Pennine Lancashire Squared Design Competition Reveals Shortlist

Firms short-listed for international design competition in Pennine Lancashire

Practices from across the world have passed the first stage in creating outstanding public spaces in six town centres in Lancashire.

The Pennine Lancashire Squared competition invited teams to submit Expressions of Interest to create world-class public space in Burnley, Accrington, Blackburn, Bacup, Clitheroe and Nelson.

Six shortlists have now been selected, each consisting of five teams, to come up with concept designs.

Pennine Lancashire in England’s Northwest

The competition, run by the Landscape Institute, was commissioned by Elevate, a regeneration agency working with partners from the public and private sectors to improve the housing market in Pennine Lancashire.

The competition is the brainchild of Yvette Livesey and her late partner, music mogul Anthony H Wilson. They proposed the competition through their work with Elevate as a means of attracting talent to the area, raising its profile and creating outstanding public spaces in each town.

A total of 26 landscape architecture and architecture teams were whittled down from 78 Expressions of Interest after a judging day last week.

Successful international entries include Balmori Associates Inc, based in New York, Dutch firm OKRA Landscape Architects and Mitchell + Associates, who are located in Ireland.

Four practices – Gillespies, Birds Portchmouth Russum, Landscape Projects and Taylor Young Limited - have made the shortlist for two different squares.

Stephen Hodder MBE, Chair of the judging panel, said today: “The 78 pre-qualification submissions were of a consistently high standard and comprised a number of inventive and memorable approaches to the design of the public realm in Pennine Lancashire.

“This made for much animated debate amongst the judging panel. I believe the shortlist for each square includes an intriguing mix of visionary teams of differing qualities, and offers exciting possibilities for the second stage of the competition.”

Chief Executive of Elevate Max Steinberg, said: “For Pennine Lancashire to be the focus of the biggest international competition of its kind is a fitting tribute not just to the place and the people who live here, but also to all the partners who are working hard to make this competition a success.

“Particular credit must go to Livesey Wilson Associates who dared to dream of Pennine Lancashire four years ago, and to the local authorities who are helping to make that dream a reality.

“We should also recognise the Herculean efforts of the competition judging panel members who scaled a veritable mountain of entries to select the very best for our shortlist.”

Detailed site briefs will now be provided so shortlisted teams can develop concept designs. They will also be invited to attend an on-site briefing day to give them an opportunity to meet key stakeholders and they will be required to participate in a creative programme of community engagement.

The shortlisting was based on criteria including an understanding of the role that good design could play in improving Pennine Lancashire Squares, as well as range of appropriate expertise and clarity of proposal.

The Landscape Institute, the chartered body for landscape architects, is running the competition, with the support of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

The competition has received funding from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and is being implemented by the Boroughs of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale, with support from Lancashire County Council. CABE Space is providing ongoing support for the development of Pennine Lancashire Squared.

For more details, visit www.penninelancashire.com/landscape.