While you may assume pre-war seaside favourite, Eastbourne has little to offer in terms of contemporary cultural pursuits – a recent addition to the coastal town's promenade has meant its reputation for only providing visitors with bingo, mini-golf and boules is starting to wane.
And just to prove that our scoffsome attitude is as redundant as this restricted perspective, Rick Mather Architects – of Zen and Ashmolean fame - have thrown us an unexpected architectural curve ball by way of the Eastbourne Towners Gallery.
Take a look at more of the Towner Gallery's elegant angles
Set back from the sea front with views over the gently dramatic South Downs, The Towner Gallery is a sweeping slice of architectural delight.
With its soft art-deco curves, whiteout rendering and sail-like shapes, Mather Architects have produced an iconic piece of design for this perhaps unexpected, yet no less deserving location.
Providing a permanent storage space for the Towner Gallery's ample collection, the new space will allow the sizeable assortment of work to be on full view to the public for the very first time.
With pieces from big name artists such as Tacita Dean, Oliafur Eliason and Wolfgang Tillmans, alongside lesser-known, but no less important British artistic dependables – the Towner Gallery is set to offer something a little different to dedicated UK holidaymakers and citizens of the South Coast alike.
ADDRESS
Towner Gallery
Devonshire Park
College Road
Eastbourne
BN21 4JJ
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 showsThe Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to knowDesigning the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spotHeritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
