If you’re hanging around Westminster between 7 and 17 July, pop into Westminster Hall to check out what sounds like a fun exhibition. The Royal Institution of British Architects have run a competition for schools to design a new Houses of Parliament. The nine shortlisted entries will be on display in the oldest part of the Parliamentary estate.
Joseph Swan School, Gateshead: A Palace for Northern Democracy
The jury was impressed with the schools imaginative approach to relocating the new national Parliament to the site of the Angel of the North and using this as a focal point for a home for Northern Democracy. The iconic structure and demonstration of design quality were exemplary.
St Robert of Newminster Catholic School & Sixth Form College, Washington: St Robert’s Design Team
The schools proposal to relocate the new Parliament to Newcastle upon Tyne and transform the existing Parliament into a new hotel and holiday attraction won approval from the judges. Working with Ryder Architecture at Stage 1, St Robert’s provided detailed information on cost, design and sustainability in preparing their submission for the new £87 million Parliament of the 21st Century. The judges were particularly impressed at the quality and detail of the submission which included a specifically designed brochure for the new Parliament as a technical document to be submitted as part of the planning process.
Southmoor School, Ryhope: Vintage Construction
Southmoor School from Ryhope proposed a number of sites outside London to re-locate the existing Palace of Westminster and placed great emphasis on the requirement for a new Parliament to be environmentally friendly with solar panels and wind turbines as well as calculating an estimated acceptable carbon foot print for the new Parliamentary building. The judges were impressed with the teams proposal to develop the existing Parliament into a new museum to celebrate the history and culture of Britain.
The Trinity Catholic School, Aspley: Designing a 21st Century Parliament – Sherwood Forest
Central to the schools submission was to relocate the new Parliament to Nottingham based on the importance that Sherwood Forest has to the Midlands region. The judges were particularly impressed with Trinity Schools’ emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability and the community benefit that a new Parliament would offer the city of Nottingham.
Eastbourne College, Eastbourne: Designing a 21st Century Parliament – Ashford site
At the heart of the submission was the proposal to relocate the national Parliament to Ashford in Kent on an existing brownfield site. The judges were impressed that the team had met with local MPs to inform their submission and design and felt that their design demonstrated an understanding of an iconic building for the country as well as symbolism across the European Union.
Torquay Girls Grammar School: Designing a 21st Century Parliament for the West Country
The judges were particularly impressed with the team’s design plan and initial drawings for the new Parliamentary building and commented on the teams level of accuracy in determining the costs of the new Parliament in the West Country.
Eastbourne College, Eastbourne: Designing a 21st Century Parliament – Seven Sisters site
Eastbourne College’s team proposed a series of new and exciting proposals for the existing Parliamentary building in Westminster, whilst the new home of democracy is moved to a new site at Seven Sisters. The judges were impressed by the team’s use of development sketches and that they had met with local planners near the site to inform their building design and discuss wider planning issues.
Colyton Grammar School, Colyton: Designing a 21st Century Parliament
The judges were particularly impressed with the team’s initiative and research and their organic use of a new site to house the new Parliament. The school’s entry had demonstrated an excellent understanding of the sustainability agenda and had taken into account the need for new security measures set in a newly designed landscape.
Tavistock Community College, Tavistock: Designing a 21st Century Parliament
The judges were impressed with the innovative use of new methods of technology and their scientific research approach to design. The judges also commented on the ambitious proposal to power the new Parliamentary buildings through the use of wind turbines, and the team’s proposal to use regional building products.
