Folkestone Arts & Business Centre, Tontine Street, Folkestone

The project comprised the demolition of the existing 2-storey brick buildings (occupying the whole area of the site) and the construction of an in-situ 3 storey structure with flat roof.

The exterior of the building was covered in contemporary aluminium rain screen cladding which took the form of a vertical array of convex metal mesh panels, reminiscent of the ribbed form of a Folkestone Scallop Shell. The panels were also installed with under-lighting for extra night-time visual effect.

One of the many technical challenges facing D.J. Ellis Construction Ltd for this project was to provide optimum acoustic conditions within the auditorium. This was achieved by designing a structure that contained a concrete box within a concrete box. The inner box (auditorium) prevents the amplified sound from escaping whilst the outer box (facade) prevents external noise from entering the performance space. The design has proved to be a great success.

The commission forms a central part of the community arts-led regeneration of Folkestone and included a 250 seat, 500 standing multi-purpose auditorium, two levels of cafe/bar and a top floor business enterprise centre.

The project is an excellent example of the complex and logistically challenging type of construction work that D.J. Ellis Construction Ltd is capable of undertaking.

Client:
Creative Foundation
Project value:
£4 million
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