The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has revealed designs from the six architects shortlisted for its next major building project: 44 Lincoln’s Inn Fields/The Paul Marshall Building. The teams shortlisted in the School’s third RIBA design competition (in alphabetical order) are:
AL_A, London
David Chipperfield Architects, London
Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Penoyre & Prasad, New York & London
Grafton Architects, Dublin, Ireland
Herzog & de Meuron Architects, Basel, Switzerland & London
Niall McLaughlin Architects + Scott Brownrigg, London
Involving the demolition and redevelopment of 44 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the LSE brief calls for world-class architecture so that its estate can be commensurate with its global academic reputation. As part of the design process LSE held a mid-competition design workshop with each of the teams to ensure they understood the brief clearly.
As part of the consultation and decision making process, a public exhibition of the six design concepts is being held in LSE’s multi award winning Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, Sheffield Street WC2A 2AP between 2-17 March 2016. All visitors, whether associated with LSE or not, will be able to vote for their favourite design although the identity of each architect is deliberately being kept anonymous.
Julian Robinson, LSE’s Director of Estates said: “The amount of analysis and intellectual effort that has gone into the designs from each team is staggering and the results are impressive and very exciting. Given its size and prime location on Lincoln’s Inn Fields we want this to be a seminal university building; its legacy will endure for many generations so it is vital that we make the right decision.”
In April 2016, the six teams will make a presentation to a jury panel chaired by Professor Craig Calhoun, Director and President of LSE, with an announcement on the winning team due from the School later in the Spring of 2016. Source and images Courtesy of RIBA Competition.
