BURA 21st Century Piers Competition, UK Waterfront Contest Winner, Building, Architects

BURA 21st Century Piers Competition

English Seaside Buildings, UK Waterfront Architecture Contest News

BURA Announces Winning Designs For 21st Century Pier Competition

The ‘Atomik Pier’ by Atomikarchitecture with XC02 and ‘The Beachcomber’ by Ian Hughes are the winners of the BURA 21st Century Piers Competition.

A typical English pier:

19 Sep 2007

BURA competition

The Atomik Pier – winner of the professional category – was picked out as the design with the greatest potential for success as a real pier. The concept represents a realistic, sustainable, flexible use of space while still having a very strong and exciting identity of its own.

The Beachcomber – winner of the non-professional category – encapsulates how a pier should not only attract tourists but should also benefit its town and act as a catalyst for regeneration. Ian Hughes was able to provide figures on projected economic benefits and information on the environmental impact of his concept.

Jon Ladd, Chief Executive of BURA comments:

‘We had a remarkable shortlist of entries and our judges had the unenviable task of choosing two winners. However, these deserving designs showed sensitivity to the role that a pier should have to the town it links to and how it should relate to the local community who live alongside it – not forgetting what it can offer to those who travel from afar to visit it.

This competition has generated ideas on how to make piers sustainable both environmentally and economically and how they could successfully contribute to the renewal and regeneration of Britain’s coastal towns during the 21st century.’

About BURA
BURA, the British Urban Regeneration Association, was formed in 1990 to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, experience and information for the emerging regeneration sector. Over a decade later, the understanding of the regeneration agenda and its significance for all sectors has developed and will continue to do so in the future.

Within this environment, BURA has become the leading independent organisation for those involved in regeneration. Its unique strength is derived from its wide range of members who represent the private, public and community sectors, and this distinguishes it from all other sectoral interest groups. BURA identifies and promotes best practice in regeneration and advocates an integrated approach to the social, economic and environmental issues involved.

The Association offers its members national and regional networks, dynamic and diverse events, seminars and conferences and specialist forums covering key issues of the regeneration agenda.

About the BURA 21st Century Piers competition
The design competition, which was non-specific to a place, aimed to generate imaginative uses for the pier, stimulate ideas on how they could function sustainably while still retaining their status as symbols of the British seaside. Entries fell into two categories, those from professionals and those from non-professionals.

Five shortlisted entries from each category went before an expert panel of judges, including architect Dr. Ken Yeang, Director of Llewelyn Davies Yeang with Roger Lewis, Chairman of the Berkeley Group; Wayne Hemingway, Urban Designer, Hemingway Design; Stuart Smith, Director (Consultancy), Wood Holmes Group; David Bateman, a piers expert, and Jon Ladd, BURA’s Chief Executive making up the rest of the judging panel.

The winner of each category was announced on 19th September 2007 at the BURA Seaside Network’s conference in Rhyl, Northeast Wales. The winner of the professional category will then have the opportunity to present their idea in Blackpool in November.

Two other entries have also been highly commended, and will receive letters of commendation from BURA.

Location: England, UK