International property and infrastructure group Lendlease has launched an international competition to pick a design team for a new home for the Birmingham markets, a core part of the £1.5bn Smithfield development in the UK city.
Announcing the contest, Lendlease said Smithfield is one of the highest profile city-centre regeneration opportunities in Europe, and aims to put Birmingham on the world map.
The brief is to imagine a "markets building for the future".
RIBA Stirling Prize-winning architect, Amanda Levete CBE, has agreed to join the jury panel that will interview shortlisted designers.
Lendlease was named Birmingham City Council’s development partner for Smithfield in January.
As well as a new markets building, the Smithfield development will have a new public square, integrated public transport, around 2,000 homes, a public park, and community facilities.
"The markets at Smithfield are very special and we are seeking the very best team to help deliver a truly remarkable outcome," said Jonathan Emery, Managing Director, Property, Europe, Lendlease.
Waheed Nazir, Director of Inclusive Growth at Birmingham City Council, said: "This is about much more than simply creating a new market building – it will be about reimagining the retail markets, establishing a vibrant mix of uses and exciting new spaces as the centrepiece of the transformational redevelopment. The successful designer will be tasked with turning this vision into a reality."
The competition will run in two stages. Stage one is an open call for expressions of interest from designers, while at stage two shortlisted designers will be invited to take part in a mid-tender "charrette" – an intense period of cooperative design brainstorming with stakeholders – as well as an interview with a Jury Panel.
You can vuew the detailed brief here.
