Metropolitan Police Service HQ Design Competition, London Architecture Contest News

Scotland Yard Design Competition News

New London Police HQ Architectural Contest, England, UK – winning design by AHMM Architects

22 Jun 2017
RIBA Awards Winner in 2017

New Scotland Yard by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris – Embankment, central London, England – Workspace/office- is one of winners announced for the London region.

14 Oct 2013

Scotland Yard Design Competition Winner

AHMM selected to redesign London’s new police headquarters. They beat four others, namely Foster and Partners, Allies and Morrison, Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and Keith Williams Architects. Key design is clearly aimed at transparency and engaging with the public, a positive move for an arm of the establishment in a mature democracy. Thankfully the famous revolving sign, Eternal Flame and Roll of Honour will all be incorporated – a good blend of tradition and innovation.

Architect announced to redesign London’s new Policing HQ

Renowned architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) have been chosen to redesign London’s new police headquarters, it was announced today by the Mayor of London, Metropolitan Police Commissioner and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

The Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) is selling the current Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) headquarters, New Scotland Yard, and moving to more modern, cost effective offices at the iconic Curtis Green building on the Victoria Embankment in 2015. This will then be known as Scotland Yard.

picture from London Metropolitan Police Service

A world-class field of architects responded to the RIBA design competition, launched in May 2013, to find the most suitable and financially viable proposal for the building. AHMM’s winning design envisages a police headquarters that will be more open and accessible and will help the Met to reconnect with the public, whilst respecting the heritage of the Whitehall Conservation Area in which it is sited.

Key design features include a new public entrance pavilion, extensions to the building itself and the creation of public open spaces. The world-famous revolving sign will be retained as well as the Eternal Flame and Roll of Honour, currently located at New Scotland Yard in Victoria.

Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Architects

AHMM is an international architecture practice based in the UK with experience of working on a number of major buildings in the UK and abroad. They are currently undertaking a masterplan and redevelopment of the BBC television centre in White City and were recently announced as the architect for the new Google headquarters at King’s Cross. AHMM worked with specialist architects Haverstock to advise on the proposals.

The redevelopment of the Curtis Green building forms part of the largest ever transformation of the police estate to provide a more modern, efficient, secure and cost-effective estate – ensuring the MPS remains at the forefront of 21st century policing. The cost to the Met if they were to remain at NSY would be around £30 million, with £50 million additional spend needed for it to meet the specifications for a modern policing operation.

By moving to the new site and cutting costs, the Met are able to invest in frontline policing, helping to keep officer numbers high, improve the technological capability of the force and develop facilities like a brand new, state-of-the-art police training centre in Hendon.

The move to Curtis Green is part of the MOPAC/MPS Estate Strategy to update its underused and outdated estate. These changes will see a reduction of up to 300,000 sq m – a third of its overall size – helping to reach the MPS target of saving £500m per year by 2015/16

The Met will now work with AHMM to develop the designs further before a planning application is submitted in 2014. Completion of the site is expected in 2015.

Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Stephen Greenhalgh said: “Scotland Yard is returning to its historical home in Whitehall. The new, smaller Met HQ will help deliver a 21st century police force and AHMM’s design, which includes a public space, will help Londoners to reconnect with the Met.

“By selling outdated and impractical buildings like the New Scotland Yard that are costly to maintain, we can reduce property running costs. The money raised from the sale of these buildings will be ploughed back into frontline policing so that our officers are equipped with the tools and technology they need to fight crime and to continue to keep London safe.”

MPS Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe said: “Scotland Yard is an internationally recognised and highly respected brand and the architects final designs for the building will, we hope, reflect and enhance this status.

“Whilst providing modern, efficient and secure premises for our staff, the move will release substantial sums to be reinvested back in to other policing services. This is a significant and exciting move for us and marks the new era of 21st century policing for the MPS. It allows us to save money while improving our estate.”

Paul Monaghan, Director, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris said: “We are delighted to have won the competition to design the new HQ for the Metropolitan Police within the historic setting of the Curtis Green building. This is a very important project for AHMM with the opportunity to work with one of the most significant and longest established law enforcement bodies in the world. We look forward to working with the Metropolitan Police Service to develop a building that supports them in their changing role within the city.”

Bill Taylor, RIBA Competitions Adviser: “Through the careful extension of the public realm across the site and consideration of its neighbours in massing and materiality terms, these proposals will serve to strengthen this cohesion. ‘Weaving’ the heritage and culture of the Metropolitan Police into the fabric of the building and the spaces that surround it, the proposals strike a balance between respect for what already exists and the desire of the client to present a new, open and progressive face to the community they serve.”

30 Jul 2013

Scotland Yard Design Competition Shortlist

Shortlisted announced: Design of the new HQ for the Metropolitan Police Service

30 July 2013 – The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) are delighted to announce the shortlist for the design competition to create a new central London HQ – replacing their existing New Scotland Yard building.

The competition received an excellent response and the shortlisted teams selected (in alphabetical order) are:

• Allford Hall Monaghan Morris
• Allies and Morrison
• Foster and Partners
• Keith Williams Architects
• Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands

photo from RIBA Competitions

Roger Harding MPS – Director of Real Estate Development said: “The competition generated considerable interest with the chance to create a new landmark building for London. We would like to offer our sincere thanks to the world class field of national and international award-winning practices who submitted expressions of interest. The selection process was exceptionally difficult but we are delighted to have five such high quality architects on our shortlist for this important building.

“The move to Curtis Green is an exciting opportunity for the MPS to create a modern and efficient working environment within this new headquarters. We look forward to seeing a winning design that respects the history of the building whilst reflecting the MPS need to modernise our estate.”

The new HQ, to be called Scotland Yard, will involve the redevelopment of the existing and currently unoccupied Curtis Green MPS building located on the Victoria Embankment, London, SW1. The Curtis Green Building, named after architect William Curtis Green, sits within the Whitehall Conservation Area between the Norman Shaw Building and the Ministry of Defence. It faces onto the Victoria Embankment with views across the River Thames to London County Hall, Westminster Bridge and the London Eye.

The shortlisted teams will now work on their design proposals and will be invited to present these to the judging panel in September 2013.

20 May 2013

Scotland Yard Design Competition

Architects and designers around the world invited to design new HQ for the Metropolitan Police Service

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is delighted to announce the launch of a new design competition on behalf of the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to create a new central London HQ – replacing their existing New Scotland Yard building.

The new HQ, to be called Scotland Yard, will involve the redevelopment of the existing and currently unoccupied Curtis Green MPS building located on the Victoria Embankment, London, SW1.

The Curtis Green Building named after architect William Curtis Green sits within the Whitehall Conservation Area between the Norman Shaw Building and the Ministry of Defence. It faces onto the Victoria Embankment with views across the River Thames to London County Hall, Westminster Bridge and the London Eye.

The Invited Design Competition provides architects/practices with the opportunity to produce a design for the renovation of this landmark in one of London’s most important and historic areas – to provide a modern, flexible and secure office environment for the MPS. The Curtis Green redevelopment will provide a state-of-the-art HQ for the MPS that also respects the heritage and location of the building and the need to deliver value for money for the MOPAC and the Met.

Roger Harding MPS – Director of Real Estate Development said: ‘The opportunity to create a modern efficient working environment for the Met’s future headquarters, with world-class architecture that provides value for money and is alive to the history of the building provides a wonderful challenge. We look forward to working with RIBA as the competition progresses and to seeing the designs. The transformation of Curtis Green fits with our wider objective to deliver a more efficient and higher quality estate which meets the operational needs of the Met and is significantly lower in cost to run.’

The original building, constructed as an annexe to the original New Scotland Yard, had no significant front entrance. A new modern, efficient and highly visible entrance and reception will be an important part of the design.

Expressions of interest (EOI) are sought from architects/practices worldwide, following which up to five architects/practices will be invited to develop concept designs for the project. Each of the short-listed architects/practices will receive an honorarium payment of £6,000 (+VAT) and be invited to present their proposals to a Judging Panel at a final assessment. The Judging Panel will include architect Bill Taylor, Taylor Snell acting as the RIBA Adviser.

For further details about the Curtis Green Metropolitan Police Service New HQ Building and how to register for the competition please visit www.architecture.com/competitions and follow the link to Live Competitions. Deadline for receipt of expressions of interest is 2.00pm on Thursday 27 June 2013.

London Police HQ Design Competition

Scotland Yard has moved several times before – from Whitehall Place to Great Scotland Yard in 1875, to the Norman Shaw building in 1890 and to the current building in 1967. This future move therefore marks a return to its previous location

The Curtis Green Building (1935-40) was designed by William Curtis Green architect as an annex to the former New Scotland Yard (now the Norman Shaw building). It was occupied by the MPS after the Second World War to house the MPS forensics and other technology departments. It became in due course a police station, before (1985) becoming home to the HQ of the MPS territorial police organisation until the building was vacated in 2010.

Architecture competitions deliver exciting buildings and projects. They drive up quality, stimulate creativity and innovation and generate a range of options improving choice. RIBA Competitions is the Royal Institute of British Architect’s unit dedicated to organising architectural and other design-related competitions. For further details visit www.architecture.com/competitions

The Metropolitan Police (MPS) was founded in 1829, and is the largest police force in the UK and is amongst the largest in the world. Headquartered in New Scotland Yard, the MPS delivers territorial and specialist policing services to over seven and a half million Londoners across 620 square miles; to millions of commuters, tourists and visitors to our City; and to many National and International communities. The MPS organisational mission is to make London the safest major city in the world. The MPS primary role is to cut crime and to maintain public order on our streets. We are focused on preventing crime, targeting offenders, supporting victims, and building on the support and trust of Londoners. For further details visit www.met.police.uk

New London Police HQ Competition information from RIBA Competitions

Location: Victoria Embankment, London, England, UK