WILDERNESS WOODS
Wilderness Wood is fourteen miles North of Sideline Studio, balanced on the edge of the High Weald, East Sussex. Spanning 60 acres, the woodland sweeps downhill, inviting visitors to explore, wander, and breathe. Yet, beyond the calmness of the chestnut coppice and ancient oaks, Wilderness Wood stands out for the community that nurtures and cherishes it. At times, it's a hive of activity - somewhere adults and children work, play, learn and thrive under the stewardship of researcher Emily Charkin and architect Dan Morrish.
Wilderness Wood is hard to define. Perhaps it's where the boundaries between people and nature blur, a community sustained and inspired by the surrounding woodland. In Roman times, the wood was coppiced for charcoal, fuelling the old iron forges of the Weald. It's still managed that way in parts, except now the coppice yields material for the builds around the site, their timber gifting homes and spaces for communal living. For some families, the woodland is a permanent home. For others coming to learn traditional building techniques and crafts, it provides beautifully designed lodgings and homegrown food. Casual visitors explore the woodland, walking the tracks and paths that weave through the meadow and over the stream. Look closely and you might glimpse a pair of working horses camouflaged in the shade of the giant beech trees. There's no cafe as such, but there's a place to source a cup of tea or share a homemade pizza. There's not really a shop, but you can leave with firewood, furniture and art, all produced from the trees that grow around the site.
Wilderness Wood's shifting sense of purpose mirrors the dynamism of its community. It's reflected in the management of the woodland, the artwork that springs up onsite, and the seasonal products from the garden. The buildings designed by Morrish take their shape from the sloping ground, standing proud from the incline like the Andalucian grain stores from which they are inspired. These buildings grow from the soil, shifting in form as the community's skills and availability change and develop over the build, nurtured into existence by whoever is willing to lift a tool. Whether it's wooden gargoyles carved by the children, hand-stripped hazel that finishes the verandas, or beautifully functional carpentry from expert joiners, every community member leaves a visible mark, regardless of age or skill. This evolution from concept to creation ties the people to the structure as much as the use of local materials binds the structures to the woodland.
In a world where resources are seen as infinite and consumers are faced with endless choices, Wilderness Wood offers a model of community-focused living. It reminds us that when we work with only the materials we have to hand, we can create spaces that sustain and inspire. The legacy of Wilderness Wood is not just the community that thrives within its embrace but also the example it sets for others across cultures, countries, and industries.
We commissioned Alex Catt to take this photography series for our Autumn Winter magazine titled ‘Community’. Wilderness Woods was the location of our look book photoshoot shot by Polly Harahan in January 2024, you can see the look book here