Millennium Bridge, London

Winners :

Foster & Partners with Sir Anthony Caro and Ove Arup & Partners

Process :

A two stage design competition with a first stage expression of interest followed by a second stage design phase involving six teams.

Our involvement :

• Designing the right competitive process
• Researching and identifying potential competitors to alert to the competition
• Advertising the competition
• Writing the competition rules
• Appointing an Architect Assessor to write the competition brief
• Planning the competition timetable and budget to meet client requirements
• Acting as point of contact for the competition
• Ensuring a clear and ethical process
• Briefing the jury panel
• Briefing competitors
• Managing the competitive process
• Arranging and facilitate assessment sessions and presentations
• Maintaining confidentiality
• Creating an audit trail
• Assisting with press and media enquiries and coverage
• Competition administration
• Debriefing and follow up

Facts

• This was a very high profile competition and was sponsored by the Financial Times newspaper. The competition was launched in the Summer of 1996.
• The competition was widely advertised to attract international as well as national and local firms and over 200 teams registered an interest in it.
• The Client was looking to appoint high quality designers, capable of creating a stunning bridge befitting of its prestigious River Thames location between St Paul’s Cathedral and Bankside.
• The Client was very clear that the new building had to sit well in its location and much emphasis was placed on ‘place making’ and landscape quality within the brief.