Opportunity described as “one of the most significant design projects in recent British history”
The government has launched the competition to design a £46m memorial for Queen Elizabeth II and given practices a deadline of 20 January to express interest.
The Cabinet Office described the permanent memorial, which will be located in St James’s Park, as “one of the most significant design projects in recent British history”.
The chosen site covers land surrounding the pathway down to the grade I-listed park’s lake, across the 1950s Blue Bridge and to Birdcage Walk.
Specific elements set out in a competition brief today include the replacement of the Blue Bridge, a statue of the late Queen designed by a sculptor appointed by the winning team, new landscaping, artistic installations and a series of spaces for reflection and celebration.
The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, chaired by the Queen’s former private secretary Robin Janvrin, is working with Malcolm Reading Consultants to find a team of “inspired and dedicated” artists, architects, engineers, landscape architects and other specialists for the project masterplan.
Janvrin said: “The memorial must be - simply - a beautiful place, somewhere to visit with family and friends, to enjoy and to reflect on an extraordinary life.”
He said the committee was looking for teams who “thoroughly understand and connect with our ambitions for the project.”
Interested teams will need to submit a 12-page expression of interest form by 2pm on the day of the deadline for the first stage of the competition and will not be required to submit any design work until the second stage.
A shortlist of five finalists will be announced in spring next year, followed by a 10-week design stage before a winning bid is unveiled in early summer.
Janvrin, a British naval officer who was the Queen’s private secretary from 1999 to 2007, said tams would be challenged in the second stage to “evoke memories of Queen Elizabeth II’s outstanding contribution to national life and to tell the story of Her Majesty’s long reign through an original masterplan that is sensitive to the unique setting”.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden added: “Queen Elizabeth II was our longest reigning Monarch and Her Majesty dedicated her life to serving the people of the United Kingdom.
“This National Memorial will provide a permanent tribute to the late Queen’s legacy, offering space for reflection as well as celebration. We want the very best architects and designers to come forward with their ideas for how this historic project should look.”
The final design will be announced to coincide with what would have been the Queen’s 100th birthday in 2026, following approval from the prime minister and King Charles III.
The launch of the competition follows extensive engagement by the committee with the four nations of the United Kingdom to inform its scope and brief.
1 Readers' comment