GREEN & BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE
View from Circus Street development showing VGS as a green lung through central Brighton , with South Downs in background © Edward Bishop
This continuity is maintained across Richmond Square , and St Peter ’ s Square , where a larger aggregate stone responds to the different scales of these spaces . The gravel stone provides a generous and informal quality to the spaces , referencing Brighton ’ s pebbled beach , and is both flexible and permeable over the extensive root protection areas ( RPAs ) of important mature trees across the whole site - this was a major consideration in relation to the National Elm Collection .
Murray Smith and Fenella Griffin , Founders of Untitled Practice , commented : “ Valley Gardens shows how green infrastructure can make our cities more resilient to climate change , providing public realm spaces that are more accessible and usable , especially in a post-Covid world with renewed appreciation of outdoors . The project is about connecting things up to create new relationships between people , place and nature , for better health and wellbeing , and it ’ s been wonderful to see Brighton ’ s residents and visitors taking full advantage of this fantastic new resource at the heart of the Biosphere .”
The linked parks are characterised by the structure of existing and new trees , 140 of which have been carefully chosen for their spatial typology , seasonal interest , ability to cope with the coastal location and disease resistance . Arguably the most impactful feature of the scheme is a 650m long ‘ river of flowers ’ perennial garden that ‘ flows ’ along the east side of Valley Gardens . The garden screens the inner park area from vehicular traffic and cyclists along Grand Parade , whilst providing seasonal interest and supporting significantly improved biodiversity with a rich matrix of low maintenance perennial and bulb planting .
The surrounding urban landscape , which frames the green areas , is finished in a homogenous resinbound gravel , which extends throughout the network of paths across the open spaces , unifying the new public realm .
View showing new cycleway between perennial gardens © Edward Bishop
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