South Kensington Pedestrian Tunnel Design Competition 2014 1 A student ideas competition launched by the Royal The winning design concepts were selected as an Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 and Exhibition approaches that will encourage debate and discussion. Road Cultural Group to re-imagine the South It is anticipated that the winning group will work Kensington Pedestrian Tunnel in South Kensington: with the Exhibition Road Cultural Groups, Transport an important and much-used public space for London and other local stakeholders to develop in London, and the threshold to the area’s cultural the designs further to contribute to planned and educational institutions. improvements to South Kensington station. Entries consisted of cross-disciplinary teams of post-graduate students from the academic Competition Jury institutions within South Kensington: the Royal Sir Christopher Frayling (Chair) – 1851 Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music and Imperial Commissioner & former Rector, Royal College of Art College, looking to harness the energy of today’s Sophie Andreae – Heritage & Architectural Adviser student cohort to create a lively and beautiful space Chris Cotton – CEO, Royal Albert Hall & Chair, that expresses the spirit of the South Kensington Exhibition Road Cultural Group community, and provides a fitting welcome to the Louise Fitton – Head of Content Production, area. The competition builds on a tradition of giving Natural History Museum local students the opportunity to contribute to public William Jackson, Chair of Development Group, buildings and spaces around South Kensington. Cushman Wakefield Annabel Judd – Head of Design, V&A Museum Founded from profits of the Great Exhibition Karen Livingstone – Director of Masterplan of 1851 to fulfill Prince Albert’s vision of “extending & Estates, Science Museum the influence of science and art upon productive Eleanor Pinfield – Head of Art on the Underground, industry”, South Kensington or “Albertopolis” Transport for London is home to an extraordinary cluster of world-leading Professor Alex de Rijke – Dean of the School organisations generating and sharing knowledge of Architecture, Royal College of Art and inspiring the engineers, designers, scientists, musicians and artists of the future. These proposals explore potential application of the latest 21st century With thanks to innovations in way-finding, lighting and design Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 to make this much-loved heritage asset a fitting and Malcolm Reading Consultants gateway to the South Kensington cultural quarter. The exhibition took place Oct — Dec 2014 from 16th — 19th December 2014 with an open evening for local residents on Tuesday 16th 2014 Exhibition Graphics by Marine Duroselle Cover photography by Iain Reid 2 2 3 3 Competition Brief South Kensington station is one of the most visited Solutions were sought to reimagine the South stations on the underground network. It provides Kensington tunnel and pose the question: ‘What role the primary gateway to the world-class cultural can design play in expressing the spirit of the South and educational institutions along Exhibition Road. Kensington community?’ The space will be inspiring, The pedestrian tunnel provides safe and covered elegant, beautiful and permanent, delivering a curated access to the threshold of the museums and is heavily and coherent experience. It will be sustainable, future used throughout the day, particularly families and proof and free of excessive maintenance needs – school groups. looking as good, and working as well, in 25 years time as it does on completion. The tunnel and the threshold Transport for London is developing ambitious with the station concourse will create a coherent sense plans to transform the operation and environment of welcome and orientation. The competition sought of South Kensington station. To inform these plans, proposals that would symbolise the marriage of the Exhibition Road Cultural Group in conjunction science, art, technology, design and industry – values with the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 inherent in South Kensington’s cultural quarter. and the Royal College of Art School of Architecture organised a competition giving local postgraduate The competition invited proposal which would: students the opportunity to feed in ideas to improve — Improve wayfinding and orientation within the station and its immediate surroundings. the tunnel, both from the station and the cultural This reflects Transport for London and the competition and education institutions accessed from it organisers’ desire to work closely together to ensure — Be inclusive and welcoming to all, with a focus on that South Kensington station is developed in a way step-free access and visitors with mobility issues that reflects its unique cultural and historic setting. — Represent exchange of ideas and methods inherent in the South Kensington cultural quarter and Competitors were challenged to produce designs reconnect with the core values of the Commissioners that express the spirit of South Kensington and provide of 1851 — extending the application of science a fitting welcome to the area and its world-leading and art to industry into the 21st Century museums, educational institutions and cultural venues. — Introduce and celebrate the area’s heritage whilst at the same time reflecting the role this area plays in shaping the future and our understanding of the world — Help to support and create a coherent sense of place — Consider connections from the tunnel to the station, cultural institutions and street level along Exhibition Road and resolve existing stepped access — Not impede the efficient and regular passage of all visitors to the tunnel — Aim to be maintenance-free 4 4 5 5 Jury consideration WINNER and proposed underground spaces extending The Complete History of the Universe further afield within the cultural and p. 12 — p. 15 educational campus. Based on students’ The Jury was chaired by Sir Christopher Frayling, analysis of the use of the tunnel at different and met at the Royal College of Art on 11 December. The team’s design was inspired by the role times of the day, a range of temporary uses Each team had 5 minutes to present their proposal of South Kensington in developing and sharing including a pop-up lecture theatre and event to the Jury, with a further 10 minutes for Jury knowledge, and sought to capture the tension spaces are built into the tunnel, and which between building a complete understanding are concealed within the tunnel’s structure questions. All the teams were invited to sit in on all of everything with the impossibility of actually when not in use. presentations. The Jury was also able to view models doing so in the modern age. The scheme and display boards in the courtyard gallery, with team mischievously defines, mis-defines and The jury appreciated the way this scheme members present. The final Jury deliberation took re-defines our perceptions of knowledge, connected with the historic and future place in private. The Jury chair emphasised that space and time. The tunnel is furnished with relevance of tiled patterns as a medium that a continuous sculptural element, a ‘handrail’, all the institutions share. The scheme has the Jury should look for schemes that really addressed in the form of a timeline that represents durability and beauty. The jury enjoyed the way the brief; to improve access, wayfinding and create human knowledge (or the absence in which a site specific narrative had been a connection with the area. and misunderstandings of it) and thins cleverly and clearly brought to life in a clear, or thickens according to our understanding fun and engaging presentation. The scheme of the universe around us. was playful and charming but very serious The Jury recognised that the brief was challenging, in its analysis of the use of the tunnel and requiring improvements in access, within a confined The jury particularly enjoyed this proposals for making better use of it, although space which has significant heritage status proposal’s concept, giving physical form the jury noted that late-night use would be (Grade II listed), while respecting the listed structure to South Kensington’s role to encourage, unlikely to win support locally. develop and pass on learning in a beguiling and accommodating both visitors and commuters. and engaging way. The jury felt this was a clever thinking through of all the relevant WINNER Three schemes stood out for their outstanding issues and recognised and welcomed the way Connection clarity and vision: Connection; The Secret Guide in which sculpture, narrative and local interest p. 20 — p. 23 to Albertopolis; and The Complete History of blended. It was also noted the desire to make the proposal a palimpsest to be added Connection seeks to reconnect the tunnel the Universe. All three proposed sensitive treatment and amended as knowledge was gained and to South Kensington via a series of dramatic of the heritage of the tunnel and ideas that related clarified. Selection of material was also well- and major physical interventions. The scheme to the identity of the local area. One was strategic, received, approving of the walnut and enjoying proposed a clever replanning of the station offering a masterplan; one a beguiling installation the prototypical models. Jury members area; connecting the unused platform directly appreciated the subtle uplighting, highlighting to tunnel and the institutions beyond. The connecting to the intellectual role of the South the original tiles and heritage features team used the theme of strategic excavation Kensington institutions; and one offering texture and of the tunnel. to provide access and circulatory connectivity. expression. Between them they resolved the beginning, By making the tunnel more porous and the middle, and the end of the tunnel. After deliberation establishing a clearer physical link with the WINNER station, the scheme creates new public spaces it became clear that all three schemes needed The Secret Guide to Albertopolis that emphasise and celebrate the wealth of recognition. The Jury selected these three as joint p.