Creating Character
THE PHOENIX CAUSEWAY
The southern edge of the Quarter is overwhelmingly characterised by the positive and negative effects of the Causeway constructed in the early sixties as the first stage of a new Lewes through-road (not completed).
The Causeway can be exploited as the new eastern gateway to Lewes incorporating integrated landscape and gateway buildings rising together, as a welcoming and distinctive entrance into the town. Extension of the Riverside Promenade would provide pedestrian friendly routes under the traffic bridge to Cliffe.
Buildings screen the new Park and Ride visitor carpark.
THE RIVERSIDE
The Promenade would support River Crossing, Boat Club Slipway River Access and Landscaping. At these focal Points along the promenade the ground level uses of the new buildings would support public activity and interest as restaurant, pub/bar and retail all with good weather spill-out space.
At most important focus would be a new pedestrian bridge crossing at midpoint just north of the Tesco Superstore.
A combined solution to both the problems of flooding and public riverside access. A pedestrian riverside promenade would be erected between the old and new river walls at the new flood protection level.
PELLS, PARKSIDE & TWITTENS
The ground floors of the buildings facing the parkland are dedicated to health and educational uses. A single storey creche building is proposed facing the southeast corner of the recreation ground.
Care is taken to ensure that an attractive and varied elevation is presented to the pells and recreation ground. A sinuous curve reflects the organic nature of the foreground and new aquatic habitat.
The tight grain of the twittens are a charming attribute of Lewes. It is intended to reintroduce the scale of the twittens to the new parkside cross streets.
This is achieved by lining the new twittens with inward looking courtyard houses that are not subject to the difficulties of overlooking experienced with a terrace house.
THE CENTRAL AREA
Around the existing road network and the connections to the surrounding quarters it is proposed to develop the civic and commercial centre of the quarter.
The connection of phoenix place to the causeway will raise its status to a main street for the quarter that provides mixed uses, public transport facilities and access to the network of pedestrian side streets.
The junction with North Street would become an important meeting point, the centre for new north square with retail units fronting the square and high-tech offices above.
The new north square is the centre of gravity in a chain of three public squares. To the west Arts Courtyard is perceived as a tranquil court influenced by the surrounding uses gallery, cinema, theatre and artists’ live-work studios. It is proposed this outdoor room could be used to support public arts and music events.
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