The Lexi Cinema & Hub has been shortlisted for the London Borough of Brent’s first celebration of design excellence.
The Brent Design Awards are new for 2023 and have been created to celebrate the great buildings and places within the culturally diverse borough of Brent.
The Lexi Cinema & Hub is in the running for the Culture & Heritage category. The Lexi is also in the running for the People’s Choice Award.
The Lexi Cinema & Hub – Shortlisted for Brent Design Awards
A treasured asset within the local community, The Lexi Cinema tasked RISE Design Studio with revitalising a 99 square metre parcel of vacant land in the rear car park of the existing Edwardian gabled brick theatre. Used as a makeshift bar by locals, RISE Design Studio and The Lexi team consulted Brent Council who advised the initial concept, a formal beer garden, would not be possible due to noise constraints but an enclosed second screen might be feasible.
RISE Design Studio conceptualised an environmentally-driven second cinema and bar to accommodate the growing community programme and help drive revenue for The Lexi’s ecological charity efforts. Brent Council were instrumental in supporting the project – titled The Lexi Hub – through continuous advisory and dialogue, ensuring planning policy and community needs were balanced.
The People’s Choice Award allows residents and those working in Brent to choose their favourite building or place, from a shortlist of 27 entries across 5 different categories. The winner of the People’s Choice Award will be announced at the awards ceremony taking place at Brent Civic Centre on 11th May 2023.
If you would like to talk through your project with the team, please do get in touch at mail@risedesignstudio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 3290 1003
RISE Design Studio is elated to announce the completion of the refurbishment and extension of The Lexi, a cherished gem in the heart of London and the city’s only social enterprise cinema, nestled in Kensal Rise.
A beloved asset to the local community, RISE brought back to life a 99 sqm piece of empty land in the rear parking lot of the historic Edwardian gabled brick theatre 🏛️. Teaming up with The Lexi, we consulted Brent Council who guided us away from the initial idea of a formal beer garden 🍻 due to noise considerations. Instead, they proposed a potential enclosed second screen 📽️. And voila! RISE began to visualize an eco-friendly second cinema and bar 🍹, aiming to accommodate the expanding community programme and boost the revenue for The Lexi’s ecological charity endeavours 🌳. With Brent’s instrumental support, the project – affectionately named The Lexi Hub – was guided by continuous advisory, ensuring a delicate balance between planning policy and community needs.
Thanks to a successful two-year fundraising campaign, boosted by grants from Brent NCIL, a generous £50,000 contribution from the Mayor of London’s community fund 💰, and heartwarming local donations, The Lexi and RISE submitted a planning application endorsed by 1,211 local signatories. The construction, filled with hope and anticipation, kicked off in July 2020.
Nestled in a residential area, The Lexi Hub demanded a thoughtful design approach, considering the intimacy of neighbouring homes 🏘️. Driven by community partnership, RISE envisioned an extension that reflected the same affection and care for the community that The Lexi continues to receive from its loyal patrons ❤️. The design of a sunken extension, dug 1.5m down to reduce the massing of the new Lexi Hub, ensured the addition only rises 2m above the neighbouring garden wall and also facilitates level access from the car park. The Lexi Hub can now accommodate up to 30 viewers with flexible space for wheelchair users, panel discussions, and events and also houses a brand-new bar 🍸.
In order to minimize visual bulk, the design drew inspiration from neighbouring roofs, using in situ cast concrete arches that lean away from neighbouring gardens at a 45º angle 🌈. Reclaimed London stock brick and buffed stainless steel reflecting the sky above were used to beautifully blend the extension into its surroundings. As a token to nature, a lush green wildflower roof was installed 🌼. Prioritizing sustainability, The Lexi Hub was designed to minimize heat loss and energy usage, featuring an MVHR system for regulating temperature and air quality, a pioneering move in UK cinemas! 🌎💡
Sadly, during the construction, a fire 🔥 caused significant smoke damage to the original Screen One, requiring a thorough refit of the existing interiors. Yet, RISE managed to salvage precious period details and characters, including the original parquet flooring which was restored and reinstated in the Box Office 🎟️. The unfortunate incident was an opportunity to breathe a new life into the cinema’s facilities and spaces. Raw blush plaster and black walkways now serve as subtle guides, leading patrons from the Box Office to a glimmering side extension, and onto a newly refurbished bar, ending at Screen Two 🎬.
Life and movies 🍿 are about embracing the unexpected, and at The Lexi, we’re all set to face the future together, armed with the magic of cinema!
A complete list of the longlisted projects is available on the RIBA Journal website. The winners will be announced at the end of January and in the RIBAJ February 2023 print edition.
A review of the project by Chris Foges with photographs by Henry Woide was featured last August in Architecture Today, please see here for the article.
If you would like to talk through your project with the team, please do get in touch at mail@risedesignstudio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 3290 1003
We are thrilled to announce that our The Lexi Cinema & Lexi Hub project in Kensal Rise, North West London, has been shortlisted in this year’s FX Awards.
A huge thank you to our amazing client and project team for making it such a success.
Below we’ve included a short description of our journey with the Lexi team.
The Enthralling Journey of The Lexi’s Transformation
We are truly humbled as we reflect on the enthusiasm and interest sparked by the 99m2 extension of the Lexi cinema.
The Lexi Cinema designed by architects RISE Design Studio in Kensal Rise, NW London, has been shortlisted for the FX Awards
The Revitalisation of a Local Gem
RISE Design Studio is thrilled to reveal the refurbishment and extension of The Lexi. This adored treasure in the North West of London’s Zone 2 is the city’s sole social enterprise cinema, nestled in Kensal Rise. The project was not just an architectural endeavour, but also a heartwarming journey of community rejuvenation.
A treasured community resource, we were appointed as architects and have successfully revitalised a 99 sqm plot of vacant land situated in the rear parking lot of the historic Edwardian gabled brick theatre. In close collaboration with The Lexi, and guided by the Brent Council, we navigated away from our initial concept of a traditional beer garden due to noise concerns.
The Lexi Cinema & Lexi Hub – a view of the new Screen 2
Embracing a New Vision
Instead, Sally Wilton, the founder of the Lexi Cinema, suggested an enclosed second screen. This idea sparked our creative vision for an eco-friendly second cinema and bar, designed to serve the growing community programme and enhance revenue for The Lexi’s environmental charity endeavours. With Brent Council‘s consistent support, this vision became a reality – The Lexi Hub. The project maintained a delicate balance between planning policy and community needs, guided by input from the Planning Department at Brent Council.
The Power of Community Support
Our successful two-year fundraising campaign was boosted by grants from Brent’s Community Grants Scheme (formerly NCIL), a generous £50,000 contribution from the Mayor of London’s community fund, and local donations that warmed our hearts. The Lexi and RISE then submitted a planning application backed by 1,211 local signatories. The construction process, filled with hope and anticipation, began in July 2020.
Head of Planning for Brent Council Alice Lester with our director Sean Ronnie Hill, alongside Sally Wilton, founder of he Lexi Cinema and Iljaz and Musa from CBC Design & Build
Thoughtful Design for an Intimate Setting
The Lexi Hub, nestled in a residential area, required a design approach that respected the close-knit neighbouring homes. Inspired by community spirit, RISE envisioned an extension that mirrored the affection and care that The Lexi continually receives from its loyal patrons.
The design of a sunken extension, excavated 1.5m down, ensured the new Lexi Hub only rises 2m above the neighbouring garden wall and provides level access from the car park. The Lexi Hub now welcomes up to 30 viewers, with flexible space for wheelchair users, panel discussions, and events, and also hosts a new bar.
View of the interior of Screen 2 at the Lexi Cinema
Blending Innovation and Tradition
To minimise visual impact, the design drew inspiration from neighbouring rooftops, utilising in situ cast concrete arches that lean away from neighbouring gardens at a 45º angle. Reclaimed London stock brick and polished stainless steel cladding reflecting the sky above were chosen to blend the extension into its surroundings seamlessly. To replace the biodiversity lost during construction, a vibrant green wildflower roof was added.
A Green Cinema for a Greener Future
Prioritising sustainability, The Lexi Hub was designed to minimise heat loss and energy consumption. It features an Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) and Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) system for temperature and air quality regulation, a pioneering initiative in UK cinemas.
A Phoenix Rising from the Ashes
Unfortunately, during the construction, a fire caused significant smoke damage to the original Screen One, necessitating a comprehensive refit of the existing Screen One, Box Office and Bar interiors. However, RISE salvaged various historical details, including the original parquet flooring which was restored and reinstated in the Box Office. This unfortunate incident was transformed into an opportunity to breathe new life into the cinema’s facilities and spaces.
Raw blush plaster and black rubber tiled walkways now serve as subtle guides, leading patrons from the Box Office to a new extension at the back, and a newly refurbished bar, ending at the new Screen Two.
FX Awards Shortlist
A full list of the shortlisted projects is available on the FX Awards website. The winners will be announced on Wednesday 30th November 2022 at the FX International Awards annual ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
A review of the project by Ellie Stathaki with photographs by Henry Woide was featured earlier this month in Wallpaper*, please see here for the article.
If you would like to talk through your project with the team, please do get in touch at mail@risedesignstudio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 3290 1003
