Michael Doyle Town Planning have shared this new design for Madeira Drive with the Council and Building Green.

Maderia Terrace with light weight timber deck and cherry picker for green wall maintenance

It shows how a timber upper level would allow light to filter through. It’s a more lightweight solution. Michael has also shown a cherry picker on the upper level, which would allow easy maintenance of the green wall.

The green wall covers and protects large areas of the cliff and saves money in the expensive application of new concrete render. However, it does need maintenance – which could be carried out by volunteers as well as the Council.

Michael’s earlier designs also show commercial pods which could be slotted under the terrace in future, enabling new, much-needed, business and revenue to be generated in this area of the beach front.

Commercial units coujld be established under the Madeira Terrace

For more of Michael’s designs see this previous post.

November 10, 2015 by James Farrell

Inspiration – Bruno Stagno

Bruno Stagno is an architect from Costa Rica who designs for the tropics.

The use of climbing plants for bio-shading (creating cooler buildings and outdoor spaces) is known in this country too – but these are stunning examples.

He said he enjoys living “in close contact with the exterior environment and enjoy the sensation of openness and connection to nature this brings.”

JYR Building. Climbing plants on frames

Tribu office pergola. Solar shading using climbing plants and frames

October 15, 2015 by James Farrell

Not too late to book your DIY Green Roof course!

It’s not too late to book your place on this year’s DIY green roof course!

learn about how to build green roofs
understand the history of global green roofing, and the benefits of the modern habitat-based approach
put the principles into practice – build your own green roofed bird box to take home
visit inspirational green roofs and green walls in Brighton & Hove
get expert advice on your project
enjoy the surroundings of Organic Roof’s new workshop, right on the banks of Shoreham harbour
have fun, learn new skills and make new friends!

You never know, you might be so inspired that you jack your job in after the course – and become a professional green roofer. That’s exactly what previous course participant Lee Evans did!

To book your place, visit https://brightonpermaculture.org.uk/courses/ecobuild/greenroofs

Happy green roofer with the green roofed bird box we built on the Building Green DIY weekend

October 13, 2015 by James Farrell

New ideas for Madeira Drive

Urban designer Michael Doyle has produced these ideas for a new-look Madeira Drive.

Based on designs published in the Argus in September, these new ideas incorporate the environmental infrastructure that is such an important part of our seafront.

Michael is a local resident who runs an independent town planning and urban design practice. Building Green has met Michael to share ideas.

In one design, photovoltaics could be mounted on the existing ironwork to provide some economic benefit and green electricity whilst longer term solutions are found.

In another, cafes and shops could be assembled as pods that sit outside the terrace at first – providing business space now – and wheeled back under the terrace like Victorian bathing machines if and when a safe, longer term solution is found.

The Council are in private talks over the future of the Madeira terraces, which are currently closed due to the deterioration of the antique Victorian ironwork. Ideas like those of Michael Doyle Building Green and the wider community should be heard as part of a wider debate and search for economic, sustainable solutions.

Building Green is highlighting the importance of the living ‘green wall’, which pre-dates the terraces and is notable for its age, uniqueness in the UK, its wildlife value and for improving the appearance of the East cliff. We are working with the Council to actively manage the only stretch of green wall that is currently accessible – which runs East along the ramp from Peter Pan to the top of Marine Parade.

In the words of Council Leader Warren Morgan, “…we owe it to those who built our city’s heritage, and future generations, to save what we value in our historic city and add to the story of Brighton and Hove for the future.”.

Restored terrace with cafe and shop pods underneath – like Victoria bathing machines these could be established in a space in front of the terraces to be used before the structure is made safe, and wheeled under the arches in due course

Photovoltaics could be established on the terraces where not safe to walk on. This can provide green electricity and some economic benefits, as well as a working platform for green wall maintenance.

A striking way of visualising the environmental infrastructure in East Brighton. Connecting the downs to the sea via the squares, green wall and streets. Supporting wildlife and reducing surface water flood risk.

Madeira Drive green wall, Brighton

Brighton carnival in front of Madeira Drive green wall. Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove

October 3, 2015 by James Farrell

Come and learn how to build your own green roof

3 weeks left to book a place on the original Green Roof DIY course.

Book by visiting the Brighton Permaculture Trust website.

shed green roof on allotment in Brighton

Running over the weekend of 24-25 October, this year we’ll be hosted on the Saturday at the Organic Roofs office and workshop in Shoreham. There are real green roofs to see close up, and plenty of materials to get your hands on…and an amazing view of the harbour to boot! Or is that ‘to boat’.

Book by visiting the Brighton Permaculture Trust website.

September 27, 2015 by James Farrell

The benefits of green walls

Why plant or protect green walls? What’s the point of them?

There have been good studies on this, focused on green walls for buildings. These have put pound (or dollar) signs on costs of establishment and maintenance, and benefits including:

increased property value (akin to planting street trees)
insulating buildings to reduce air conditioning costs in hot climates
acoustic benefit where the covering is thick
improving biodiversity
improving air quality by trapping dust particles
reducing the frequency of building facade maintenance
air temperature reduction (urban ‘heat island’)

This study concluded that ‘direct green facades’ – ie climbing plants established onto a building surface – are the most sustainable green wall type, and have a very positive net present value.

There are lots of places in Brighton where this applies – around New England for example, Westergate, American Express, and so on.

For Madeira Drive, our most famous green wall, things are a little different. However, the benefits include:

green space for relaxation in a community where the vast majority have no garden, balcony or other outside space
a habitat for wildlife – 100 species of plants, birds, butterflies
a national arboretum for Japanese spindle, and place to learn how to prune, coppice and manage it
a place to study Victorian environmental engineering
a green lung in an otherwise sparsely vegetated area – trapping dust
a more attractive covering for a rendered cliff face that is so much better visually than sprayed concrete
a protective coating for the cliff face – limiting damage and deterioration from wind, rain and cold.
a place for volunteers to get active and health
a backdrop for TV, film, photo shoots and show piece for Brighton & Hove.

It would be useful to do some economics on this – anyone out there with the requisite skills?