2022 Sussex Heritage Trust Awards, Commercial Award, Winner
This commercial Sport and Leisure project comprises the creation of a Gym, Spa, Community Cafe and Wellness Centre. Work involved the conversion and extension of a disused historic church built in 1904.
The client for this project is a long standing and very important one for Kent Structures. Peter worked with Daniel on several self-storage buildings starting back in 2008. Peter’s vision for this project was one which was fluid, and his experience of similar developments meant he knew the types of challenges that would be faced. He chose Daniel and the Kent Structures team to take this challenge to a reality.
The clients brief was underpinned by a desire to be sensitive to the original building and structure. To use as much of the existing building as possible whilst creating a modern and vibrant space. Kent Structures helped design and install a largely independent steel floor structure inside the main building to create a sense of height and space. This also combined with a steel staircase which appears to float between levels of the intermediate mezzanines and the main gym spaces.
One of the first challenges was to excavate and create a space in the lower ground floor for the spa area and pool. The small spaces required some careful planning and design to fit in all the equipment required to operate a substantial pool and spa set up. Kent Structures in-house staff and plant undertook all of the excavation works and underpinning of the foundations required to great success.
Largely the original building was in poor condition and the structure required repairs. The roof was completely replaced and insulated to the highest standards. But as much of the original building design and features were kept as possible.
This unique Sport and Leisure project started in August 2019 and continued through the pandemic to completion in March 2021.
Services Provided: Design and Build, Groundworks, Construction, Steel Frame, Fit Out
Related Projects: Natural Fit Tunbridge Wells
