Kino – Rye
Jonathan
Dunn
Architects
T
he project consists of a collection of
Victorian school buildings which were
left empty for several years and quickly
fell into disrepair. Local residents rallied to over
turn a planning approval to develop the site into
housing. A local volunteer group named Fletcher
in Rye were formed – named after playwright John
Fletcher who was born in the building opposite.
Fletcher in Rye purchased the site after the housing
scheme had been overturned with the aim of
preserving the site for future generations as well as
promoting film and the arts in Rye.
The site is in the heart of Rye’s Citadel, a highly
protected conservation area with very awkward site
access. The design intention was to re-use as much
of the existing building as possible and remove the
remodelled 1950’s elements and strategically using
openings that had been formed previously.
The main auditorium extends from the central
existing block and uses the natural sloping gradient
to form the raked seating platforms. The smaller
auditorium is formed in the opposite direction
which creates level access to both auditoriums
yet both cross over at the highest point allowing
shared air handling plant between the 2 auditoria.
The plan was formed by striking key sight lines
from the site to form the angular extensions. The
concept was to open up the views of the Rye roof
scope and church tower to reference the context
before the audience enter the auditoriums. The
new elements are fully clad in western red cedar
with the intention of limiting the materials pallet to
contrast with the Victorian detailing in the existing
buildings.
The roof form was also important as the church
tower looks directly over the site and is the most
visited point in the town. The sculpted roof form
emphasises the site lines taken to form the plan
with a raised section to make clear the hierarchy of
auditorium over circulation.
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