyone. It is an organic form made from natural materials, yet it has an efficiency and logic that is inescapably modernist, deriving from a mathematical notion of a twisted grid and opposing forces. The public find the beautiful shapes pleasing while architects appreciate the combination of form and function. Neither party imposes on the other's pretensions or predilections. It is as much a political solution as an aesthetic one. What could be more appropriate for a visitors centre in Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park? Planning permission was recently granted for a competition-winning design by Glenn Howells Architects which, when built, will feature the UK's largest gridshell structure, spanning 90m by 25m. (The Crown Estate does not have to obtain planning consent for projects on its land, but clearly thinks it is better to be seen to do so.)