More than 200 local business people attended the official launch of DesignBrighton, a new festival celebrating the city’s urban environment.
Attendees were treated to a flight on the BAi360 for a stunning view of Brighton’s architectural landscape by sunset.
Among the many big reveals of the evening, the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange was named as the hub conference, networking and exhibition centre and it was announced that the programme for the festival will focus on the city’s great designs of the past, present and future.
The festival will also include a series of satellite events across the region, including:
- A celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Marina, hosted by the original architect
- A trail of open studios and workshop tours to ‘meet the makers’
- Installations from lighting engineers, makers and designers
- A photography competition to visually highlight the city’s exceptional urban design
- Hard hat tours of developments in progress
- Hack-a-thons engaging the next generation of urban designers
A limited-edition Augmented Reality drinks coaster, produced by LCE Architects and Mnemoscene, was revealed as a sponsorship opportunity for the festival, which will fill Brighton’s eateries and watering holes with a collectable marketing concept showcasing key developments and architecture in the city.
Sophie Law-Smith of Stickland Wright Architects and Interiors said:
“DesignBrighton will be much more than an urban realm festival. It is an invitation to us all to come together to light a beacon for our design rich culture, celebrating our heritage and creating a legacy for the next generation; it is an invitation to all, because design is for all.”
John Cowell, festival co-founder, added:
“We are thrilled to see so many local stakeholders come out to support the launch of DesignBrighton. Together we can work on today’s challenges and drive towards a circular economy for our region and nurture talent to shape our future. I’m also personally thrilled that the 40th anniversary of the Marina is going to be included in the festival programme as my father, the late Eric Cowell, was one of the original developers.”
For more information regarding Design Brighton and to learn how to get involved, please visit www.designbrighton.org or search #DesignBrighton on Twitter.