International design competition launched for Low Line London
New International Design Competition invites architects, landscape architects and other designers to create a green future for the Low Line through Bankside, London Bridge and Bermondsey
The Low Line, London’s emerging world-class walkway and destination which traces the path of the Victorian railway viaducts through Bankside, London Bridge and Bermondsey, is the subject of an international design competition, launched today by Better Bankside and the Low Line Steering Group, working with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
The competition is supported by Lund Trust, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.
Managed by RIBA Competitions, the competition invites multi-disciplinary teams of architects, landscape architects, ecologists, engineers, artists and other professions to develop a green and creative vision and strategy to underpin the future development of the Low Line.
The Low Line
The Low Line is a path through some of London’s oldest neighbourhoods, offering a new perspective on an immensely well-known but ever-evolving part of town. Following the historic rail viaducts just south of the River Thames, the corridor of the Low Line reveals hidden walkways and enclosed courtyards, connecting such great landmarks as the Tate Modern, Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge Station and beyond.
The Low Line links diverse neighbourhoods and communities, leading visitors off the beaten track and into areas of creativity, history, industry and entertainment, such as Union Yard Arches, Flat Iron Square and Vinegar Yard, Maltby Street and The Blue in Bermondsey. It celebrates the heritage of the railway arches and unlocks the potential of derelict and forgotten sites.
The aim of the Low Line competition is to develop a unifying vision and strategy to inform the delivery of greening and biodiversity enhancements along and adjacent to the Low Line, that can help support social, environmental and economic well-being, and can be implemented organically over time as the Low Line route evolves.
The initial phase of the competition invites teams of architects, landscape architects, designers, ecologists and other design-related disciplines to submit designs anonymously, in digital format only. Five concept designs will then be shortlisted for further development. Each shortlisted designer will receive an honorarium of £4,000 + VAT. The winning team will be invited to develop the vision in greater detail.
The closing date for initial stage entries is 2nd September 2019.
For full details of the competition and how to enter follow link
The evaluation panel includes Lisbet Rausing, Founder of Lund Trust, Graham Morrison, Partner at Allies and Morrison as the RIBA Adviser, and Adam White, President of the Landscape Institute.
Blue Bermondsey BID and Low Line partnership
The Low Line has developed through a group of initial partners including Better Bankside, Team London Bridge, Blue Bermondsey, Southwark Council, the Arch Company, and Borough Market who are steering the initial scoping, planning and communication of the project. The Low Line name was coined by Southwark resident David Stephens.
Among the buildings, streets and spaces along the Low Line are Union Yard Arches (home of the Union Theatre, the Spanish Theatre Company’s Cervantes Theatre and The Africa Centre), Ewer Street (a secret part of Bankside just a stone’s throw from Tate Modern), Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge Station, Holyrood Street, Underdog Gallery, Maltby Street, the Biscuit Factory and the Blue Market.
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