The Epicentre

Introduction: Clear as Glass

From the beginning, people said this vision was too big; too complicated; too expensive to attempt. But Founder Adam Whittaker has seen this Epicentre in his mind clear as glass for years; a place that already exists in blueprint form, waiting to be built with others.

This Part One explains why HEADTURNED places a circular Innovation Hub at the centre of a much larger landscape; and how that choice shapes everything that follows. It is the starting point for a 5,000-acre blueprint where technology, sanctuary, vertical farming; and conservation operate as one cohesive ecosystem powered by HEADTURNED PPV.

This is not a thought experiment; it is an open invitation to help make it real.

One System

One Cohesive Ecosystem, Not Fragmented Projects

The HEADTURNED Centre is designed as a single ecosystem, not a scattered set of buildings. A central circular Innovation Hub links sanctuary, vertical farming, conservation, media and learning into one living system.

In most organisations, technology lives in one place, animal welfare in another, food systems in a third, and conservation somewhere else entirely. That fragmentation slows decisions and dilutes responsibility. By designing one centre that holds all four together, HEADTURNED makes it easier for engineers, carers, farmers, storytellers and scientists to solve problems side-by-side, rather than throwing issues over a wall.

The central Hub does not exist to dominate the landscape, but to hold it together. It keeps the Sanctuary, Farm and conservation estate connected through decisions, data and shared purpose, while allowing each to operate in the way their work demands.

From the first sketches, people said the HEADTURNED Centre was too big, too complex and too costly to ever leave the page. Adam Whittaker, the Founder, has seen it as clearly as glass: one place where Sanctuary, Farm, Innovation Hub and wild land work together instead of competing. Publishing this blueprint is a line in the sand — we are doing this, and if you are reading it, you are invited to help build it.

People & Performance

Designing Around People, Biology and Daylight

The Innovation Hub is designed around human biology, not just desks and floorplates. Natural light, movement, calm and proximity to nature are treated as performance infrastructure.

Workspaces are wrapped in glass and views of trees, water and sky. Internal walkways encourage people to walk, think and meet away from their screens. The inner park gives staff a quiet, green core to decompress in the middle of demanding work. HEADTURNED is a platform built around nature, restoration, animals and innovation; the building reflects those values in every line of sight.

This is not softness; it is strategy. When people can think clearly, move freely and recover during the day, they build better systems for animals, landscapes and the communities the Centre will serve.

Energy & Efficiency

The Hub as a Machine for Renewable Performance

The central building is designed as a renewable-first machine. Energy, airflow, temperature and materials are chosen so that the structure works with the climate, not against it.

Solar arrays, natural ventilation strategies, high-performance glazing and a thermally stable structure reduce the need for heavy mechanical systems. Inside, radiant heating and cooling keep conditions comfortable with less waste. The goal is simple: lower emissions, lower lifetime costs, and more predictable performance that frees resources for sanctuary care, farming systems and restoration projects.

Buildings that can partially self-regulate free the Foundation to focus on what matters most: animals, ecosystems, people and long-term impact, rather than firefighting energy shocks and maintenance problems.

Structure

Why the Circular Form Works for a Living Centre

The circular, loop-based geometry is not an aesthetic flourish. It is a structural and operational choice that supports strength, fairness and intuitive movement across the Hub.

A ring distributes loads evenly and creates a strong, self-supporting structure. Inside, it removes forgotten corners and “second-class” wings. Teams experience the building more equally, with similar access to light, views and shared spaces. Circulation becomes obvious: you can walk the loop, find people, and move between disciplines without complex wayfinding.

The design takes cues from some of the most coherent modern centrees in the world, including Apple Park, but the decisions here belong to HEADTURNED. The form is in service of a specific mission: a centre that behaves like a living system, not a business park.

Identity

Architecture as a Statement of Intent

Before anyone hears a talk, reads a policy or watches a film, the building itself speaks. The Innovation Hub is designed to make the Foundation’s intent visible in glass, steel, timber and trees.

Precision in the detailing reflects seriousness. Minimal, calm interiors support focus and long-term thinking. Seamless transitions between inside and outside signal transparency. Human scale in walkways, courtyards and meeting spaces makes it clear that this is a place built for people doing difficult, meaningful work, not just for show.

Before a single word is spoken, the Centre makes its position clear: humanity and nature stand as one, without compromise.

Next in the Series

From Principle to Practice

Part One sets the architectural and philosophical spine of the Centre. The next chapters take each organ in turn: the Innovation Hub, the Vertical Farming centre, the Sanctuary, the conservation landscape and the governance that keeps everything honest.

Together, they form a blueprint that is difficult to dilute once it is published and built. That is intentional. HEADTURNED is not designed to bend with every passing trend. It is designed to stay true to a simple promise: build a place where humanity and nature finally share the same system again, and let that example stand for the long term.