Cutting edge creative production facilities within a deep retrofit of a scheduled monument and new studio building

Docking Station
Docking Station Main Elevation

The conversion of the Police Section House in Historic Dockyard Chatham to a hub for the cultural and creative industries, will harness the transformative power of creative technology to open up new possibilities and futures for young people and the communities of Kent and Medway.

Part of the University of Kent, Docking Station will deliver an international creative hub for technology, performance, and training opportunities, with a focus on immersive digital technology, innovation and research.

Together with the restoration and regeneration of the Police Section House, returning the Scheduled Ancient Monument to use, a second, new building hosting three production studios and associated green rooms. The creative centre will bring together state-of-the-art commercial digital production studios, support for local businesses, new education and training opportunities as well as a public programme of events and activities.

Key Information

Sector: Higher Education, Heritage & Creative Reuse, Arts & Culture

Client: University of Kent

Location: Kent

Completion: March 2025

Size: 1,585 sqm

The essence of the project will be to imbue a sense of the history and permanence of Chatham Dockyard, contrasted with the evolving digital technologies and creations.

John Southall, Partner, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

Cutting edge technology available to all

Docking Station will offer state-of-the-art digital production studios including LED virtual production, motion capture, volumetric capture and photogrammetry for students and business.
 
There will be flexible teaching spaces, co-working areas, performance and exhibition spaces all woven into a programme of public events and community engagement. It will be a new bridge between academia, industry and the community.

Docking Station concept sketch

historic building, future uses

The architecture of the Section House is simple and robust, but also elegant. We retain the characteristics of the existing building: the large walls, the high ceilings, the well proportioned rooms and keep that as a backdrop for the uses of the 21st century.
 
The new state of the art production facility complements the existing building in scale, proportion and positioning. It is designed to be evocative of the dockyard, using materials that are reminiscent of the dockyard, yet contemporary.
 
The project aspires to be an exemplar of low carbon design approaches, aspiring towards Passivhaus / EnerPHit standards, encourage on-site power generation, maximising opportunities for green infrastructure and biodiversity gain, and minimising waste and encouraging reuse / recycling of materials.

Team

Architect
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Civil and Structural Engineers
Integral Engineering
MEP Engineers
E3 Engineers
Access Consultant
Buro Happold
Cost Consultant
B&M
Transport Consultant
Integral Engineering
Acoustic Engineers
iON Acoustics
Fire Consultant
The Fire Surgery
Landscape Architect
Grant Associates
Planning Consultant
Savills
CDM
CDRM Services

FCBStudios Team Leads