Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has announced plans for a new architecture and urban design unit which will support the delivery of world-class architecture and sustainable and inclusive design across London’s built environment.
The new unit ‘Design for London’ merges staff from the Greater London Authority’s Architecture and Urbanism Unit and the London Development Agency’s design team.
The unit will also work closely with the urban design staff from Transport for London.
A director of Design for London will be appointed to lead the unit which will be based at the London Development Agency in their soon to be completed headquarters at Palestra, in Southwark.
The remit of the director, for whom the recruitment process begins this week, includes integrating urban design across the Greater London Authority Group, and collaborating with the design team at the Olympic Delivery Authority and national and regional bodies involved with planning, architecture and urban design.
Alongside Design for London, a new Design for London Advisory Group will be established, chaired by Lord Rogers, the Mayor’s Chief Advisor on Architecture and Urbanism, to support the work of the new unit.
This non- executive group will include leading experts from the architectural and sustainable design world.
Speaking at his weekly press conference, the mayor said: “I want London to become a world leader in sustainable urban planning, design and architecture.
“Design for London will be the focus for these efforts, and I want to see it take a particular interest in addressing climate change, accessibility and regeneration.”
Lord Rogers said: “Cities are competing to be the best, and design lies at the heart of that competition. London is already one of the world’s great architectural and design capitals.”
“I am delighted to support Design for London, under the leadership of the Mayor, which will help to extend this reputation, as well as taking very practical steps to support better quality buildings and public space in London.”
References: EGi News 20/06/06
