The Acoustic Shells by Flanagan Lawrence, won in international competition, were commissioned by Littlehampton Town Council with the aim of revitalising the town’s seafront – part of an inspired initiative that includes the East Beach Cafe by Thomas Heatherwick , the West Beach Cafe by Asif Khan and the Longest Bench by Studio Weave.
The concept for the shells is inspired by the traditional bandstand, such an integral part of Victorian civic architecture. The first bandstand was erected in the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens in South Kensington in 1861, and bandstands were subsequently installed in parks across the country. The Acoustic Shells are a contemporary reinterpretation of this distinctive architectural form, creating a radically new structure that can accommodate a wide range of music making.