Green Architecture Day comes to Brighton again this year on 30 March.
Some great speakers lined up including Duncan Baker Brown, Kate Scanlon and Oliver Heath.
Building Green will be there, come say hi.
news
New community container in place for Madeira Terrace pilot restoration
Great to see the green wall featuring alongside the precious Madeira Terrace in the artwork on the new community container.
The container contains an office and other facilities for local community groups to use. Building Green will be!
Artwork features Japanese Spindle – the main feature of the Madeira Drive Green Wall, these plants are now almost 150 years old. It also features hoary stock – one of the rarest native plants that has been found along the green wall. Hoary stock has another name…’Hopes’. Seems apt!
Unfortunately we couldn’t raise the funds to green the container itself…a green roof, or some living walls would have been even better. To see what’s possible with a shipping container, go here and here.
Those wonderful green wall volunteers
It would be easy to take for granted what it takes to keep the longest, oldest green wall in Europe in good condition. Especially when the work is managed by volunteers, doing it for the love, the friendship and the exercise that comes with it!
Here they are, Portslade Green Gym, in action at Madeira Drive Green Wall this week, keeping the Spindle and beds in great condition, and a stretch of wall ready for receiving new Spindle plants in the Spring… A huge thank you to all the Green Gymers – we appreciate you!
A great start to the National Year of Green Action (YOGA)!
After…and before! The Duke’s Mound end.
New shoots at Madeira Drive
The first new shoot has appeared growing on the newly transplanted Japanese Spindle. Fingers crossed they all spring to life this Spring!
And thanks to the Council, new guidewires have been installed to help these and other recently coppiced Spindle plants re-establish and grow up the cliff.
Seen here – the old Victorian guide wire tensioners…and the modern stainless steel version (hopefully even longer lasting).
Brighton’s historic green wall in Coast magazine
February edition of Coast includes a short but sweet article on Madeira Drive green wall.
Merry Christmas from Building Green
Thank you to all the volunteers and everyone who helped make 2018 a green year for Brighton, here’s to a great 2019.
Volunteers go green again
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Portslade Green Gym hit the Madeira Drive Green Wall again today. Great work cutting back and looking after the health of the green wall, and their own health too! Next work day in the New Year. Thanks Green Gymers!
The ‘sturdy dozen’ – 12 trees transplanted along the Madeira Drive green wall
Work is complete to transplant 12 Japanese Spindle trees to their new home on Madeira Drive Green Wall.
Thanks to volunteers, the Council, and their contractors, these trees should grow up like their 150 year old neighbours, and help restore another section of the UK’s oldest, longest green wall.
They were saved from building work above Concorde 2, and are each approximately 40 years old.
Coming up:
- Green Gym volunteer day on 8 November
- From 5 November, Council contractors manage the spindle and ivy along Duke’s Mound.
- Council contractors install guide wires along the section in these photos, to help the plants establish up the wall.
- Spring volunteer days to plant of more spindle along remaining gaps in the green wall.
Volunteers and donations or sponsorship from local businesses are welcome.
Brighton carnival in front of Madeira Drive green wall. Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
Boom! Funding secure for Madeira Terraces campaign
So it’s done – thanks to local campaigners, members of the public, local businesses and some particularly big donors, the Save Madeira Drive campaign reached its target today.
Total reached = £466,149
More soon – great news for now.
Madeira terraces, Kemp town with cyclist. ‘The world famous sheltered walk’
Approximately 100 years separates these photos, showing Madeira Drive, the Volks railway, Kemp Town and the Madeira Drive green wall
The £24 million ‘Lockwood Project’ to restore East Brighton seafront
Great Green Wall – Madeira Drive
This article appeared in The Living Coast newsletter this month.
Did you know that a particular jewel in our ‘green building’ crown is on Madeira Drive?
A hotbed of Victorian invention, Madeira Drive’s history has seen piers, an aquarium, an electric railway and ‘Daddy Longlegs seagoing car’, the first speedway and the ‘famous sheltered walk’ – Madeira Terrace. Well, in amongst all that, 150 years ago, the Victorians planted a ‘green wall’. The engineers had the foresight to build the Madeira Terrace in a way which enabled the planting to continue growing up the East Cliff – a rare early example in this country of integrating built and natural environments!
The green wall has grown in majesty since its humble beginnings as a backdrop of evergreen Japanese Spindle, which was planted to soften and improve the appearance of the developing seafront.
A recent survey by Building Green found over 100 species of plants growing on the wall, which – although much reduced from its original extent – is almost certainly the oldest, longest, green wall in Europe! The Madeira Drive Green Wall is now a candidate ‘Local Wildlife Site’ – the only one of its kind in the UK!
The Duke’s Mound end is managed by Green Gym volunteers in partnership with Building Green, Brighton & Hove City Council and the Ecology Consultancy.
Madeira Terraces are, of course, in need of restoration as part of a newly regenerated East Brighton seafront. Building Green is working with Brighton & Hove City Council and its “Save the Terraces” Campaign to ensure that this regeneration celebrates and enhances both the built and natural environments along the seafront.
What a great opportunity to connect more people with nature – the mission of The Living Coast – whilst honouring our Victorian legacy and creating a place that people really want to spend time in for the next 150 years!
Brighton & Hove Building Green 