Drift Park, Rhyl

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A seafront park inspired by the meeting of coastal processes and the interventions used to control them, brings back Rhyl’s heritage in the form of colourful planting and a ‘beachcombing’ artwork experience.

Unique detail design features, scattered through the scheme like flotsam on the beach, celebrate Rhyl events and characters – “Postcards from Rhyl” chosen with the local history group are printed on tiles, fish faces designed by a nearby school spout water jets and marks are carved in the concrete, like someone has drawn with a stick in the sand.
The new paddling pool, play area and mini golf have become popular with both local people and visitors to Rhyl. The amphitheatre and surrounding gardens provide a place to picnic and sunbathe with views across the beach and out to sea.

“It was not architecture that was needed to regenerate the sea front: that could come later. They needed someone who knew how to make thoughtful marks on the land. It needed a sensibility to understand the forms of the sand and the fauna and flora of the seaside – a team who would drink in the knowledge of the local historians about this once remarkable sea-front, and engage businesses and politicians and local schoolchildren, so that all ages and communities could feel a sense of ownership. All this is included in BCA Landscape’s wonderful mark-making on new land forms
at Rhyl’s new west promenade.”
Tom Leitener RSAW – Touchstone