Winter Gardens

Transformation

The new scheme will incorporate a range of new additions to transform the Winter Gardens into a flexible entertainment space, with food and beverage.

Alongside planting, the building will include:

• event space with stage and seating
• restaurant and bar
• multi-purpose activity space
• various activities and engagement with the history and plants

The Winter Gardens offers the opportunity to celebrate the town's heritage with an exciting attraction for 21st century use.

Look and Feel

The look and feel of the space is designed to give a calming backdrop to the vibrant flexible space within. All of the existing cast and wrought iron structure will be repaired and repainted the original off-white colour. Taking inspiration from the colours of a sea thistle, new interventions will be painted a pale green-blue to distinguish the old from the new.

Colour Palette

• all of the existing cast and wrought iron structure will be repaired and repainted the original off-white colour
• a material palette has been chosen to compliment the building and reference the Winter Garden's seafront setting
• new interventions will be painted a pale green-blue to distinguish the old from the new
• local plant species have been used as inspiration for the colour palette
• the look and feel of the space is designed to give a calming backdrop to the vibrant flexible space within.

Materials

• sand-coloured terrazzo with recycled glass will be used on the ground floor
• on the first floor, re-purposed timber flooring will be bleached to mimic the colour of driftwood
• new steelwork required to support the tower will be painted a light green tone with balustrades to match
• the terracotta colour of the existing tiled plinths will be picked up in selected areas such as tiling.

Planting

Historically, all planting was pushed to the perimeter of the building. The proposal is sensitive to the need to balance a comfortable environment for people with a suitable environment for plants.

This prioritised the majority of the central space for activities within the People's Palace.

The proposal is sensitive to the need to balance a comfortable environment for people with a suitable environment for plants.

Moveable planters at ground floor can be pushed against the walls during activities. Islands of larger, tropical plants are located near the eating area. Species will refer to the Victorian Planting, using ferns, pelargoniums, orchids, and palm trees. Reference to trading routes will also be reflected in the chosen species.

Species will refer to the Victorian Planting, using ferns, geraniums, orchids, and palm trees. Reference to trading route will also be reflected in the chosen species.

New external landscaping and public seating to the north side, marking out a safe pedestrian walkway.

Operation and Innovation

The new scheme aims to be as sustainable as possible and has implemented a 'Net Zero Carbon in Operation' strategy. Passive techniques have been developed to heat, cool and ventilate the space with the minimal use of energy and resources.

The project has adopted a 'fabric first' approach to protect the historic structure.

Passive techniques have been developed to heat, cool and ventilate the space with the minimal use of energy and resources.

This provides solutions that are easy to maintain and operate whilst making the building comfortable inside and able to be used all year round.

Passive and low-energy techniques

Specific window openings will encourage 'stack ventilation' and draw cool, fresh air into the building in summer.

Heating will be generated by air source heat pumps which transfer excess heat from the surrounding air into the building.

New tanks will store and recycle rainwater provide the plants with water.