Theis + Khan entered an RIBA International competition in May 2015 for the development of a new community facility on the site of the existing Bat & Ball community centre in Sevenoaks, Kent and won it. The new centre was to include Sevenoaks Town Council offices, a community hall and conference centre, a council chamber, a café and a nursery. The mixed use facilities were designed to enable conferences for up to 250 people to take place, weddings, community activities, and office use. The centre was to revolve around a circular public garden with a new direct connection to the adjacent Bat & Ball station, enabling passengers to access the London bound side of the station directly.

The competition design concept was a contemporary interpretation of a Kentish garden. The building took the form of a simple curved garden wall arranged around a circular garden with abstract vernacular forms that created a contemporary vernacular composition.

Similar juxtapositions of garden wall and building are seen at Sissinghurst Castle, Knole Park, Chartwell and Sevenoaks High Street and are typical of Kent. Our contextual approach created a new centre for Bat & Ball that inextricably linked it to Sevenoaks and to Kentish architecture whilst the familiar informality and garden setting created its own identity and sense of place.

Following budget reconsiderations and an evolving brief, the project developed into the alteration and refurbishment of the existing community building which was offically opened in July 2021. It is now a highly successful community centre, hosting all kinds of public and private events including community meetings, sports activities and weddings.

The existing structure was retained, but the building external envelope was overclad and insulated with all doors and windows replaced. Internally the building was replanned and rationalised to reflect the latest brief and met or exceeded current Building Regulations requirements. The interior was completely refurbished throughout and the landscaping around the existing building was redesigned to create an elegant setting for weddings.

The Bat and Ball Centre connectivity was transformed by the installation of a new ramp entrance, direct to Bat and Ball station. This created direct accessibility to the London bound side of the station for visitors to Bat and Ball Centre and for the wider community.