Madeira Terrace in Brighton in need of restoration

Abigail Hone, project manager at Brighton & Hove City Council’s City Development & Regeneration Department, organised a meeting with Katrin Bohn and Dong Chu about the restoration of Madeira Terrace in Brighton. The Council is looking for a design and engineering team to work on the restoration project starting this year on the first three historical arches (at the western end of the terrace).

Constructed in 1890, Madeira Terrace runs from Brighton Aquarium (now the Sea Life Centre) to Duke’s Mound. The Terraces were known as Brighton’s famous ‘sheltered walk’ and form Britain’s longest continuous ironwork structure. Its Green Wall was planted by the Victorians to improve the seafront environment and is now the home to wildlife, including over 100 species of plants.

Madeira Terrace in historic pictures (image: Brighton Museums www 2019)

Katrin has been invited to suggest a potential future cooperation between the School of Architecture and Design at the University of Brighton and the City Council. This includes to envisage how urban agriculture could be introduced to Madeira Terrace. To not only think about the arches’ structure, protection and reuse, but also the sustainable design of the terrace’s Green Wall could improve biodiversity and lead to new unexpected uses and appearances. We are pleased to do any work which will promote an innovative urban food system for Madeira Terrace.

Madeira Terrace arches (image: Dong Chu 2019)

Madeira Terrace Green Wall, upper level (image: Dong Chu 2019)

Informal approaches are also welcomed – the project will need to bring together the skills and expertise of private, voluntary and public sectors to realise the aims of protecting Madeira Terrace and creating a place that will benefit residents and the visitor economy.

For further information see Brighton & Hove City Council’s own website.

Image: Madeira Terrace in historic pictures (source: Brighton Museums www 2019)