Winner of LI sponsored design competition opens to public acclaim

Rainbow Mist
Rainbow Mist

The international design competition, run by Landscape Institute and CABE’S Sea Change programme in 2009, to re-landscape Splash Point on Worthing’s seafront cost £500,000 and has been lauded for regenerating a neglected area of the promenade.

craft:pegg beat four shortlisted teams to gain the top spot, as decided by a panel of judges, which included members of Worthing Arts Council, CABE Space and the Landscape Institute.

Chair of the panel Ian Turkington said of the judges’ decision: “The panel commended the careful selection of materials, which reflect the existing qualities of the foreshore, and felt that the rainbow mist fountains, lighting and grove of trees would enrich the experience of the space. We also like the way in which the tradition of a ‘speakers corner’ had been subtly integrated with other opportunities for public expression.”

The challenge was to create a place that worked at a variety of scales and was both playful and relevant to a range of users. craft:pegg’s design draws on the natural context of the setting manipulating existing materials such as shingle and rock armour, to create a dramatic statement.

The centerpiece of the design, Rainbow Mist, is a water feature comprised of misting jets, which splits light rays, and casts sun-generated rainbows across the area, highlighting the elemental aspect of the location. While Canyon 110, a stunning collection of 45 boulders made of Welsh slate and weathered rock armour limestone and sculpted on site by the waves, provides informal seating and tactile objects for visitors.

The interactive aspect of the design continues with Speaker’s Corner, a platform from which speakers can address a crowd or passers by. Framed by a giant slate blackboard, visitors can also leave statements or messages, and community groups can project pictures onto the surface.

Lead designer John Pegg commented: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive feedback we’ve received while on site. The project has exceeded our hopes and met all our aspirations.”

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