The competition was open to architects, designers and artists, who were invited to produce design concepts for the transformation of a busy but unremarkable space on Tooley Street. Following the recently completed £1bn redevelopment of London Bridge Station, the project aims to create a lasting legacy for the area by improving the appearance of the streetscape and assisting wayfinding on routes to many major London landmarks. Thanks to Low Emissions Neighbourhood funding from the Mayor of London, the project also promotes cleaner air routes that people can easily choose to use over more polluted major roads.

 

The six shortlisted teams are:

1.       CAN with Eddie Blake @CAN_Critical / @eddieblake_now

2.       Charles Holland Architects @charlesjholland

3.       M2R arquitectos @m2rarquitectos

4.       make:good @wemakegood

5.       S’il Te Plait Group @silteplait

6.       White Red Architects @whiteredarc

 

The competition is being judged by a panel including Jonas Lencer (director, dRMM), Jack Skillen (placeshaping director, Team London Bridge), Tamsie Thomson (director, London Festival of Architecture) and Matthew Hill (head of highways, Southwark Council).
The chosen design will be built over the winter and delivered spring/summer 2019. 

The winning team will be announced in July 2018 to develop a fully costed, feasible design that can be installed subject to planning consent. The total project budget is £23,000 + VAT.

The London Bridge public realm design competition is one of a series organised by the London Festival of Architecture and its partner network in 2018 to showcase architectural and design talent, and improve public spaces across London. Earlier this month the festival unveiled a series of bespoke public benches across the City of London and London Bridge - both hub areas in this year's Festival.

Tamsie Thomson, director of the London Festival of Architecture, said: “One thing is for certain – the days of the Tooley Street triangle as one of London’s most boring public spaces are numbered. These exciting proposals showcase exceptional architecture and design talent, and offer a glimpse into how the area may be transformed to benefit the millions of people that pass through every year.”

Nadia Broccardo, Chief Executive of Team London Bridge, said: “All other entrances to the new London Bridge Station have been dramatically redesigned in recent years, but this rather unloved public space has remained until now.  We are thrilled that one of these striking designs will welcome tens of thousands of people to the area every week and help draw people to our stunning riverside.”