development of the existing 3Arts Theatre site in order to create a retail centre positioned to elevate the retail offering of Plumstead .
One of the main design questions posed by the architects , KMH Architects , was how do you return the iconic nature of the 3Arts to the local community in a different guise of retail , whilst still retaining the stature of what the building represented in the past ?
The most notable homage was paid by retaining the ‘ bones ’ of the structure . The existing reinforced concrete shell was strengthened to maintain the iconic ‘ shed ’, which had housed the original theatre . The decision to maintain the existing concrete shell as well as the concrete
columns in their raw state , allows the shopper to experience these materials in the same way as theatre goers would have done in the past .
The tacked-on extension structures added beyond this historical core are re-imagined as a series of black face brick boxes that would punch through and fulfil the now 7,400m ² retail offering . The retail environment is split over two levels to activate and accentuate the volume of the original ‘ shed ’, with the circulation core forming the centre piece of the composition .
The decision to create roofs within / under the main roof not only responds to the large volume but also enhances its namesake village feel . The composition ’ s legibility is further advanced by the
28 3Arts Village