The Multihall is a building for the public that raises the discussion on how town centres can be revitalised. It asks questions on how we can adapt our lifestyle to be more sustainable in our behaviour.
The site is located at the back end of John Lewis in Kingston. It is a building that offers a framework to change a behaviour that is currently fuelled by consumerism. Kingston is an example of a town that was a retail heaven in the 90s, but now is reflecting societal change and the decline of the high street – the current pandemic speeding up this process. With many vacant shop units, it leaves an imprint on how much consumerism has become part of our life. By understanding the local and socio-economical context, the Multihall caters for social inclusion and strengthening the community. Spaces like these will help people to change their mindset, rewiring a belief system that has been trained to consume.
Spatially, the Multihall comprises a creative hub for recent graduates, young designers and entrepreneurs on the first floor with a rooftop garden above for the public. In the basement, that holds ruins of the first bridge in Kingston, is a repair workshop and a cafe bar. The workshop facilitates activities to create knowledge around sustainability and circular economy, encouraging a behaviour that reduces waste and consumption. Furthermore, the cafe offers space for social interaction, then turning into a bar in the evening, boosting Kingston`s evening economy.
On the ground floor are a material library and flexible community spaces. The material library is for materials from nearby construction sites, empty shop units, materials from the public that are collected and can be reused in the workshop. This is opening up a discussion of how implementing facilities that encourage a circular economy can inspire people to become more sustainable, claiming back their right to repair.
The Multihall is a productive urban landscape. The processing of waste into resources becomes a civic event that wraps around a central workshop that becomes a venue at night. A sequence of interiors redirects a town back towards its river, creating the opportunity for consumers to become ethical producers.