Teddington architects, Architecture:WK (AWK), have launched a visionary design concept for a luxury boutique cinema in Teddington, which they are gifting to the community as a Social Initiative Project.

The proposed design, The Front Room Bar & Cinema, which was developed before lockdown one for the former branch of HSBC on Teddington High Street, is AWK's vision for how the site could be redeveloped for local benefit by introducing a new type of social and cultural hub, bringing commercial and employment opportunities to the area.

Sam Kamleh, AWK Director, said: "The site has been dormant for three years and after planning was refused last summer, we decided to dream a vision for what it could become.

"The team believed a cinema would be perfect as it would enhance the offering on the High Street, help the local economy and serve the needs of the different age groups in the area."

Designed in the spirit of Esher's Everyman and Notting Hill's iconic Electric cinema, The Front Room Bar & Cinema, would offer a cocoon-like auditorium with comfortable seating and a bar.

There would be a flexible stage to extend for events or reduce for additional cinema seating, plus on the ground floor there would be a bar and restaurant/café incorporating easy sofas and banquette seating for dining.

Sam added, "With increased internet use, future requirements are increasingly about 'experiential architecture' – places where we can interact socially.

"We were keen for the design to offer a relaxed and easy experience, so comfort and space have been key factors; the auditorium with luxury seating and the bar/restaurant furnished as a laid-back living room, making it a perfect meeting spot for a cosy coffee, lunchtime snack or night out. We believe this would be a much used and much-loved Front Room."

Externally, The Front Room Bar & Cinema is cleverly designed to resonate with the architectural style of Teddington High Street and presents a contemporary interpretation of its Victorian and Edwardian heritage by using red stock bricks in echo with the adjacent buildings.

As the design wraps around onto Cedar Road, it picks up on the architectural detail of the residential street and offers a playful interpretation of the pitched roof geometries.

"We all need a vision for life after lockdown," Sam commented, "And we believe that our design idea of a cinema in Teddington would be a wonderful addition; the AWK team is extremely proud to be gifting this proposal to the community and we hope it generates positive discussion. There's already a history of cinema houses here, so maybe it's time to have one again."

The Front Room Bar & Cinema is part of AWK's pro-bono Social Initiative Projects. These are mostly self-generated projects with no client or agenda and aim to generate discussion to positively contribute to the locality, providing socially useful dialogue for the community.

Recent gifted projects include the Strawberry Hill Village proposal and a planning application for the World War I memorial Poppies in Elmfield Gardens.

Full details of The Front Room Bar & Cinema design are available HERE and to share your views on a AWK's electric dream cinema, email: [email protected]