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The shortlist for who’ll be chosen to design a new Queen Elizabeth II memorial has been announced by the UK Government. The structure will be located in St James’ Park, and is intended to ‘celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's extraordinary life of service and provide a space for pause and reflection’.
Five firms are in the running, including Foster + Partners (responsible for stuff like the Gherkin and the former City Hall – soon to get a green makeover), Jamie Fobert Architects (previous work includes the renovation of the National Portrait Gallery last year), WilkinsonEyre (which regenerated Battersea Power Station), and J & L Gibbons (which led the design for Canal Park in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park).
The last of the five is Heatherwick Studio, the firm which previously created the Tree of Trees sculpture at Buckingham Palace for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 and is working to redo the BT Tower.
Founder and design director Thomas Heatherwick said: ‘We’re excited to be shortlisted for the memorial. Queen Elizabeth II was a remarkable leader, and our job as designers is to now capture her particular form of leadership and commitment to community, in an extraordinary place that millions of people can visit.’
The QEII memorial has a provisional construction budget of between £23 million and £46 million set aside, drawing money from public funds. Designs will be assessed based on several criteria, including value for money and visitor experience.
Each shortlisted studio will now develop design concepts to be submitted later this year ahead of the winner being announced in the summer. The final design is slated to be unveiled next year to celebrate what would have been the late monarch’s 100th birthday year.
Queen Liz has also inspired a memorial garden in London.
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