Whither Folkestone?
A Report on the talk given by Roger Joyce for Go
Folkestone’s Community Arts committee on Tuesday 30th January.
Over a hundred people turned out to hear Roger talk about the Role of
Architecture in Regeneration with particular regard to Folkestone.
Preparing the talk, many people, Roger noticed, commented on the decline of
Folkestone from grand sea side town to one with many dilapidated buildings.
There are historic parallels with the current potential development. 200 years
ago the De Bouverie family bought the harbour for trading purposes and a fast
train service was established by 1843.The De Bouveries could see the potential
of developing the town for the London elite and the first iconic building in the
town was the Pavilion hotel designed by Sydney Smirke [British Library
architect]. He was also employed by the now ennobled family to draw up a grid
plan for the streets of the West End. Trinity and Christchurch churches were
built to attract the new wealthy residents to the town.
In 1881 the town recognised its famous son William Harvey, by erecting a statue
of him and at that time the Pleasure Gardens were designed by local architect,
Joseph Gardner, to house a National Treasures exhibition. In a short space of
time the Turner depiction of a small fishing port known for smugglers became a
fashionable seaside town.
Tontine Street was then the premier shopping area, whilst our current town
centre was solely residential. Tontine Street was tragically bombed during the
First World War and slowly the street lost out to Sandgate Road. In an effort to
attract visitors back to the town, the Leas Cliff Hall was built is 1927, this
year celebrating its 80th Birthday. Pleydell-Bouverie (a Radnor family member)
wrote an article for the Architects Review in 1936 depicting his designs for a
Rotunda and other attractions, including a pool on the sea front. It was at this
time, that the council developed the Floral Folkestone idea with the inspiring
Kingsnorth Gardens and planting along the Leas.
After the second world war, the town lost out to continental travel in what
Roger described as the” black years”. Attempts to regenerate the town centred on
the building of office blocks including the replacement of the ‘crystal palace’
and number 1 The Leas, none of which could be described as iconic architecture.
The town centre Saga building was a speculative build and remained empty until
Saga took up residence.
Folkestone also suffered from further loses as buildings were demolished. This
included the Rotunda, despite it being the largest, unsupported concrete dome
structure in the country and the Ark, the oldest medieval building in the town.
The elegance of the town centre and its seafront sadly diminished.
So whither Folkestone now? As Roger demonstrated, there are parallels to
Folkestone’s original blossoming, with the harbour bought and plans created for
the regeneration of the town with architecture and design being central to
making it an attractive destination for all once again. We recognise cities and
towns across the world simply because of iconic buildings, such as The Sydney
Opera House or the London Gherkin.
We already have well designed buildings: the Channel Tunnel
Terminal, the Visitors Centre at Cheriton, the Saga building at Sandgate and
soon the new Academy. The new shopping centre is open to debate however!
Some years ago, Roger designed a large globe building which he envisioned would
link the town centre with the sea front and notice how it would still fit in
with the De Hann / Norman Foster and Partners master plan for the town, which
the District Council seem to have absorbed into their thinking.
Central Government desires zero energy in all future developments and the
possibilities of wind and wave power in the harbour development are endless.
Roger is keen to develop some of his ideas and speculated why cars have some of
the best views in town (for example the view from the top of the new shopping
centre where the car park will be). He pondered on the idea of a large and
iconic building built above the bus station, maybe a hotel with a roof top bar
and restaurant giving diners fantastic views across the sea and up to the North
Downs.
Who knows how long all this will take, but the seeds are most definitely sown.
Just look at the Glass Works and the plans under the direction of the Creative
Foundation.
‘Folkestone globe attracts a global audience’ : let us hope Roger’s vision will
join his name’s sake’s and a fantastic iconic building could put the “heart back
into Folkestone” thus being seen as visitors and residents enter the town from
roads and across the Channel.
Chair Ann Berry thanked Roger and suggested that we reconvene in a few years
time with Roger de Haan to reflect on the progress and successes of the town’s
Regeneration.
Valerie Brasington
Go Folkestone
Community Arts Committee
Article from Go Folkestone Newsletter March 2007
