LFA Co-designing Equity in the Public Realm Contest, London Festival of Architecture Competition

LFA Co-designing Equity in the Public Realm

21 June 2022

London Festival of Architecture launches new design competition ‘Co-designing Equity in the Public Realm’

Topping Out Ceremony, Smithfield on Friday 22 Mar. 2019:

photo : Mark Allan

LFA Co-designing Equity in the Public Realm Competition 2022

The London Festival of Architecture (LFA) is collaborating with the City of London Corporation, its cultural district Culture Mile, and Foundation for Future London to launch ‘Co-designing Equity in the Public Realm’, a new design competition.

The competition will deliver one or more temporary public realm interventions in Smithfield and East London that collectively develop a deeper understanding of the public’s experience of streets and public spaces.

Symoné (hole hoop artist) at the Smithfield Street Party: A Beastly Adventure, presented by Culture Mile & curated by Museum of London on Sunday 25 August 2019:

photo : Mark Allan

‘Co-designing Equity in the Public Realm’ is seeking a multi-disciplinary team to create temporary small-scale intervention(s) and activations in Spring/Summer of 2023, that have been informed by public engagement and education activities.

The public realm interventions will explore inclusive design, equity, and public space as well as the involvement of young people in city making. Artists, architects, designers, social enterprises and creative organisations are invited to develop and submit a design proposal that includes public engagement with relevant local groups during the design development and delivery phase of the project. Proposals should also include collaboration with young people and/or other relevant local groups.

Fusion Futures Project delivered in partnership with Culture Mile, City of London and Foundation for Future London:

photo © Christian Cassiel / Culture Mile

A winning team will be confirmed in October and awarded £50,000 (including VAT) to develop a fully costed, feasible design alongside an engagement plan that can be delivered ahead of June 2023, when the next edition of the London Festival of Architecture takes place.

The competition embraces the belief that the arts are uniquely placed to connect communities, celebrate their immense collective power and create positive social change.

Funding provided by City of London Corporation has supported the development of collaborative programming between communities across East Bank and Culture Mile. This four-year partnership has utilised creativity to support the development of new models of practice and collaboration around education, life-long learning, employment opportunities, health & wellbeing and inclusive public realm.

The aim of previous cross-district partnership projects, such as the Fusion Prize and Fusion Futures, has been to support engagement with local audiences, demonstrate commitment to funding local cultural infrastructure, support diverse new creative talent and develop longer-term shared learnings between the two new cultural districts of East Bank and Culture Mile, amplifying the wider value they bring to London.

This commission develops this work further through focusing specifically on the use of places, public realm, wayfaring and culture to create inclusive connectivity between both cultural districts.

This competition focuses on Smithfield within the City of London and the target areas of Foundation for Future London’s work in East London: the boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. It is not necessary for teams to create physical interventions in both areas, but competition applicants are encouraged to work across them in some way (via community engagement, digital engagement/intervention, and/or education activities) during the project.

The specific locations of the engagement work and installations are open to discussion during Stage 2 of the ‘Co-designing Equity in the Public Realm’ process. Shortlisted teams will work with the City of London Corporation, Foundation for Future London and their relevant local authorities to identify appropriate space within the focus areas.

Interested applicants are invited to submit their expressions of interest by midday on Thursday 1 September 2022. Information for applicants is available here, including the competition’s brief.

Gaia’s Garden Build 5 Dominvs Play Nice:

photo © Francis Augusto and Play Nice

The competition’s Judging Panel includes:

• Maria Adebowale-Schwarte (CEO, Foundation for Future London)
• Esme Fieldhouse (Head of Public Realm, Hawkins\Brown)
• Tim Jones (Culture Mile Manager, City of London Corporation)
• Rosa Rogina (Director, London Festival of Architecture)
• Clarisse Tavin (Environment Department, City of London Corporation)
• Manijeh Verghese (Founding Director, Unscene Architecture and Head of Public Programmes, Architectural Association)

Rosa Rogina, Director of London Festival of Architecture, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Culture Mile, the City of London Corporation, and Foundation for Future London on this design competition, which is a great opportunity for both established and emerging creatives to showcase their talents and leave their marks on one of the most exciting neighbourhoods in London, to be enjoyed for years to come. I encourage all artists, architects, and designers to come forward with proposals that enhance these areas and bring together people from different backgrounds”.

Wendy Hyde, Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, said: “Creatives will certainly appreciate the opportunity to work on this unique project, which aims to shape the local area. As we continue to recover from the pandemic, we are working towards transforming the Square Mile into a vibrant and welcoming destination of choice for everyone. Through these types of competitions, we hope to uncover even more innovative thinking that will enable us to meet that aim.”

Maria Adebowale-Schwarte, CEO, Foundation for Future London said: “The Foundation for Future London is delighted to work with the City of London Corporation, Culture Mile and LFA on a cross-district partnership to present this collaborative co-designed commission. We are excited to illustrate how inclusive planning with young people, children, creative organisations and local residents can create more accessible, resilient and inclusive cities that are fit for the future. We know there are going to be innovative, bold proposals that are needed to tackle the lack of representation in all stages of the built environment, particularly addressing the need to provide new skills and networks to help young people access education and employment opportunities in inclusive places and the public realm.”

Smithfield Street Party: A Beastly Adventure, presented by Culture Mile & curated by Museum of London on Sunday 25 August 2019:

photo : Mark Allan

About London Festival of Architecture

The London Festival of Architecture (LFA) is a month-long celebration of architecture and city-making, taking place every June across London. The Festival’s mission is to open up discussions around architecture, test new ideas and promote emerging talent. The Festival brings together the public and built environment professionals for the whole month of June and seeks to inspire and engage our audience with a programme that showcases London as a global architecture hub.

LFA 2021 explored the theme of ‘care’ through a hybrid programme of digital and physical events, inspiring over 400 events across the capital and attracting a global audience of 110,000. Our digital projects attracted over 8,000 views from 64 countries worldwide including Australia, India, the USA, France, Philippines, Kenya, and Taiwan. LFA is run by New London Architecture (NLA), the world’s leading centre for the built environment industry.

#LFA2022
londonfestivalofarchitecture.org
Twitter: @LFArchitecture
Instagram: @LondonFestivalofArchitecture
Facebook: @LondonFestivalofArchitecture

About Culture Mile

Led by the City of London Corporation, Culture Mile is a learning destination and cultural district that stretches from Farringdon to Moorgate. Culture Mile is working with a range of local businesses and communities to create a vibrant area in the north-west corner of the Square Mile.

www.culturemile.london
Instagram: @culturemileldn
Twitter: @CultureMileLDN
Facebook: @CultureMileLDN

About The City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally successful UK.

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Twitter: @cityoflondon
Facebook: CityofLondonCorp

About Foundation for Future London

Foundation for Future London is an independent charity created to connect communities, the new East Bank and its globally renowned arts, innovation and cultural partners to ensure East Bank is London’s must-visit destination and becomes a resilient, thriving, world-class neighbourhood of local and global significance. We’re fundraising to expand grant-making opportunities for East Bank communities and partners and facilitating creative placemaking, to support local places, learning, training and employment through arts, education, culture and innovation. Our vision is for a vibrant and inclusive creative East Bank, creating authentic engagement with local people of East London in the boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.

www.future.london
Instagram: @foundationforfuturelondon
Twitter: @FdnFutureLondon
Facebook: @foundationfuturelondon

LFA Co-designing Equity in the Public Realm Competition images / information from the London Festival of Architecture

Location: London, England, UK

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