The project involved the conversion and extension of a 1960s post office building in the Kemptown area of Brighton. We converted the first floor into large residential units and extended the second floor, paying particular attention to the construction process as the ground floor tenants remained in occupation throughout.
The project demanded contextual sensitivity as a new development in a Victorian seaside setting, surrounded by historic buildings. We orientated the residential area towards the seafront using overhanging roofs and balconies to create solar shading and afford dramatic sea views from the principle rooms.
Attempting to balance the modern with the historic, we designed the south facing front elevation with a large architectural order shifting to a more figurative composition where the building abuts the traditional buildings to its west. The project was used by Brighton & Hove City Council Planning Department as an exemplar for creating modern buildings within a historic context.