Designers sought for Tooley Street public realm competition

The London Festival of Architecture and Team London Bridge have launched the competition with the aim of improving the appearance of the streetscape and helping passengers arriving at London Bridge Station to find their way to nearby attractions.

The design competition is aimed at architects, designers and artists, who are invited to submit a design concept that will use visual cues and public realm infrastructure to transform the busy but unremarkable space where Tooley Street meets Duke Street Hill.

The site is on routes to several major destinations: the Thames Path, City Hall, Southwark Cathedral and Borough Market. However, none of these key locations is immediately visible.

"Hundreds of people pass through London Bridge station every day, and this competition is an opportunity to demonstrate how good design can make a difference even in everyday spaces," said Tamsie Thomson, director of the London Festival of Architecture.

"We are grateful to Team London Bridge for creating a brilliant opportunity to champion design talent in London, and to foster positive and lasting change to London's public realm."

In the context of funding from the Mayor of London, the project will promote clean air routes that people can easily choose to use over major routes that are more polluted.

The competition will be 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).

Following a public exhibition of shortlisted entries in June, the winning team will be revealed in July to develop a fully costed, feasible design that can be installed subject to planning consent. The total project budget is £23,000 + VAT.

The deadline for submissions is 3.00pm on 5 June 2018. Further information for entrants is available at www.londonfestivalofarchitecture.org

London Bridge is one of the 'focus areas' for this year's London Festival of Architecture which takes place in June.