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Lewes is a small town north of Brighton in East Sussex, England. The area was founded in the 6th century and today is home to 16,000 people. Now local planning authorities are implementing a humane masterplan in Lewes that could set a new benchmark for UK urban planning.
Phoenix is an urban design project that aims to transform 20 acres of brownfield land into “the most sustainable community in the UK”, according to designers at Human Nature. The project is named after the Phoenix Ironworks, which has been located on the site since 1861. Developers have hoped to convert the brownfield site into housing for decades, but the project has been marred by a series of stalls. In 2014, a fire occurred, further complicating the development.
Human Nature is working to design a walkable community at the former Phoenix Steel Plant. The development group is a Lewes-based company founded by former Greenpeace directors Michael Manolson and Jonathan Smales. Once complete, Phoenix will be the largest timber-based community in the UK. Human Nature is also the client, masterplanner and architect; Periscope is the landscape architect; and Arup is providing urban design services.
Expedition is the executive civil engineer, Atelier Ten is the environmental engineer, Whitby Wood is the executive structural engineer and Eurban is the timber engineer. Phoenix’s transportation planners are WSP and Urban Movement. Ecology Solutions and Whaleback are also project consultants.
The planned development will have a cumulative total of 685 residences, 30% of which will be affordable housing. Of the 685 homes, 154 will be covered by local housing subsidy levels and the remainder will serve as starter homes for young people and new families.
Master planners say Phoenix prioritizes people over cars, providing the best streets for walking, biking and driving. To encourage a car-free lifestyle, Phoenix will have what the architects call a joint mobility center. The facility will include electric vehicle sharing, car rentals, e-bike services and shuttle services.
Human Nature’s masterplan includes 18 different residential areas, designed by 12 different architects. Designers say this is an effort to give Phoenix architectural diversity, character and housing options. Among the architects designing free-standing buildings in Phoenix are the Stirling Prize-winning Mæ Architects; as well as Adam Richards Architects, Al-Jawad Pike, Archio, Ash Sakula, Charles Holland Architects, Material Cultures, Mole Architects, Rabble Architecture and TDO Architecture. The buildings will have shared courtyards and be close to parks, green corridors and rooftop gardens.
Ash Sakula is working with Periscope to detail the first homes in Phoenix. There, the architects intertwined play areas with communal gardens and shared bike storage; all designed to encourage interaction between neighbours. The central courtyard provides residents with a place to sit, rest, talk and play.
In total there will be approximately 107,000 square feet of service space, including commercial, employment and healthcare space; in addition to light industry, creative industries, hospitality and retail. The heart of the community will be a public space connecting a community cafeteria, event hall, bar room, fitness center, workspace and maker studio. All of these amenities will be located in converted industrial buildings.
Most of the ideas for the masterplan were derived from circular economy principles. All buildings will be made from cross-laminated timber (CLT), using prefabricated boxes composed of local wood and biomaterials such as hemp. To create jobs and maximize social impact, local apprentices will provide on-site training in modern construction methods. Where possible, the architects will also reclaim materials from the site’s industrial past, such as cladding, steel trusses, bricks and buttresses. Phoenix’s green energy strategies—on-site recycling, a waste management composting facility and an urban agriculture area—could reduce the complex’s energy bills by up to 20 percent.
Meredith Bowles, principal at Mole Architects, shared in a statement: “While everything goes on as normal in the rest of the world, human nature dictates that we must build in a way that allows us to do more in less time. Built for a different way of living in an environment. A world of hospitality. But Phoenix does not see this as a limitation but as an opportunity. For social life, for local activities, for a greener world. Most importantly, it shows that sustainable living leads to a better life.”
Jonathan Smales, CEO of Human Nature, said in a statement: “The current mainstream development model is catastrophic. It leads to extremely unsustainable structures, infrastructure and transportation, exacerbating the climate and nature crisis; it also creates social divisions and increases loneliness. Sense. Our goal is to show that sustainable living can be a pleasure rather than an act of self-denial, and that communities are designed to make this life easier.”
Smales continued, “We are working with an incredible team to bring together the best practices in sustainable design, urbanism and architecture to deliver a new breakthrough model for Phoenix. We are committed to harnessing the power of placemaking from the ground up. improving environmental and social impact, something not often seen in 21st century Britain. But the result will not feel alien, but a return to a tradition we have forgotten: an elegantly designed building made from local materials, a place for children to A safe street for children to play in, with most daily needs within a short walk. It’s easy to meet neighbors and socialize.”
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