Medina House: a sustainable coastal landmark

Written by James Reed, Project Lead at Fluid

Credit: Medina House | Pilbrow & Partners

Medina House is genuinely one of my favourite buildings. I walk past it often, and without fail, it always catches my eye. There’s something about the way it sits so confidently on the seafront, quietly bold, incredibly refined. Its facades are full of beautifully considered details, and I love how it manages to feel both contemporary and timeless. It never shouts for attention, but it draws you in every time.

Set along Hove’s beachfront promenade, Medina House is a striking architectural response to a very particular site with a layered past. It stands on what used to be a Victorian women’s bathhouse from 1896, part of a once-grand seaside bathing complex. The new building feels like a radical shift from the post-war flats and fishermen’s cottages that surround it, yet it still holds onto the memory of what came before.

Credit: Medina House in Hove by Pilbrow & Partners | RIBAJ

Designed by Pilbrow & Partners with Garavito Bruhn, and commissioned by a local musician and writer couple, the house replaces the original structure, which had suffered decades of neglect and damage. Once it became clear that the original red brick walls were beyond saving, the architects took the opportunity to reimagine the space, paying tribute to the old building’s form with subtle nods like the Dutch gable and arched windows, while reworking it entirely for modern living.

The material palette is a particular highlight. The exterior is clad in pale Petersen Kolumba bricks, chosen for their chalky, coastal quality and their ability to shift colour in different light. They echo the white cliffs along the Sussex coastline, giving the building an almost geological presence. Deep window reveals, arched brickwork, and zinc dormers all add to the sense of depth and sculptural strength.

Despite its solid, almost fortress-like exterior, the inside of Medina House feels unexpectedly warm and welcoming. The spaces flow across stepped and half levels, connecting different areas of the house and opening up stunning views of the sea and sky. The main living space is dramatic but calm, with high barrel-vaulted ceilings, oak floorboards, tall arched windows, and soft Venetian plaster on the walls. It’s both grand and liveable.

Credit: Medina House | Pilbrow & Partners

The garden is beautifully enclosed by a new rear wing, with a triptych of sea-facing windows offering protection from the prevailing winds. Below, a sunken outdoor lounge features original Moorish faïence tiles from the old bathhouse, left in place like a small archaeological discovery. The garden, designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd, is full of layered planting that softens the house’s edges and adds privacy.

Sustainability has clearly been a priority too. Accoya timber, which is resistant to saltwater, has been used throughout for durability, while natural ventilation and a ground-source heat pump help the building run efficiently and with a low carbon footprint.

What I love most about Medina House is how it manages to be both bold and sensitive. It’s a deeply personal home that also feels like it belongs to the public: it faces the street, sparks conversation, invites admiration. In a town full of architectural contrasts, it stands apart as something truly special: rooted in history, shaped by its surroundings, and confidently built for the future.