London School of Economics Competition Winner, Firoz Lalji Global Hub LSE 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields Building News
LSE 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields design competition news
10 August 2022
David Chipperfield Architects with Feix&Merlin Architects win the LSE Lincoln’s Inn Fields competition.
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) reveals winner of its latest RIBA design competition for the Firoz Lalji Global Hub.
It will further enhance LSE’s status as a university with a world-class estate that matches its global academic reputation
– Baroness Minouche Shafik
London School of Economics and Political Science Competition Winners
London-based practice David Chipperfield Architects with Feix and Merlin have been selected as the winners of the competition to design 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields/the Firoz Lalji Global Hub, LSE’s next major building project.
The Firoz Lalji Hub will house the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa, Executive Education, the Departments of Mathematics, Statistics and Methodology, the Data Science Institute and conference facilities that will help to connect and engage LSE’s global community. Over 100 responses were received from architectural practices across the world, and six architectural teams were shortlisted for the School’s fourth RIBA design competition.
In alphabetical order, the six teams were:
Alison Brooks with Studio Contra
David Chipperfield with Feix and Merlin
Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter (DK) and John Robertson Architects
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios with Lendager (DK)
John McAslan + Partnerswith Tod Williams / Billie Tsien (US).
The task of selecting the winning team for this +£100m project fell to an LSE jury panel comprising Baroness Minouche Shafik (Director of LSE, Chair), Firoz Lalji (LSE alumnus and donor), Sir David Higgins (Chair of LSE Finance and Estates Committee), Julian Robinson (Director of Estates), Professor Ricky Burdett CBE, Professor Pauline Barrieu (Chair of Academic Board), Josie Stephens and Tilly Mason (LSE Students’ Union General Secretaries) and Shelley McNamara, Grafton Architects).
Baroness Shafik, Director of LSE, chaired the jury panel which made the final decision after presentations from the six shortlisted teams. She commented: “We had a difficult decision to make as the quality of the submissions proved to be extremely strong, but I’m pleased to announce David Chipperfield Architects with Feix and Merlin as the winner of our design competition for The Firoz Lalji Global Hub. This sustainable design solution follows the ethos of LSE, taking an existing building and adapting it for the 21st century. I have no doubt it will further enhance LSE’s status as a university with a world-class estate that matches its global academic reputation.”
Julian Robinson, Director of Estates and jury panel member said: “This was our toughest competition yet! A multi-faceted brief and a requirement to deliver the School’s first net zero carbon building was a challenge for both the competing teams and LSE. As our last set piece project, it was essential we took time to get this decision right. We appreciate the enormous amount of intellectual creativity and effort expended by the competitors, but we could only select one winner. We believe David Chipperfield’s design was the most sustainable solution that achieved our brief requirements and provides LSE with a seminal piece of university architecture. It’s an inspiring design and I look forward to working with David Chipperfield and his team to deliver another outstanding project for the School.”
David Chipperfield said: “We are delighted to have been selected by LSE to design the new Firoz Lalji Global Hub. We have embraced the ethos and mission of the new centre to address global issues through our strategy of adaptive reuse. Our project demonstrates how the reuse of existing buildings can be seen not as an obligation but as a commitment to a more resourceful and responsible approach to our future, based on intelligent use of existing material and cultural capital. We believe that the cultural and educational ambitions of the Firoz Lalji Global Hub are reflected in the design process itself the highly coordinated engagement of the team, client and context.”
Firoz Lalji, an LSE alumnus and major benefactor to the School, and his family have recently contributed $35million for the creation of the Firoz Lalji Global Hub. Firoz commented: “The whole process has been amazing, involving intense debate and the analytical rigour you’d expect from LSE. The journey has only just begun and my family and I are excited to be part of creating a building of lasting impact – both physically and academically – which will enhance further LSE’s reputation as a world leader in the social sciences.”
Previous winners of LSE Design competitions include Grimshaw, O’Donnell +Tuomey, RHSP and Grafton Architects.
16 Feb 2022
LSE announces shortlist for Lincolns’ Inn Fields design competition
Location: 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, England, UK
photo courtesy of LSE
London School of Economics and Political Science Competition Shortlist
Wednesday 16th of February 2022 – The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has announced the shortlist for an international competition to design its first net zero carbon building at 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
Expressions of interest were sought for the creation of a new academic building of 12,540m2 GEA, which will house conference facilities, executive education, a data science institute and associated academic departments and the Firoz Lalji Africa Institute.
LSE received responses from over 100 architectural practices from across the world, either as sole entrants or as part of multi-faceted teams.
The jury panel comprising Julian Robinson, Sir David Higgins, Firoz Lalji, Professor Ricky Burdett and Shelley McNamara of Grafton Architects shortlisted six teams to produce design proposals for the +£100m project.
The shortlist is:
• Alison Brooks with Studio Contra (Nigeria)
• David Chipperfield with Feix and Merlin
• Dorte Mandrup (DNK) and John Robertson Architects
• Feilden Clegg Bradley with Lendager (DNK)
• Hall McKnight
• John McAslan + Partners with Tod Williams/Billie Tsien Architects (US) and Marina Tabassum (Bangladesh)
Cindy Walters, RIBA Architect Adviser to LSE, said: “This competition has attracted interest from architectural practices of the highest calibre from around the world. The shortlist is a rich and balanced mix of extraordinary architectural talent, who have all placed environmental sustainability front and centre of their aspirations for the project. The selection process has been rigorous and inclusive and reflects the ambition of the exceptional client that the LSE has become.”
The shortlisted teams will present their proposals to the jury panel in mid-May 2022.
photo courtesy of London School of Economics and Political Science
Previous winners of LSE Design competitions include: Grimshaw, O’Donnell +Tuomey, RHSP and Grafton Architects.
For more information on the competition visit www.ribacompetitions.com/35lif
Previously on e-architect:
14 December 2021
LSE launches its fourth RIBA international design competition
Location: 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, central London, south east England, United Kingdom
London School of Economics and Political Science Competition
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has an established track-record of procuring world class architecture and is therefore delighted to announce in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the launch of a new competition to design its first net zero carbon building at 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
LSE is committed to creating an exemplary estate, with buildings and facilities that are equal to its international academic standing and has already made significant investments in inspiring new buildings and enhancing the public realm, including the recently completed Marshall building by Grafton Architects.
LSE is one of the world’s leading universities with a truly global reach, competing for students and staff with Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Stanford.
LSE has been firmly established in the centre of London since 1895, sited on a tight urban campus adjacent to the Aldwych and Kingsway. Intent on remaining in its current location, the School has plans both to expand its intake and to improve the quality of its estate to meet the high expectations of staff and students. The RIBA design competition for 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, is part of LSE’s objective to transform the quality of its estate.
photograph courtesy of LSE
The design and civic qualities of the new building will enhance both local and international perceptions of LSE and transform the identity of the south side of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, one of London’s oldest and most emblematic landscaped squares, while respecting and complementing the historic context of many of the neighbouring buildings and public realm. The new building will celebrate LSE’s multi-disciplinary approach to the social sciences and enhance the experience of students, staff and researchers in this unique urban context.
Expressions of interests are sought from suitably experienced architect led, design teams, for the creation of a new academic building of 12,540m2 GEA, which will house conference facilities, executive education, a data science institute and associated academic departments and the Firoz Lalji Africa Institute.
This will be the School’s first net zero carbon building and will be an exemplar of sustainability, health and wellbeing and innovative conferencing technology in a post Covid world. Design Teams will consider the most sustainable and cost-effective strategies that balance the need to save embodied carbon (including potential part retention) against the creation of an efficient, adaptable and cost-effective design that reduces operating costs and optimises long-term sustainability.
The Design Competition is a two-stage process. Expressions of Interest will be sought at the first phase, following which a shortlist of up to six design teams will be selected and issued with the competition brief and from the design submissions the winning team will be selected. All shortlisted teams will be paid an equal honorarium of £20,000 +VAT.
The deadline for receipt of applications is 14:00 GMT on Friday 21 January 2022.
Julian Robinson, LSE’s Director of Estates said:
“This is likely to be the last set piece project on the School’s academic estate for some time and given the design quality we have already achieved; we will be looking for an exceptional piece of university architecture. The sustainability and flexibility of this building will be critical for the School’s long-term future.”
Further information can be found on the competition webpage at www.ribacompetitions.com/35lif
LSE 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields design competition image / information receved 141221
Previously on e-architect:
post updated 12 June 2021
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