The previously derelict buildings have been given a new lease of life after fourteen years. JDA have used hardwood alternative – Kebony - in a striking and sustainable angular wooden façade, which landed Cingue Ports Street a win at this year’s RIBA Regional South East Award.

The transformed properties mix both architectural elements from the nearby shipyard warehouse alongside traditional coastal architecture. The buildings are to be used mainly for residential use, but there are also two retail units at ground floor that draw on the town’s history, to create a unique aesthetic delicately poised between modern and traditional design.

Jonathan Dunn, lead architect on this project commented: “Kebony cladding proved to be a fantastic solution, providing a contemporary look which draws on elements of local history and is a great asset for the town of Rye.”

JDA’s aim was to create a design that was understated and modest, that emphasised the clean simplicity of traditional maritime architecture. This meant they could easily integrate a lot of timber cladding, made from beautiful dark-hued Kebony, a sustainable alternative to tropical hardwood. The window placement has also been thoroughly thought through to maximise the views towards Rother Valley, with sprawling glass openings to capture as much light as possible.

Developed in Norway, Kebony was chosen as the cladding material because of the wood’s aesthetic and the fact that it is a lot more environmentally friendly than traditional building materials. The Kebony technology is an environmentally friendly, patented process that boosts the properties of fast growing sustainable softwood with a bio-based liquid. The wood is impregnated with furfuryl alcohol which then polymerises its cell wall. The result is better durability and dimensional stability.  It also gives the wood a dark colouration, similar to that of mahogany. This seamlessly matches Cinque Ports Street’s quiet and muted colour palette.

Adrian Pye, International Sales Director at Kebony added: “The architects at JDA have done a fantastic job, taking a derelict site and transforming it with a beautiful contemporary design in keeping with the area’s history. From the Kebony clad frontage to the carefully considered window placement, a great amount of time and thought has gone into the design details and we are delighted with the end result.”

Photography: Oliver Perrot