Toy Museum and Theatre, East Sussex

Client: Children's Art and Education Foundation 

Location: Westfield, East Sussex

Architect's team: Anaëlle Regent

Structural Engineer: Ellis and Moore

Cost Consultant: Northgates

Area: 350 sqm

Construction Cost: £625,000

Completion: 2021

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The Children's Arts and Education Foundation has appointed NCA to convert and extend existing farm outbuildings to create a Toy Museum and a Puppet Theatre. The scheme accommodates an extensive private collection of toys, puppets, dolls houses and miniature theatres within buildings in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The design proposes a playful accumulation of dual pitch roofs whilst preserving the agricultural character of the existing structures. One of the new barns will offer a modular space to host performances as well as teaching spaces for toy-making workshops. The primary circulation route makes a virtue of a succession of ramps to allow full access throughout the site.