Formerly the Municipal Technical College in Brighton, the scheme was to sympathetically convert this Grade II imposing landmark building in the Valley Gardens Conservation area into stylish contemporary apartments, working closely with the developers and their in-house interior designers.
This stunning period structure presented many challenges, from maximising the effectiveness of every available space to the elegant resolution of innumerable junctions between old and new.
It also afforded the opportunity to stylishly incorporate one, two and three-storey apartments into the historic fabric of the building and take advantage of the drama of the vaulted ceilings in the main Halls of the building. The result was 47 private contemporary “loft-style” apartments to create a successful blend of new and old.
Within the same location, the practice also worked with Merlion Housing Association to provide 24 affordable dwellings: 11 within the existing Victorian building envelope and 13 within contemporary new zinc and timber-clad structure at the rear of the site, occupying the footprint of a demolished engine shed. Again, the results were highly efficient and desirable dwellings, providing a good outlook, light and privacy for all in this very tight urban situation.
