Tobermore Hard
Landscaping Solution
Specified at British
Airways i360
The World’s First Vertical Cable Car
Opened by Duke of Edinburgh
T
he Terra Firma
Consultancy provided
an informal landscape
design advisory
service to Marks
Barfield Architects,
sourcing the most appropriate
hard landscaping solution
at British Airways i360, the
new landmark attraction on
Brighton beach. The Terra
Firma Consultancy presented
Marks Barfield Architects with
Tobermore’s Sienna Duo - a
block paving product with a
striking granite aggregate finish
that offered the contemporary
look desired for the iconic
structure.
Robyn Butcher, Landscape
Architect at The Terra Firma
Consultancy, explained the
objectives of the high-profile
project and her role within
it: “The design vision for the
external landscape was to
provide an attractive landscape
to accompany the highly
anticipated British Airways
i360 building and enhance the
experience for visitors.
“Marks Barfield Architects was
responsible for the stunning
design of the i360 structure
and we acted as an informal
advisor on aspects of the
landscape design in assessing
the best materials and products
suitable for the site.”
62 Landscape & Urban Design
Built at the landward end
of Brighton’s historic West
Pier, British Airways i360 is
a modern-day ‘vertical pier’
that offers a new perspective
on Brighton and the south
coast. Visitors are gently
lifted from ground level to
a height of 138m in a giant
glass observation pod. The
modern design, engineering
and method of construction are
innovative, just as the West Pier
was in its time.
Robyn noted that due to the
contemporary style of the
design and build, paving
products were the most
suitable hard landscaping
material for the project. “The
aesthetics of paving was ideal
for the envisioned design
and, as other areas on the
beachfront close to the project
were due to be refurbished
with new paving in the near
future, we knew that paving
around the British Airways
i360 building would create
continuity with these existing
elements.
“Paving also provided the
benefits of being easy to lay
and easy to replace.”
Robyn was involved in the
process of sourcing and
assessing paving products