05 August 2008
International design competition brief to be launched for six
Northwest towns
The brief for an international design competition to create
inspirational public spaces in six town centres in Lancashire will
be launched on August 15th, 2008.
Pennine Lancashire Squared aims to find the best landscape
architects and public realm designers in the world to create
outstanding high profile spaces at the heart of six towns in
Pennine Lancashire – Burnley, Accrington, Blackburn, Bacup,
Clitheroe and Nelson. More than 300 design practices have already
registered their interest and requested the brief.
The competition is the brainchild of Yvette Livesey and her late
partner Anthony H Wilson, who proposed the competition as a means
of attracting talent to the area, raising its profile and creating
outstanding public spaces in each town. Their report, Dreaming of
Pennine Lancashire, coined the term Pennine Lancashire for the
former mill towns of East Lancashire, which are now undergoing a
physical and cultural renaissance.
Yvette was engaged by Elevate, the regeneration agency for
Pennine Lancashire, which works with partners from the public and
private sectors to improve the housing market.
The Landscape Institute, the chartered body for landscape
architects, is running the competition, with the endorsement 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.
Chief Executive of Elevate, Max Steinberg, said: “We believe
that creating beautifully designed public spaces at the centre of
six of Pennine Lancashire’s towns will set the stage for new dramas
to unfold and new stories to be told. Within a decade we want
to see art, landscape and architecture students and professionals
from across the globe descending on Pennine Lancashire to study
world class examples of public space design.”
Chief Executive of the NWDA, Steven Broomhead, said: “The
Pennine Lancashire Squared competition aims to inspire public
pride, improve perceptions and increase private investment in our
town centres in a way which reflects their character but also looks
to the future.
“The NWDA is pleased to support an initiative which will bring
high quality design in to the heart of six Pennine Lancashire towns
and will help to secure their economic regeneration.”
Stephen Hodder MBE, Chair of the judging panel, said: “The
regenerative qualities of considered public realm are well known.
We are seeking truly inspirational designs of international quality
for each of Pennine Lancashire’s towns that will reanimate, enrich
communities, engender civic pride and ownership and be a lasting
vision.”
Graham Burgess, Chief Executive of Blackburn with Darwen Borough
Council, said on behalf of Pennine Lancashire Leaders and Chief
Executives: “Pennine Lancashire is renowned for its high quality
landscape. This is an opportunity for our towns to match our
surroundings and to give our citizens open spaces in town centres
that will be used frequently. It will enhance cohesion and engender
a sense of pride in our public realm.”
The competition will be run in two stages. Stage one is a call
for expressions of interest and stage two for concepts. Judging for
stage one will take place in September and see the selection of up
to five design teams per site. Steven Broomhead will be the guest
speaker at the launch of the competition, along with Stephen Hodder
MBE.
For more details, visit www.penninelancashire.com/landscape.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The six sites are:
1) Sandygate Square, Burnley
2) Peel Square, Accrington
3) Victoria Square, Blackburn
4) St James Square, Bacup
5) Clitheroe Mediaeval Core
6) Nelson Town Centre
The Landscape Institute is the professional body and regulator
for landscape architecture. Under its Royal Charter the Landscape
Institute is charged with protecting, conserving and enhancing the
natural and built environment for the benefit of the public.
Partners:
Elevate: The regeneration agency for Pennine Lancashire. It was
established in 2003 to renew the housing market in the former mills
towns of the area.
Livesey Wilson Associates: Yvette Livesey and her late partner
Anthony H Wilson were engaged to come up with a radical programme
of cultural and social projects that would support the physical
regeneration funded by Elevate. They came up with the competition
in their report, Dreaming of Pennine Lancashire.
NWDA: The Northwest Regional Development Agency leads the
economic development and regeneration of England’s Northwest and is
responsible for:
• Supporting business growth and encouraging investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and
communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region’s outstanding quality of life.
CABE Space: CABE Space is the specialist public space part of
CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment). It
aims to bring excellence to the design and management of public
space by working with public sector clients and other organisations
across England.
PLLACE: Pennine Lancashire Leaders and Chief Executives was
established more than three years ago and brings together the
senior political and officer leadership of the local authorities of
Pennine Lancashire – the boroughs of Blackburn with Darwen,
Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale – and
Lancashire County Council with the Chamber of Commerce, Lancashire
Economic Partnership, Primary Care Trusts and the Elevate Housing
Market Renewal Pathfinder.
Living Places: Living Places aims to demonstrate how culture and
sport can underpin regeneration and contribute to sustainable
communities. Living Places has identified Pennine Lancashire
Squared as a priority project
Places Matter!: Places Matter! aims to drive up the quality of
place making in the Northwest, providing support and celebrating
success. Places Matter! is an Architecture and Built Environment
Centre and a member of the Architecture Centre Network.
English Heritage: English Heritage exists to conserve and
promote England’s spectacular historic environment and ensure that
its past is understood and enjoyed.
Media contacts:
James Gosling, Media and Public Relations Officer
T: 020 7299 4528
E: jamesg@landscapeinstitute.org
Paul Lincoln, Director of Communications and Marketing
T: 020 7299 4500
E: paull@landscapeinstitute.org