To complement Europe’s first artificial surf reef being built this year in Boscombe, Bournemouth Borough Council has commissioned HemingwayDesign to create super beach huts on Boscombe seafront, which will overlook the reef. Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway MBE will apply their talents to the neglected wooden and concrete 1958 Overstrand building, and turn it into a complex of the most desirable beach huts in the UK, complete with all the mod-cons expected by the 21st century surfer and holiday maker.

Penthouse, double-sized and single huts will be fitted with mains electricity and some will feature their own hot and cold running water. Around 31 surf pods will be made available for purchase on a 25-year lease, with the remainder reserved for casual hire from the Council.

Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway MBE are the designers who created the iconic Red or Dead fashion brand. In the last few years they have been challenging the house-building industry and are creating award-winning large-scale developments up and down the country. Other projects include a new concept for The Institute of Directors, wall-coverings, digital radios and interiors.

Wayne Hemingway of HemingwayDesign says: “We love Bournemouth and the Boscombe Overstrand project is one of the most exciting we’ve ever done. The Overstrand excites us both as designers, and as people interested in seaside regeneration. It’s the restoration of a cool, historic building. With the great work being done on the Pier and Europe’s first artificial surf reef, Boscombe is about to become big news.

“We want to celebrate mid-century modern architecture and allow the local community to fall in love with the Overstrand all over again. We are designing wonderful, unique beach chalets for both surfers and beach lovers alike. We want to re-establish a sense of community on Boscombe seafront, by creating something modern and unique, yet still retain the purity of this historic building.”

The surf reef and super beach huts are part of the £8million regeneration project which is transforming Boscombe seafront. In front of Boscombe Pier entrance there will be a re-landscaped piazza, with newly commissioned public artwork, creating a popular meeting place.
A new Pier end will be utilised in a number of ways, including a surfing spectator platform.

The Overstrand complex will feature a surf retail outlet, surfing academy and glass-fronted restaurant offering fantastic panoramic views of Bournemouth and the Solent. There will also be a catering outlet selling good-quality food-to-go, changing rooms, toilets and hot showers, all contributing to the major transformation of Boscombe seafront.

As expected, many companies see the area as a sound investment and are already vying for a space in this prime seafront location. Prices and the sale date of the beach huts are yet to be confirmed.

Press enquiries to:
Jo Mountain, Resort PR Development Manager
Bournemouth Tourism
T: 01202 451 750
M: 07813 045 154
E: jo.mountain@bournemouth.gov.uk

About HemingwayDesign
Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway are the highly successful founders of Red or Dead which won the British Fashion Council’s “Street Style Designer of the Year” award three times in a row in the late 90’s.

In 1999, having sold Red or Dead, they set up HemingwayDesign, which specialises in affordable and social design. The highest profile project is The Staiths South Bank, an 800-property mass-market housing project on Tyneside for George Wimpey Homes. Hemingwaydesign is involved in the master planning, the architecture, landscaping and marketing - www.staithssouthbank.co.uk. The Staiths’ awards include Housing Design Awards (best large project) and Building Magazine’s “Best Housing-Led Regeneration Project,” Building For Life and the highest rating of any large scale scheme in a recent CABE (Commission for Architecture and The Built Environment) audit.

Wayne is the Chairman of Building for Life, a CABE-funded organisation that promotes excellence in the quality of design of new housing- www.buildingforlife.org. He is a Professor in The Built Environment Department of Northumbria University, a Doctor of Design at Wolverhampton, a writer for architectural and housing publications, as well as a judge of international design competitions, the Stirling Prize, European and a TV design commentator.