Old Freemen’s Association

Through an invited competition, Reed Watts have been selected by the Old Freemen’s Association to design their new memorial clubhouse. Set in Ashtead Park, a Grade II listed Historic Park and Garden, our proposal responds sensitively to the challenges inherent in this environment.

Partially cut into the hillside and clad in weathered timber the building is extremely discreet. We have minimised the impact on trees and ecology by carefully situating the building in the more open part of the site, which also provides a stronger relationship with the playing fields. The compact, folded plan creates an intimate south-facing terrace, shielded from the adjacent road and making the most of the woodland setting.

The original clubhouse was built as a memorial to OFA members killed during the war and the new building will incorporate salvaged materials to provide a tangible link with the old structure. The design will be developed over the coming months with consultation with the OFA, the users of the building, the local community and the Corporation of London. A planning application is expected to follow in the autumn.