The Reading Room

The Reading Room is a publication edited by Lara Rettondini, which documents the results of a collaborative and socially engaged educational activity carried out by the Interior Architecture and Design BA (Hons) course at the University for the Creative Arts, Canterbury. During the academic year 2013–14, second year students worked together with lecturers on a live project, designing and building a Reading Room as a forum for public debate. This activity formed part of an overarching research agenda, which sought to explore the role of interior architecture in urban renewal.
The course theme focused on the regeneration of coastal towns, specifically concentrating on Margate in Kent, one of the English seaside resorts currently experiencing a revival after years of economic decline.
The Reading Room was installed at the old Pettman's Depository, Resort Studios, Margate in November 2013 to host a week-long series of events and talks. During the summer of 2014, the Reading Room continued its legacy travelling to the Folkestone Triennial where it was housed at the Visitor Centre acting as a place for public forums as well as an information point for festival visitors.

This publication and project was supported by ReCreate, an initiative selected under the European Cross-border Cooperation Programme Interreg IV A France (Channel) – England, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.