Longley Place | Art & Architecture
Anchored by EPR’s architectural narrative, the building’s flank wall was carefully chosen as a focal canvas, its position informed by key pedestrian sightlines to ensure enjoyment by residents, workers, visitors and the wider community. After exploring multiple material pathways, we chose glazed brick, a medium that offered aesthetic integrity, durability and synergy with the building’s architectural detailing. The result is a resilient and radiant artwork: colourful, low-maintenance, and utterly rooted in place.
To bring the project to life, we commissioned textile artist and colourist Ptolemy Mann, celebrated for her bold palette and architectural abstraction. Responding to a brief shaped during lockdown, a time when connection to green space became universal, Ptolemy’s design is a poetic expression of Brighton & Hove’s environmental spirit, interpreted through a community lens. Her visual journey was documented in captivating photography, sketches and abstract watercolours, shared across networks to invite the public into her evolving process and foster meaningful engagement.
“Art is a powerful lens through which we understand place, and at Longley Place it serves as a beacon for change, inclusivity and environmental consciousness.”
Brighton & Hove, long recognised as a creative epicentre, thrives on imagination, innovation and openness. This development honours that legacy while fuelling future possibilities by supporting the city’s digital, media and technology clusters, empowering emerging businesses and amplifying the ambition to become the capital of the coast.
Weaving Culture into the City’s Fabric
Working alongside Legal & General and EPR Architects, Art Acumen shaped an art strategy that responds to Brighton’s creative spirit with imagination and purpose. Rooted in collaboration and community, the project rethinks how art lives in the city, not as decoration, but as a driving force that brings meaning, connection and character to the public realm.
Set within the ambitious redevelopment of the former Longley Industrial Estate, the programme supports Brighton’s masterplan for London Road’s regeneration, serving as a beacon for change, inclusivity and environmental consciousness. Our commitment was clear: to use art as a democratic force that opens doors, nurtures identity and bridges ambition with heritage. Through thoughtful partnerships and stakeholder collaboration, we aligned place, public art and people, crafting a vibrant cultural tapestry embedded in the city's future.
We extended this dialogue through a dedicated community programme, hosting workshops and activation sessions that delved into the themes behind the commission and deepened the city’s connection to green public spaces. The engagement was carefully designed to bring the community into the creative process, allowing them to be connected to the narrative. By taking part in their own creative journey, participants formed a deeper connection to the work and to the place itself.
