The Stickland Wright team are celebrating after receiving the full planning approval of a new landmark rooftop restaurant on Tower Point North Road Brighton.
The existing Tower Point is a large Brutalist building which is conspicuous within the city, but not engaging with its local environment. The brutalist façade dominates the setting, yet it remains mute and uninspiring. Stickland Wright believe that the adornment of the building with a jewel like extension will provide a point of intrigue within the backdrop of Brighton’s central valley. In this way the individuality of the building can be more of an asset within the townscape.
The site was originally occupied by the Hippodrome Circus in 1891, later best known as the ‘Grand Theatre,’ which was eventually destroyed by fire in 1961. The replacement building which now stands on the site, Gresham House, had its name changed in early 2000 to Tower Point.
Whilst the existing building does not make a positive contribution to the visual impact of the town’s landscape, this landmark approval by Brighton and Hove planning department provides the building and surrounding area an opportunity to offer a more visually engaging experience to the onlooker. Allowing the building to draw attention to itself and, in this way, positively engage with its context as a confident representation of Brighton as a city destination.
The design approach taken is to respond to, transform and build-upon (literally and figuratively) the existing architecture of the building rather than replicate any particular style which may be discovered in this eclectic setting.
A single storey rooftop extension of the lower Spring Gardens block will balance the composition of the existing building elements and create a distinct and tangible new element; the restaurant. An overhanging roof plane, conceived as a halo of gold mesh, will play with the light and add visual intrigue. The restaurant will have 88 internal covers and 84 further covers to external terraces. The central bar will create a focal point within the space and all facilities are kept to one end, obscuring the view of the existing building and keeping the unrivalled panoramic view of the sea open to the diners. The proposal serves as a distinctive beacon at the top of Tower Point, creating a strong identity within the city.
Stickland Wright are not unfamiliar with delivering high-end restaurants and transformative design in the region. They were the team behind 64 Degrees, The Chilli Pickle restaurants in Brighton and recently opened Guildford and Duke Streets new, independent restaurant Pascere.
Stickland Wrights’ commercial architecture team are engaged on an exciting mix of projects across the UK and internationally. Our projects range from specialist hotel fit outs to Passivhaus and Active House developments where the builds energy needs are supplied by renewable energy sources integrated in the building. We are also currently working on new uses for historical Grade 1 and 2 listed buildings.
Stickland Wright are also co-founders of a new festival to the region, Design Brighton, celebrating and promoting Brighton and Hove’s unique urban environment and the design rich talent, coming to the city in Oct 2019. For more info please visit www.designbrighton.org
The approval of this landmark rooftop restaurant is an exciting time for the city’s rooftop revolution!