An exciting future for Valley Gardens?

Imagine a future Brighton and Hove, with an urban wild park at Valley Gardens in the heart of Brighton, wild homes for the homeless, a spiritual rewilding Zen garden, green wild bridges between houses, and structural innovations like a living amphitheatre.

These are all designs produced by ecology and design students at the Universities of Brighton and Sussex, which will be displayed at the ONCA Centre for Arts and Ecology this autumn.

The exhibition, Re-Discover, is a three-week exhibition of designs to reconnect people with nature in the city of Brighton and Hove, Valley Gardens, and the Brighton and Lewes Downs UNESCO Biosphere.

The project was set up by Brighton-based community group, Rewilding Sussex, which brought together ecology and design students from the city's universities to co-create exciting future visions that fuse the arts and science.

The young ecologists have guided their design teammates through a journey of the natural heritage within the Valley Gardens and wider Biosphere.

The design students then responded to this journey by producing work that imaginatively captures the sights, sounds, and experience of a wilder Brighton and Biosphere.

The thinking behind each student's design will be brought to life at the Re-Discover exhibition through illustrations by local artist Daniel Locke.

Chris Sandom, project co-ordinator at Rewilding Sussex, said: 'Thousands of years ago, this region was home to elephants and lions, animals that would be here today if not for people. Re-Discover will bring this exciting wild heritage to life for locals.

'Re-Discover isn't just about the past though. It will also look at the big social challenges we face today, such as increases in obesity and mental illness, linked to a lack of access to green space and a rise in sedentary lifestyles.

'We want Re-Discover to inspire children and their parents to get outside, be active and enjoy nature more regularly.'

Rewilding exhibition

ONCA Centre for Arts and Ecology

14 St. George's Place, Brighton, BN1 4GB

September 30 - October 17

For more information about the exhibition please visit: www.bit.ly/1MuNkLT