SIX ARCHITECT practices have been shortlisted in the next stage of the competition to select an architect to design the new Crystal Palace.
Plans to invest £500 million in rebuilding The Crystal Palace and restoring the surrounding public park were announced in October 2013 by ZhongRong Group, with the support of the mayor of London and Bromley council.
The new culture-led exhibition and employment space, which its backers say is set to create up to 2,000 jobs and revitalise the local economy, will sit at the top of the 180-acre Crystal Palace Park in south London. It will incorporate the listed Italian style terraces, and other Victorian heritage within the park, fully restored for the public.
The selection panel for the competition to design this unique landmark project evaluated expressions of interest from almost 40 leading practices from across the world. The panel shortlisted the following six architect practices to prepare a more detailed submission and presentation:
David Chipperfield Architects
Grimshaw
Haworth Tompkins Architects
Marks Barfield Architects
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
Zaha Hadid Architects with Anish Kapoor
Up to three teams from this shortlist will be invited to prepare initial concept designs in the final competition stage. The selected architect, due to be appointed in the summer, will work closely with the lead consultant Arup.
The selection panel includes the ZhongRong Group; president of the Royal Institute of British Architects Stephen Hodder; chairman of New London Architecture Peter Murray; Bromley Cllr, Peter Morgan; Hank Dittmar; Sir Tim Smit; Sir John Sorrell CBE; and, deputy mayor of London, Ric Blakeway. The selection process is being run by Colander Associates.
Chairman of the ZhongRong Group Mr Ni Zhaoxing, said: “The expressions of interest and outstanding shortlist demonstrate the wealth and diversity of design talent inspired by the challenge of rebuilding The Crystal Palace in the spirit of the magnificent original.”
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “This is a stellar line-up of talent demonstrating the world-wide interest in this unique and challenging project.
“The rebuild of The Crystal Palace is set to produce an extraordinary new landmark for the capital, which will support the rebirth of this historic park and catalyse jobs and growth in the local area.”
An Act of Parliament in 1990 specified that any new building erected on its site must be ‘in the spirit of Paxton’s original building’.
It is planned that The Crystal Palace will update the innovative, translucent and delicate structure of the original along with its size and scale, which will be approximately the length of five football pitches and six storeys high (approximately 50m high and 500m long)
The investor has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Bromley Council as the landowner. A planning application could be submitted as early as winter 2014 ahead of work starting on site in winter 2015.
Further information about the architect selection process, which is being run by Colander Associates, can be found at http://www.colander.co.uk/architectural_competitions/crystalpalace.html
Information on The Crystal Palace project is available at www.thelondoncrystalpalace.com
THE NEXT Crystal Palace project drop-in session hosted by Arup on behalf of the ZhongRong Group takes place this Saturday (March 1st) from 11 am to 5pm.
It includes a talk on the history of Crystal Palace by the V&A Museum at 12.30pm and 2.30pm and project updates at 11.30 am and 1.30pm
Venue is The Lodge, Crystal Palace Park to the left of the swimming pool building. Phone: 020 8778 0131
Further information: www.TheLondonCrystalPalace.com
