Jim Glymph, a partner at Gehry Partners, visited Brighton to update the City Council on the emerging outline plans for the King Alfred project. The outline plans indicate the position and height of the buildings and the layout of the public spaces and the sports centre and have been designed to Stage C. The Council will be considering the outline plans as landowners to ensure they meet the requirements of the agreed Project Briefs.
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A small team of professionals representing Brighton and Hove City Council will travel to the United States to liaise with architects working on revised plans for Hove’s King Alfred redevelopment.
The trip is seen as important because architects have produced three models up to twelve feet long to give city representatives a clearer view of their proposals.
Two council officers will be accompanied by an independent architectural advisor. They will spend three working days at Gehry Partners studio in Los Angeles discussing how key elements of the scheme will be incorporated into the design.
Detailed talks will include planning issues, the £30m sports centre, public open spaces and 236 affordable homes earmarked for the site.
The cost of the trip, scheduled for November 3, will not exceed £5000. Funds will come from a budget reserved for King Alfred-related work.
Chair of the King Alfred project board Councillor Sue John said: “If there was any other way we could do this in the UK, we would. But we cannot. The architect Frank Gehry starts by modeling the shape of the buildings and the city needs representatives there at that stage.
“The visit will be important in getting the scheme right and the cost is small compared with the value of a £30m public sports centre which the developers are paying for.”
It is expected the architects will produce revised designs for council consideration at the end of the year. These will draw on discussions and consultation on the project over the last year. A planning application for the scheme is expected in June 2005. Public consultation will follow.
Recently the council announced an increase in the number of flats for the site from 438 to 590 including more affordable homes. The height of the towers, originally 32 and 38 storeys, will be reduced and affordable homes would be no higher than seven storeys.
Heather James of Karis joined a panel of invited guests to discuss the background and celebrate the imminent refurbishment of Wells Coates’ Embassy Court. Karis have offered advice and support and applaud the efforts of the management company to bring this wonderful building back to life.
The Embassy Court Management Company are working with Paul Zara of the Conran Partnership. Sir Terence Conran has been a long time admirer of Wells Coates’ work and was introduced to the Embassy Court management team by Karis Managing Director Josh Arghiros.
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