Sovereign Harbour
Eastbourne
Client: Redrow Homes
Landscape architecture
Architecture
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.
© Terence O'Rourke Ltd 2020 Terms and conditions
Terence O'Rourke is an award winning planning and design company, integrating these skills to help deliver exceptional projects.
Our team offers town planning, architecture, landscape architecture, urban design and environmental planning (including environmental impact assessment, heritage and ecology) services. We have a unique skillset and approach that deals creatively with challenging planning situations to deliver commercially viable solutions across all sectors of the economy.
We work with nationally and internationally known clients including:
BAE Systems, BMW Rolls Royce, Grosvenor, McLaren and Warner Bros., major housebuilders and infrastructure providers and have worked on high profile projects and sites such as the Chewton Glen Hotel and Spa Tree Houses, the Clay Country eco-community, the Goodwood Estate, Luton Airport, Silverstone Park, Mercedes-Benz World, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden and Studio Tour – 'The Making of Harry Potter.'