Richmond Park Golf Clubhouse
Richmond Park is a wonderful rolling swathe of open grass and woodland that belies the intensive use it gets from families, walkers, runners, cyclists and golfers. The two existing eighteen hole golf courses fit well with the character of the landscape but the haphazard collection of disparate buildings that make up the clubhouse and related facilities make no connection with the setting and the gentle landscape.
A new driving range and a five hole academy course will be added, and will emphasise the public pay-and play non-exclusive nature of the existing golf courses.
The two grassy arms of the crescent-shaped clubhouse, will direct golfers to their respective courses as they set out, and then allow them to return on a gentle ramp to the cafe/bar at the end of their round. The arms embrace a pond and practice green, overlooked by the shop and the cafe terrace. In this way the building organises the movement of the golfers in a clear and natural way.
The departure and arrival of the golfers, and the activities on the practice green, become quite theatrical and create a strong sense of place at the heart of the golf course, and a new gateway to one of London’s most impressive Royal Parks.