Culture Mile seeks designs to improve pedestrian experience

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A view of the Museum of London by night.

The City of London Corporation is currently taking planning entries to improve way-finding, walkability and the pedestrian experience along Culture Mile’s ‘North-South route’ between the Barbican and the Millennium Bridge. The call for entries will remain open until 5pm on 19 July 2019.

The City Corporation is inviting proposals from architects, designers and artists with an interest in cultural placemaking in London and its built environment. Entrants are invited to submit a concept design that will use visual clues and public realm infrastructure to animate and transform this route at both day and night-time. It incorporates several major attractions including the Millennium Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, Museum of London and the Barbican Centre.

These improvements will help to orientate and open up the spaces around some of the City’s most popular visitor attractions. Once in place, the approved works will complement plans to create a new Museum of London in West Smithfield in the coming years and the proposed Centre for Music on the museum’s current site.

Catherine McGuinness, Chair of Policy and Resources Committee, City of London Corporation: “Culture Mile is as much about place as it is about culture. The north-south axis from the Barbican Centre to the Millennium Bridge is an important route, but one which many still find hard to reach and difficult to navigate. This competition is another step towards realising our ambition to create an unrivalled experience and welcoming environment for everyone, whether passing through or there to enjoy this cultural and learning destination.”

Following the shortlisting of entries in July, the winning team will be revealed and contacted to develop a fully costed, feasible design that can be installed in a section of the route, subject to planning consent. The design will remain in situ between Autumn 2019 and Spring 2020.

How to enter

Proposals will be reviewed based on their quality and cost (benefits, feasibility, project team experience and appropriate budgeting). If successful, the winner will be appointed for detailed design work, project management, manufacture and installation of the project, with third party suppliers to be agreed pending the proposal and delivery needs of the project. A more detailed brief is available at www.culturemile.london.

The call for entries will remain open until 5pm on 19 July 2019. Review the brief and email completed proposals to [email protected]

Lead image from Museum of London