'Light at the End of the Tunnel' - Restoring Railway Viaducts in Central London

Cross River Partnership (CRP) and Spacia, the UK's largest landlord for small businesses and a division of Network Rail are launching an international competition for design ideas for a network of railway arches in central London.

The competition forms part of a wider strategy by CRP to transform the viaducts which carve through riverside central London south of the river. Called Light at the end of the Tunnel, the strategy aims to reduce the dissecting effect of the viaducts. From Vauxhall to London Bridge alone, there are ten kilometres of viaduct housing almost 1000 railway arches, and containing more than 250,000 sqm of space.

Light at the End of the Tunnel is a linchpin of wider regeneration plans for the London South Central area, a strategic regeneration zone bounded by the river, and including Vauxhall, Elephant & Castle, London Bridge and Tower Bridge.

Savas Sivetidis, director of CRP, said "The viaduct forms a barrier to regeneration in central London in the same way the river did ten years ago. CRP was formed to reduce the dissecting effect of the river and now London is united rather than divided by the river, we are focusing our attention on the viaduct.

"We hope the competition brings forward inspirational, imaginative ideas which set an international standard for what could be done. The viaducts, which thread through some of central London's most exciting and creative areas, are beautiful structures in themselves, with a rich history dating back to the Victorian era. Through the competition, we want to look at the part they can play in 21st century London, with ideas and designs worthy of a world-class city".

The competition brief presents competitors with a choice of three specific sites:- in Waterloo; Vauxhall; and London Bridge. Exact details will be given in the brief. All are indicative of the types of spaces available, and as well as looking at the sites in question competitors will be asked to look at how they may impact on the areas surrounding them. Whilst promoted as an ideas competition, the promoters may consider implementation if the competition produces a solution with good potential. RIBA Adviser and Jury Panel member Keith Williams, said:- "The competition is looking for design propositions which challenge the orthodoxy of how best to use these extraordinary spaces. I would encourage ideas conceived with verve and imagination".

The competition is open to architects, engineers, landscape or urban designers. The brief will be available from w/c 28th February and anyone wishing to find out more should visit RIBA Competitions or contact the RIBA Competitions Office, who are managing the competition.

Trefwoorden

viaduct

Royal Institute of British Architects

Type Prijsvraag

Doelgroep registered/qualified architects, engineers, landscape or urban designers

Prijs £8,000

Prijsuitreiking 9 mei

E-mail

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