Knepp Wilding Kitchen and shop

by Kaner Olette Architects

Client Knepp Wilding

Award RIBA South East Award 2025

The award winner tells us: "The Knepp Wilding Kitchen and Shop is a multi-functional series of spaces featuring a café/restaurant and farm shop showcasing sustainable, local produce, alongside dedicated visitor facilities. Initially envisioned as space for an external organic produce company, the project organically developed into the ‘public face’ of Knepp to the estate, welcoming thousands of visitors. The project supports the Knepp Estate’s rewilding initiative and focuses on the reuse of agricultural barns."

The jury says: "The Knepp Wilding Kitchen and Shop has been born out of a collection of decaying and underused farmyard buildings to offer the missing piece in the Knepp experience. It provides visitors with an opportunity to refuel and reflect on their visit, enjoying the farm produce (both animal and vegetable) and supporting the Knepp project.

The architect carved the new venue out of buildings and yards, with selective demolition and retention, to create a car park, shop/entrance, courtyard/garden and restaurant/café supported by service access and storage. The courtyard is currently bounded by buildings on three sides, with a potential fourth building under consideration for the courtyard’s west side; this would become an important final piece, providing a venue for talks, exhibitions and interpretation, currently loosely accommodated within the shop."

Read the full citation from the RIBA Awards Jury on RIBA Journal

Contractor Cornerstore Group

Contractor for Sussex Barn Paddy Dangerfield

Specialist carpenter for Sussex Barn John Russell

Landscape contractor Graduate Landscapes

Structural engineer Structure Workshop

Structural engineer McCarey Simmonds

Landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith Ltd

Gross internal area 611m²