The State Cinema
Grays, Essex
Our concept for the historic State Cinema in Grays breathes new life into a local landmark, reimagining its Art Deco grandeur as a premier multifunction event destination. By preserving the building’s iconic silhouette while radically updating its interior, we’ve transformed the main auditorium into a versatile, high-capacity event space suitable for everything from weddings to performances. The original lobby has been restored to serve as a grand reception area, ensuring that the building’s atmospheric transition from the street to the venue remains as dramatic and welcoming as it was in the golden age of cinema.
The most ambitious element of the intervention is the vertical expansion, where we have integrated two additional storeys within and atop the existing roof cavity to house the hotel rooms. At the center of this upward extension, a new internal atrium has been carved out, flooding the core of the upper floors with natural light and creating a striking visual connection between the building’s layers. The rooftop extension also features a gym and luxury spa facility, offering panoramic views over Grays and providing a modern retreat that contrasts beautifully with the building’s heritage character.
