Working in parallel with the Brighton Council, in 2001 URBED prepared a masterplan of the Brighton New England Quarter - the 8.75 hectare (21.6 acre) eastern boundary site of the Brighton rail station.
The terraced site was divided east-west by an abandon rail line. The upper west terrace provided parking and open storage for the train station. The lower east portion was open storage, car dealerships and mostly vacant low-rise buildings.
Following the success of the BedZED development in Surrey, BioRegional properties sought to develop a larger, more cost effective mixe-use project. They formed a permanent joint venture with Quintain Estates and Development PLC and a project specific joint venture with commercial housing developer Crest Nicholson. Between 1999 and 2009, this partnership, Crest Nicholson BioRegional Quintain LLP with Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios as the architects developed a 3,900 sq m (.96 acre) portion of the New England Quarter site.
1. Previous Site Plan
The One Brighton site is identified as blocks E and F in the master plan drawing below. Plans for the green way are identified in this 2001 diagram. Brighton Council granted outline planning permission for this plan in 2002. The plan provided for 84 flats in two buildings between three and six stories tall.
2. New England Quarter master plan
BioRegional successfully negotiated increased site density in exchange for enhanced sustainable features on the site. In 2007 Brighton Council approved the plan to construct 172 flats in 14,600 sq m.
The development utilizes a wood chip bio-mass boiler to deliver hot water and district heating to residents. A photo-voltaic array provides 5% of the site's energy demands. The remaining power demands are met by a green energy agreement with a local utility. The development targeted a zero carbon strategy. At the time, local codes were mandating 40% better than standard energy efficiency and were not regulating carbon emissions. The development will meet BREEAM ‘excellent’ as well as BioRegional’s own ‘One Planet Living’ status.
3. Site plan and section diagram
Residents on the site don't own a car, or if they do, they park it off site. The only parking is for disabled and car share programs. There are indoor secure bike storage rooms in each building and covered outdoor bike storage. Proximity to the train station and numerous bus stops make this arrangement completely feasible.
The two most successful aspects of the design of the development are the garden allotments on the roof of Pullman and the community spaces throughout. The allotments are sought after and the waiting list proves it. They are well tended and use stored rainwater for irrigation. The lush green of the allotments lie in contrast to the brown roof atop Brighton Belle, but this is by design. The un-planted media will, over time, seed itself with native plant species.
The community spaces are both indoor and outdoor spaces interspersed within and around the two buildings and a 1,000 sq m community center on the ground floor of Brighton Belle. The long double loaded hallways are punctuated by communal spaces at multiple locations per floor in each building, but they have yet to see much use. In my conversation with Peter the Green Caretaker, I related the community spaces to the brown roof. The right elements and conditions are there to promote growth, its just going to take a little time.
4.My sketch of Brighton Belle from green way
Sources:
Figure 1: BRIGHTON New England Quarter Design Statement, July 2001 by URBED with Chetwood Associates, and David Huskisson Associates (http://www.urbed.coop/journal_docs/Pages%20from%20Brighton%20Design%20Statement%20Sec%201-2.pdf)
Figure 2: same as figure 1.
Figure 3: Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios
Figure 4: Dan Seng ink and watercolor sketch.
Related Links:
EcoHomes - http://www.breeam.org/page.jsp?id=21
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