City of Wolverhampton Council and Capital & Centric have shortlisted four teams of award-winning architects to design a new neighbourhood for the 10-acre brownfield St George’s site in the city centre.
The design competition was launched last month in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects, with past president Angela Brady playing a key role in the process.
Eleven practices will now form four teams moving through to the next stage. They have eight weeks to put together an inspiring vision for the site, with a brief to deliver an inclusive and sustainable neighbourhood that reflects both the city’s heritage and diversity.
The shortlisted teams are:
- Ash Sakula, Turner Works and Archio
- Henley Halebrown, Studio Weave and Apparata
- Metropolitan Workshop, Studio Bark and Mole
- Mikhail Riches and Periscope.
The architectural competition is part of a push by the council and Capital & Centric to deliver an exemplar neighbourhood on the former Sainsbury’s supermarket site, which will set a new high bar for regeneration in the city. It is being overseen by Brady, who will advise the council and a panel of judges on which scheme should be selected as the winner and taken forward.
Stephen Simkins, leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “This approach is about securing inspiring designs that set a new design benchmark for brownfield regeneration in Wolverhampton. The level of interest in the competition has been really encouraging, and we are looking forward to seeing how the shortlisted teams interpret the brief.
“St George’s is a fantastic opportunity to create a game-changing neighbourhood of which the city can be proud. It is a critical part of our city-wide plan to unlock investment in considered development that delivers much-needed homes and new opportunities for our communities.”
Brady said: “We set out to get the very best ideas for an exciting, futuristic neighbourhood that will draw in people of all generations to live and work in the city as a community. Collaboration is critical to delivering diverse and inclusive design, so it is fantastic to have the four shortlisted teams, now expanded to include more of the invited applicants, to pool their ideas and talents for this great competition.”
Capital & Centric is aiming to replicate the approach that it has successfully delivered in other cities, attracting investment into imaginative and creative communities that feature restored historical buildings alongside contemporary new-builds, as well as public gardens.
As part of the St George’s project it is also planning to get views from local young people and will showcase the final four design proposals in the city in the spring.
Martin Crews, development director at Capital & Centric, said: “The architect practices we have on board all bring their own specialisms to the party, so there will be a real melting pot of ideas that should lead to some exciting results.”
A key tenet of the brief is encouraging wellbeing, health and a distinct sense of identity and place. The site will link to the £61m City Learning Quarter, which is set to open next year.
Capital & Centric’s appointment for the first phase of the scheme was announced in December by the City of Wolverhampton Council.
Photo from Capital & Centric
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