Dating from 1873, Devonshire Park has long been an attraction within Eastbourne and for the wider south coast. As well as being home to three theatres, it hosts major tennis tournaments including the women’s warm-up contest for Wimbledon. However, over the years the facilities have fallen behind competitors and are in need of significant revitalisation.
We were invited to participate in a design competition and subsequently appointed to carefully restore the Grade II listed Devonshire Park and Winter Garden theatres and the Grade II* listed Congress Theatre; enhance the tennis facilities and provide a new conference building and public plaza. Throughout, we sought to preserve and enhance the heritage significance of the site, whilst creating modern venues and facilities for performers and their audiences, sportspeople and their spectators.