Jonathan Tuckey opens up new courtyard in Folkestone’s centre
Jonathan Tuckey Design has submitted a proposal to build a £1.5 million retail and housing development in the heart of Folkestone, Kent
The practice was commissioned by regeneration company the Creative Foundation, which aims to revitalise the once fashionable seaside town.
"We entered a competition for a gallery for the same client in Folkestone, very close to this site," said project architect Ryute Hirayama.
"We didn't get that. But the client was interested in our approach to the surrounding area, and our combination of existing and new materials, and came back to us later with this project."
Hirayama's design proposes a new public courtyard with cafés and shops as well as alleyways to create three routes connecting Folkestone's Old High Street and Tontine Street, which is lined with newer commercial buildings.
An existing 400sq m brick and stucco building on Old High Street will be retained, with two new flats added above ground-floor level shop units.
On Tontine Street, a new 480sq m four-storey building will house a further four flats as well as retail space and cafes. The two buildings will be connected via a bridge structure at the first and second floor levels.
The Tontine Street building will also feature a polycarbonate panel facade on its top two floors.
During the day, this will allow natural light into the building, while at night light from within will create a kinetic display to reflect the changing uses of the building.
Pending planning, the project is due to start on site this summer and complete next year.
Source: Building Design
