Adur Civic Centre

ECE Architecture

Delivering 150+ contextual apartments through strategic design reviews that balanced regulatory compliance with architectural ambition.

Rigorous design review processes shaped our architectural response, ensuring each apartment layout met NDSS requirements whilst creating well-lit, well-ventilated homes within our context-led design solution.

Our design for the former Adur Civic Centre site responds directly to Shoreham-by-Sea’s industrial heritage, drawing inspiration from neighbouring wharf buildings. The scheme comprises two blocks ranging from 3 to 9 storeys, containing 1, 2, and 3-bedroom apartments for both rental and shared ownership.

Ground-floor rustication, featuring brick patterns drawn from Shoreham-by-Sea’s historic buildings, creates an architectural character transition between the conservation area and contemporary riverfront developments. Ground floor spaces blend residential amenity with commercial uses, whilst private balconies and a shared roof terrace maximise external space provision. A central courtyard garden creates community focus, extending seamlessly into Ham Park and the riverside walk.

Design reviews revealed complex materials challenges requiring careful navigation of fire ratings, mortgage requirements, and maintenance implications. Our architectural response needed to satisfy evolving regulatory standards whilst maintaining design integrity and contextual appropriateness.

Through systematic review processes, we refined material selections to reflect Shoreham-by-Sea’s character, ensuring cladding solutions met enhanced requirements without compromising the scheme’s visual connection to its industrial surroundings. The ground-floor rustication pattern specifically referenced local historic precedents, ensuring authentic integration within the townscape.

Further design reviews addressed accessibility compliance, with every apartment meeting Part M4(2) requirements alongside local planning policy demands. Our technical approach integrated sustainable transport infrastructure, including extensive electric charging provision and car club spaces.

When planning requirements necessitated reducing building height from 11 to 9 storeys, our design reviews enabled rapid scheme reconfiguration without compromising apartment quality or overall architectural coherence. Working with ECE Planning, our adaptability maintained programme continuity whilst delivering enhanced design outcomes.

The completed design demonstrates how thorough review processes elevate architectural quality whilst meeting complex regulatory and operational requirements.