Chichester Theological College Gillett House

SU 8504 NE CHICHESTER TOLLHOUSE CLOSE

3/10005 Gillett House, Chichester Theological College

II

Student residence for theological college. 1963-65. Designed by Ahrends, Burton and Koralek. Red brick and exposed board-marked concrete. Three storey building of courtyard plan containing 35 study bedrooms, three staff flats, a library and attached lecture room and a tiny chapel, two storeys in height, opening from the first floor corridor. The study-bedrooms are in groups of five, sharing sanitary facilities and a kettle point. The architectural language is that which has become known as the 'new brutalism' with 'chunky' detailing in board-marked concrete and brick. Strongly sculptural form, with a top-lit projecting bay to each room, expressing the desk alcove within and flanked to one side by a plate glass window of vertical proportions in a timber frame. Flats have two-light projecting bay windows and the library has full-height windows, some of which are designed to swivel sideways. Entrance by slightly raised walkway of red brick paviours, which slope diagonally down to lower level courtyard, also similarly paved. Walkways at first and second floors overlook courtyard and have deep board-marked concrete beam/balustrades. Also visible from courtyard are two polygonal staircases of brick. Windows to courtyard comprise vertical slots, without visible sub-frames. Study bedrooms have built-in furniture of laminated timber; also a small built-in concrete altar-shelf and a small sink, screened by a diagonally projecting concrete spur wall. Kettle points are screened from corridors by shoulder-height polygonal walls of painted blockwork; one of these at second floor level has a tubular top-light. On the top floor also there are triangular top-lights between each pair of rooms, the doors of which are set back diagonally to accommodate these. Some door lintels are inscribed with names (presumably of donors). The chapel occupies just less than the width of a study-bedroom and is a double-height space with a gallery overlooking the altar below, open plan with the corridor at lower level. Built-in raised kneeling places in the paving mark the threshold in a staggered pattern. The library is top lit with a cascading diagonal roof. A later spiral staircase links it with an upper floor room. Gillett House is a building of visual strength and sculptural power in which the handling of light and detailing show considerable imagination.

Listing NGR: SU8560604812