clients

communication and building trust
is at the heart of our work between the wider team. This is no more clearly expressed than in our longstanding relationship with Picturehouse Cinemas.

delivered over a dozen cinemas together
Our first project together was completed in 1993 – the Clapham Picturehouse – which remains a thriving local cinema, loved by its neighbourhood – and which ignited the regeneration of Venn Street, promoting its pedestrianisation and use as a weekend market. Since this successful initial venture, we have continued to work with Picturehouse to design and deliver over a dozen cinemas, with the recent examples including Picturehouse Central earning the practice the title of Architect of the Year (Sports and Leisure).

challenging projects lead to a strengthening of our relationship
These projects have predominantly resulted in the reuse of existing buildings all of which had former lives with different uses - such as a former newspaper printworks, a church, a school hall, a factory and garage, to name a few. This varied history ensures individuality between the cinemas, strengthening the Picturehouse brand that each of their premises are unique. Despite the intensity of challenges that these reuse projects place, each with their own unique set of requirements having to be overcome, this close working relationship with the client has enabled us to hone the intricacies of boutique cinema design and to innately understand our client’s needs. As a result, we are able to refine and learn over time, ensuring lessons are passed on from building-to-building to strengthen our relationship and ensuring the success of the built product.

continually refining our understanding of client's needs
On a completely different typology, we have a longstanding relationship with LandSec, having completed three large retail-led schemes together - Princesshay in Exeter, Christs Lane in Cambridge and Westgate in Oxford. The unique challenges imposed by these precious contexts has challenged us to hone our ability to engage extensively in discussions with client bodies in order to refine the brief collaborative, as the site’s potential becomes only apparent through extensive testing and consultation.

"LandSec played to each architects’ strength. Panter Hudspith, enjoying a reputation for dealing with difficult historic contexts, has dealt with the buildings nearest the Cathedral in a contextural idiom of brick, masonry, pitched roofs and projecting bays.”
Building Design, April 2007