Buxton are soon to take possession of the 19th century Malthouse building in Canterbury where we will be creating a new performing arts centre for The King's School.

The school is reputedly the oldest continually operating school in the world and dates back to 597AD, during the dissolution of the monasteries in the reign of King Henry VIII the school was re-founded as The King's School.

King's have secured a 3.5 acre site off St Stephen's Road where they plan to create a new international school (by another contractor)

Buxton will be refurbishing the Victorian Malthouse building on the same site and will be re-instating some of its architectural features, these include removing the large 1970's windows, reducing the openings and installing new windows sympathetic to the period.

We will build two new Lucam structures, a Lucam was a feature of a mill projecting out to allow a hoist to winch up sacks of grain, one of these will disguise a new escape staircase at the rear of the building.

The whole building will be scaffold and a temporary roof installed, The roof will be replaced and existing slate tiles will be retained and re-used where possible.

Internally we will be removing some of the original cast iron pillars, these will be retained by the school for future use. Removing the pillars and floors will open up the building and allow a new 400-seat theatre, drama and dance studios, digital arts spaces, galleries and foyers to be constructed.

A section of the Malthouse will be used by the new international school, we are building new teaching, laboratory and catering facilities for their use in this area.

The £9.1m project will provide exciting new facilities for the school's 850 pupils which is planned for completion by September 2018.

Employer: The King's School Architect and Employers Agent & CDM: Tim Ronalds Architects Project Manager & PQS: Fanshawe Structural Engineer: Price & Myers M & E Consultant: Skelly & Couch