Revealed: top talents named on Olympicopolis shortlist

The finalists were chosen from 43 ‘high quality’ submissions for the huge project at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, east London which will house outposts of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Sadler’s Wells and University of the Arts London.

The two-stage contest, which has been organised by the London Legacy Development Corporation and competition specialists Malcolm Reading Consultants, was launched in September 2014.

Some 1,000 architects, master planners, engineers and landscape designers from around the world registered their interest (see AJ 16.10.14). Among those to miss out was a joint bid by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, Amanda Levete and David Adjaye and a collaboration between Atkins with Burwell Deakins, C.F. Møller, Farrell, Nord, Stitch and Wayne Hemingway.

The cultural and education quarter aims to showcase London’s cultural prowess and bring together organisations with exceptional programmes within the performing arts, fashion, visual arts, craft, science, technology and design.

The scheme is due to receive £141million of government funding and create approximately 3,000 jobs as well as contributing £2.8billion in economic activity to the local area.

The Victoria and Albert Museum, Sadler’s Wells and University of the Arts London are partners in the development. University College London is also collaborating on the wider Olympicopolis scheme and will be building a major new campus next to the Stratford Waterfront site.

The second stage of the competition will see the six shortlisted teams invited to submit concept designs for the culture and education quarter by Easter 2015. The winning team will be announced in late spring 2015 following deliberations by a jury chaired by Paul Finch, World Architecture Festival, and including representatives from each of the institutions to be housed in the scheme.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘We’ve seen a fantastic response to our global search for top design talent to bring alive the Olympicopolis vision. This follows the recent confirmation of £141m from Government to support the development of this exciting project.”

Martin Roth, Director Victoria and Albert Museum, said: ‘What makes this shortlist so exciting is the diversity of design disciplines represented with established architects working in collaboration with new and emerging practitioners. We are confident that this short list of national and international designers and architects will ensure a wonderful new building for London.”

Alistair Spalding, Sadler’s Wells’ Chief Executive and Artistic Director, said: ‘I am impressed by the calibre of the short listed teams and look forward to seeing the concept designs for our new theatre and the whole Stratford Waterfront site.

‘I am particularly interested in how the design teams will approach the task of making each of the spaces fit for their specific purpose, while at the same time creating a campus that will bring the cultural and educational organisations together organically, reflect the quarter’s creative focus and be conducive to the collaboration that will happen.”