Media centre

Thursday 7 Mar 2019

Network Rail launches public design exhibition and Design Panel

Region & Route:

National

Network Rail has launched a public exhibition at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) showcasing the best footbridge designs that were submitted as entries to an international competition last year.

The competition – which challenged entrants to design fully accessible footbridges that could be used across Britain’s rail network – was won by Gottlieb Paludan Architects, whose design, featuring a bold, elegant bridge with a resolved design aesthetic, has now been added to Network Rail’s catalogue of improved station footbridge designs.

The winning entry is one of many designs that will be on display at the RIBA exhibition, running until April 2019. The exhibition will then be showcased at two of Network Rail’s managed stations – London Waterloo and Manchester Piccadilly.

It follows the publication of Network Rail’s Principles of Good Design and the launch of Network Rail’s Design Panel, which aim to ensure that a strong design culture is embedded into the requirements for anyone investing in our assets.

Anthony Dewar, head of buildings and architecture at Network Rail, said: “The competition has proven to be a huge success, and the fact we received more than 120 entries from 19 countries demonstrates how seriously it has been taken by the international design industry.

“I would like to thank everyone – organisations, design professionals and students – who took the time to submit an entry. The judging panel was genuinely impressed with the high quality of submissions.

“The competition will help us to achieve our aim of ensuring design is at the heart of making Britain’s railway more inclusive and accessible for all.  Our Design Principles, Design Panel and changes to architectural assurance requirements lay the foundations to ensure good design is embedded in our future works.”

For all media enquiries and to request further images please contact Jack Harvey in the Network Rail media team on 020 3356 8700 or jack.harvey2@networkrail.co.uk.

Notes to editors:

Winner: Gottlieb Paludan Architects, DK with Strasky, Husty and Partners Ltd, CZ

Highly commended: Hawkins\Brown with WSP

The exhibition will be at Manchester Piccadilly from Monday 1^st April until Sunday 7^th April.

The exhibition will be at London Waterloo from Monday 15^th April until Sunday 28^th April.