Kemps Corner
A project particularly close to our hearts
Kemp’s Corner sits next to our office, making this a project particularly close to our hearts. When approached by the client, we were asked to review the old bank, formerly a chemist shop, and enhance its offer with two commercial units on the ground floor and six high quality two bedroom apartments above. The design makes use of both the original structure and a wrap around extension to the rear and side elevations. The site occupies a prominent junction known locally as Four Banks, now home to just one bank.
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RIBA 0-7
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Complete
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2025
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A great deal of care went into this project, with the building’s history guiding both the design and its brand. JHA’s design restores the streetline, respecting the integrity of the original bank while extending the terrace onto a previously derelict parking yard.
The new extension mirrors the brickwork of the adjacent terrace, with a service corridor separating the two, and the formerly neglected land to the rear has been reconfigured to accommodate an extended commercial unit and a rear courtyard.
The building’s parts are clearly articulated. New shopfronts recall the memory of the original building, while the original Kemp’s element, once run by Harry Kemp, has been brought back to life with a new entrance canopy clad in black standing seam metal and black brick.
The new elements follow the lines of the existing building, echoing its proportions and rhythm, while contemporary brick tones distinguish the new and old. An expressive brick detail harks back to the Victorian detailing, creating a considered old and new palette. A small south facing terrace at the rear allows the commercial units to spill out for external seating.