Circus Street, Brighton
Exemplar regeneration
within a historic setting
Richard has pioneered innovative partnerships with the public sector for most of his career. And Circus Street is no different.
Built as a partnership between Brighton and Hove City Council and the University of Brighton, U+I took the opportunity to breathe life back into the two largest regeneration projects in living memory for the city by adding purpose.
Transforming two derelict sites which were costing the city council around £500,000 per year, the site will now generate over £440 million of net socio-economic improvement for the city and its residents over the next decade.
Circus Street is the model for hopeful city living. Having stood empty for decades, the new civic quarter boasts a green agenda in sustainability, dynamic workspaces, cafes, and Brighton’s only dedicated dance area.
The stand-alone dance theatre at the heart of the site is entirely funded from the businesses and homes on the scheme. By bringing a focus on bike and foot travel, and incorporating art and performance into its core, we’ve managed to deliver a green energy led transformation of Brighton’s former derelict fruit and vegetable market.
The architecture by architects ShedKM, beautifully landscaped public spaces by Jo Gibbons and a programme of public art by renowned Alex Chinneck and Anthony Gormley has all amassed to hosting 100,000 people over 90 events, adding to Brighton’s status as one of the UK’s most creative cities.
Since its completion in 2022, the project has won six major awards for regeneration, and is likely to win many more.
– AJ100 Awards – Building of the Year – Winner
– Sussex Heritage Awards – Large Housing Estate – Winner
Judges said ‘An exciting mixed use scheme with the buildings being most sensitively connected with the existing built environment’
– EG – Public/Private Partnership Award – Winner
– South East Construction – Best Architectural Design – Winner
– World Architectural News – Future Project Mixed Use –Winner
– Civic Trust Awards – The Dance Space – Finalist
– AJ Awards – Best Mixed Use – Finalist
– Property Awards – Placemaking – Finalist
– OAS Awards – Finalist
– Design Week Awards – Finalist