Promenade piers appeared in English resorts in the Victorian era: they were used as marinas, but still their main function was entertainment, so various pavilions for concerts and performances, banquet halls, bowling alleys, carousels, etc. were erected on them. The pier at Hastings on the south coast of England was no exception: it was built in 1872 and was actively used until World War II. In the 1960s - 1970s, there was a kind of renaissance: the Rolling Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd, The Sex Pistols, Jimi Hendrix gave concerts in its pavilion. However, then it - like many similar structures throughout the country - lost popularity and gradually deteriorated, which exacerbated fires and storms. In the years before the catastrophic fire of 2010, the pier was essentially abandoned: the company that owned it was unwilling to carry out even the necessary repairs.
After a fire that destroyed 95% of the "deck" and buildings, and so extremely concerned about the fate of the pier, the townspeople obtained from the authorities a compulsory ransom of the pier; 11 million pounds out of 14.2 were allocated by the Heritage Lottery Fund, about 600,000 more were contributed by local residents, the rest was donated by various organizations. The dRMM architects who won the international competition for the pier reconstruction project raised funds and helped to successfully interact with citizens, authorities and other stakeholders - not to mention taking into account all the wishes of the local community in the final project. That is why the jury of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awarded them the 2017 Sterling Prize for the Hastings Pier; in the popular vote, Pier also won - by a strong lead. According to the judges of the award, architects were engaged not only in the project, but also in the entire accompanying process, and behind such a flexible and broad role at the same time, the future of the profession.
Called "popular", the pier also received the nickname "Board". The reason is obvious: unlike the traditional scheme, when the sea end, the "nose" of the structure is occupied by the main pavilion (and that
preserved during the rebuilding of the piers today), in Gastins they decided not to put anything in this zone, leaving it free for any temporary structures and events - fairs, circus-tent, concerts, holidays. However, on ordinary days this "square" surrounded by water can seem bare: as the media note, some visitors lack, if not too elegant, but still capable of entertaining pavilions for bingo and slot machines. It also goes to a healthier and more fashionable menu than is typical for an English resort. However, this change is not only a tribute to the times, but also a reflection of the situation in Hastings, which from a depressed town in recent years has turned into a popular place for representatives of creative professions to live - in exchange for the prohibitively expensive London. Now it is expected to add an additional 300,000 tourists each year to visit the refurbished pier, and one million pounds in revenue.
During the reconstruction, the cast-iron supports of the pier were restored. The new "deck" is made of ekki (winged lofier) wood. The only surviving Victorian pavilion after the fire has been converted into a modern café-bar. A visitor center with an observation deck and a bar on the roof was erected approximately halfway between the bow and stern on a cross-laminated timber frame; there is a staircase-tribune, suitable for concerts. Planks charred in the 2010 fire were widely used for its cladding, and they also went to pieces of furniture. The center is used for exhibitions, educational and other events. The pier fence resembles vertical blinds, which, when viewed through it, creates an "optical play". Among the temporary structures for which the 280-meter pier (total area - 11 720 m2) is primarily designed for - shopping pavilions in the form of traditional beach houses, carousels, etc.
In parallel with the Sterling Prize, two other RIBA awards have been awarded. The client of the year was the elite boarding school Bidales in Hampshire, known for its liberal approach to education and upbringing of students: it was nominated by architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, who designed an art and design building for it.
The Stephen Lawrence Prize, recognizing aspiring architects for projects under a million pounds, went to Meridith Bowles (Mole Architects) and Rebecca Granger for The Houseboat on the shores of Poole Harbor near Bournemouth. The dwelling resembles an overturned ship; it faces the sea with panoramic windows.
