Located on the English Channel and once a bustling port, Folkestone is now known for its recent innovative regeneration projects and Creative Folkestone; the south coast’s creative hub. With a corporate plan for 2021-30 in place, and a revised version due in 2025, Folkestone Council has ambitious objectives for regeneration focusing on four key areas: positive community leadership; a thriving environment; a vibrant economy; and quality homes and infrastructure. These themes formed the basis of our trip and guided our examination of how Folkestone and its evolving town landscape is taking shape and contributing to the council’s long-term vision.

Gathering at London St Pancras, our day started with a speedy train from the capital to the south-east coast, where a warm sunshine-filled day welcomed us to Folkestone, and we commenced our expedition of the town. The magnetic pull to the seafront was instant and the JTP tour groups quickly progressed down to the pebble beach and the location of our first stop; Shoreline.

Located prominently on the Folkestone beachfront, the ACME-designed building is a contemporary take on the traditional Edwardian curved terrace and the first phase of the Folkestone Seafront and Harbour masterplan. Inspired by Kent’s rich architectural heritage, the statement building features a flowing curved form that echoes the shape of the waves, pebbles and coast with a façade of white glazed bricks intended to mirror the coastal colours of the sea and sky. It was a playful and intriguing first landmark to start our visit with.

Walking along the beachfront, our next stop was the Folkestone Harbour where numerous initiatives have been undertaken by the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust including the restoration of historic buildings and the creation of new public spaces. Part of this includes Folkestone’s restored Harbour Arm featuring a beautiful promenade out to sea. This historic structure, once the heart of the town’s ferry and railway operations, has been transformed into a thriving public space. Today, it is a popular destination for both locals and visitors, offering a range of restaurants, bars, and cultural events. The Harbour Arm is a great example of how heritage can be reimagined and repurposed for modern use while maintaining its connection to the town’s history. It was a wonderful location to take a moment to enjoy the sunshine and a drink with the infamous white cliffs of Dover just along the coast and France in the distance.

After the refreshing pitstop, our team wandered back to the harbour where a vote was conducted for a lunch spot. With only one logical and reasonable choice for the day, the decision was unanimous; it was time for fish and chips! Rightly so, all four groups tucked into the renowned seaside dish for lunch and with the seagulls thankfully kept at bay, everyone enjoyed the nostalgic meal sitting on the cobble pavements of the harbour wall with our legs dangling over the sea below.

Appetite quenched, it was time to explore the must-see stop on our trip at Folkestone Creative Quarter. Contributing to the reputation, infrastructure and economy of the town, Folkestone Creative Quarter is a playground for creative and digital businesses. An urban village of designers, filmmakers, musicians, web developers and artists, the quarter has over 90 restored buildings, around 80 flats, 115 studios and offices with over 50 shops. It was a hive of activity and imagination with a host of quirky cafés, bakeries, galleries and independent shops lining both sides of the street alive with activity and imagination. Our team enjoyed the colourful shopfronts and buildings, immersing ourselves in the creatives and independent shopping on offer.

Venturing further into the town, we visited our final two interest points of the day. Sitting in the historic centre of Folkestone is the new public performing arts venue, Quarterhouse. The three-storey building contains a 220-seat multipurpose auditorium for dance, music, theatre, film and comedy performances and conferences. The Clearing on the first floor was particularly interesting with vertical tree-like columns that line the room and branch out to the ceiling. Cleverly designed floor to ceiling mirrors and windows gave the room an illusion of a cathedral-like environment adding a sense of depth and expanse to the venue.

The next noteworthy building and another initiative also funded by the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust was F51 – the world’s first multi-story skatepark. Designed by Guy Hollaway Architects, the design, location and concept aims to revolutionise the way people view town/city spaces and how designers can successfully incorporate more facilities for sport and young people within town centre contexts and landscapes. Immersing ourselves in the building, we discovered three floors which each revealed indoor skate parks and obstacles with a climbing wall and bouldering room rising up through the building and overlooked by each floor. It was a really impressive and inventive space where skateboarders, scooters and rollerbladers could all come together under one roof.

The town is also home to the Folkestone Triennial, the flagship project of Creative Folkestone and the largest exhibition of newly commissioned work presented in the UK with artists invited to use the town as their gallery, utilising public spaces to create striking new art that reflects issues affecting both the town and the wider world. Alongside exploring the architectural sights of Folkestone, each group was provided with a trail map of the artistic wonders and public art dotted around the town. As we wandered through Folkestone’s winding streets and coastal paths, teams were tasked to discover as many sculptures, colourful murals, and hidden artistic gems as possible that bring this coastal town’s creative spirit to life.

After a full day of pottering and art spotting around Folkestone, the JTP team regrouped for some drinks and a round of crazy golf at Folkestone Harbour Adventure Golf before an evening of nibbles and celebratory drinks at the waterfront restaurant, Rocksalt. As we watched the sun set over the sea, we caught up with colleagues and swapped stories about our day before embarking on our return journey home.

Like many towns undergoing regeneration, Folkestone balances preserving its unique character and identity with the demands of modern living and development. Our visit to Folkestone offered a rich and inspiring glimpse into the town’s remarkable journey of regeneration and creative innovation. From its dynamic Creative Quarter to the bold architectural transformations along the seafront, Folkestone clearly exemplified to us how a town can honour its heritage while embracing forward-thinking development.

As we explored its vibrant streets, public art, and revitalised spaces, it became clear that Folkestone is not just reinventing itself but serving as a blueprint of successful coastal town regeneration for other seaside communities to look to. Our practice departed the shores of the south-east coast with a deeper understanding of how thoughtful placemaking, extensive regeneration and a wave of cultural innovation can breathe new life into the UK’s seaside towns that far too often fall into a state of neglect. Folkestone’s revival is a remarkable story becoming an upcoming, colourful and – dare we say – trendy destination to live and visit. The JTP team thoroughly enjoyed our sunny adventure to the coast and the opportunity to explore the architecture and regeneration taking place right on home turf.