The site at Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, is located on a spit of land with a sheltered harbour to the south and a marina to the north. This unique seafront location provided the inspiration for the innovative landscape and public realm, but also presented some difficult challenges due to the openness of the site and exposure to maritime weather.
The crisp modernist architecture of the development contrasts with the more traditional buildings in the area. The development comprises 260 apartments arranged into two rows of three large blocks, accessed by a 175m long pier that forms the spine of the development. Concealed beneath the pier is a basement parking area and the development is framed by a substantial area of public seafront and marina-side promenade.
The choice and use of materials reflects the robustness needed for the high degree of public access and exposure to maritime conditions. This includes galvanised steel balustrades, screens and masts, a substantial area of FSC-certificated hardwood decking – both on the pier and on the apartment terraces – and sand blasted timber sleepers to screen the basement car park. The local vernacular is celebrated with painstakingly crafted flint cobble panels extending along the seafront.
