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margate art school, theatre & artist residences 

type. adapt & extend design project

stage. three

date. december 2018

description. ​

We had to redesign part of Cliftonville in Margate and to adapt Pettman building, a landmark of this neighbourhood, to a new use. This project focused on the relationship between our new buildings and their urban context. We also had to explore the potential of reinventing existing buildings and making them integral parts of a new design. Learning to use the context as a source of inspiration in our design was one of the key objectives of this module.

The urban context of this project included both open spaces and buildings and to reconfigure these elements and integrate them in a new design we had to consider both the scale of the city and that of the building; namely, for this project, we had to consider the following two components: the redevelopment of an urban block and the creation of new spaces; and the detailed redesign of an existing building in this block, and its adaptation to a new use.

The first component we had the opportunity to experiment with the tools of urban design, that is, learning to ‘read’ historic districts like that of Cliftonville, analysing their streets and squares, and identifying their problems and hidden potential. This is so that when we came to redesigning the vicinity of Pettman building, we were able to reconfigure and ‘fill’ its existing ‘gaps’ and reconnect it with other parts of Cliftonville. While creating new urban spaces and buildings, we had to regenerate this area as a vibrant community of artists and craftsmen.

The second component required us to infuse new life into Pettman building, transforming it to a new Art School that would constitute the heart of our new community. During this part of the project, we had to tackle the architectural challenges of redeveloping an important historic building. Our modifications of Pettman building had to ‘anchor’ it in its new surroundings, make it suitable for its new use, and harmonise it with current sustainability standards. One of the key challenges of this exercise was carrying out these changes in a way that preserves the building’s significance and architectural qualities.

In addition to designing an Art School within Pettman building, we had to design Residential Accommodation for the Artists of Cliftonville and a Theatre.

Karydis, N. (2018). AR557 - Project Brief. Retrieved September 2018

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Site

  • Diagonal slice

    • Dictated by site analysis study

    • Provides a public path & a shortcut through the site from the centre of Margate towards Dalby square

    • The fact that it is a short cut should draw people to walk through it & therefore the site - people should choose the most convenient option presented to them

Spaces

  • Theatre is positioned on the site’s Southwest side

    • It is a public building so I put it closer to town - therefore it’s easier and more likely to be accessed by the audience

    • On the main road therefore easy to access and hopefully more easy to identify

    • Doesn’t need so many views - purpose of the building is to be entertained by what is inside it - to be taken away from the outside world

  • Residences are positioned on the site’s Northeast area

    • Has more views - of Dalby square and potentially of the seaside and of the church

    • Has more privacy because it is on a quieter road - not as loud - access is not quite as public

Theme - Art is a religion - monastery

  • Many artists live with the basic necessities in life, devoting tier lives to interpreting their ideas of the meaning of life and sharing it with others - like monks

  • Nave - theatre

  • Transept - Pettmans

  • Cloisters - Residences

  • Courtyard

  • Steeple

    • Creates a monument that gives the proposal and the site some attention and awareness outside of the immediate context

    • Can be potentially used as a symbol of Margate, a landmark that helps one navigate the town by giving a continuous point of reference

    • Draw people into the site by appealing to their curiosity

    • Would help with lighting (skylight) and stack ventilation of Pettman building

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​PETTMAN

  • Adjustments include slicing off a corner and adding a little wedge to conform to the diagonal language of the public pathway while also ensuring that there are no dead spaces

  • The slice is enclosed by a glass wall to activate the East side of the building

    • South-facing - solar shading in the form of blinds that follow the language of the loading bay shutters that would be lost in the slice

  • Floor plans arranged according to levels of accessibility

    • Basement - Private - Students and staff only - Dark room for photography development

    • G/F - Public - everyone - Reception (shared with the theatre) - art supply shop - public w/c - cafe restaurant

    • 1/F - Semi-public - Exhibition (paid visitors) - Workshop (students and staff)

    • 2/F - Semi public - View point (paid visitors) - Double height lecture theatre & seminar rooms (students and staff)

    • 3/F - Private - students & staff - staff offices & offices of administration and registry

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​THEATRE

  • Starts off as a square (theatre) in a box, where cuts are made around it, similar to Casa de Musica

    • Public path through G/F follows diagonal language that leads from the town centre to Dalby square

    • East side of 1/F shaved off to allow light into the existing contextual buildings

    • West side of G/F sucked in to create a threshold of entrances to the building (as well as pettman) - can see the stepped soffit of the theatre from the outside - soffit of cut slows into the building to bring people in

    • Cuts made at GF to create a breif avenue that serves as a threshold between Cliftonbille and the inside of the site - narrow suspense and curiosity before the open relief of the square - creates a gathering space for people to wait for their peers

    • Relationship between interior and exterior - blurring the lines slightly to appeal to ones curiosity

      • Between Pettmans exhibition space and the Theatre Hall - windows with the option to close a curtain 

      • Initially wanted another visual connection between public path and hall, but there were privacy concerns, therefore at this point an audio link was more appropriate - speakers

    • Where Pettman has a vertical arrangement depending on levels of accessibility to the public, the Theatre has more of a horizontal arrangement

      • North side of the theatre is public access

        • Reception is shared with Pettman

        • This areas provides access to the stand (also on N side but on 1/F) passing the foyer and concession stands

      • South side is mainly private access

        • Backstage, dressing rooms & storage

        • Access to stage (also on S side but on 1/F)

      • However, southern-most space of the South wing has been saved to complete the commercial frontage that the rest of the street possesses - my proposal envisages a bar

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​RESIDENCES

  • Not only follows ecclesiastical architecture in plan (massing) form

    • Uses overhangs & balconies to achieve the sense of being sheltered while also still being outside

  • Form follows context

    • Slats down towards Pettman from the street to ensure quality of light is not compromised

    • Width of building follows that of the residences on the same street

      • Uses cohesive language to create a square within the site

  • Two different formats of residences

    • First type has two distinct floors with different functions

      • G/F is the studio

        • Higher ceiling for more light

        • Slightly less need for privacy

      • 1/F is the living area

        • More need for privacy

        • Over hangs over the studio

      • 3 of these dwellings on site

    • Second type has most of the functions on the ground floor

      • G/F is the main floor and has studio, and living (living, dining, kitchen)

      • 1/F is a mezzanine and has bedrooms and bathrooms (more privacy)

      • 2 of these dwellings on site

  • Also possesses the folding shutters that pitman has to prevent solar gain & for privacy

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