Firms chosen to bring new life to Croydon "canyon"

9:11am Saturday 3rd January 2009

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Two UK architect firms have been shortlisted to design a new traffic route through Croydon, the focal point of Will Alsop’s masterplan for the area.

Hawkins Brown and Edward Cullinan Architects have been selected to redesign Wellesley Road as part of Croydon’s Vision 2020.

The competition to redesign the six-lane A212, known as Croydon’s “canyon”, was launched in October by Croydon Council, Design for London and the London Development Agency, and could be worth up to £50 million.

The council asked entrants to make the road free from all vehicles other than trams and buses.

US practice Field Operations, with support from firms including Buro Happold, has also been shortlisted alongside Dutch landscape architect OKRA working with Urhahn Urban Design, Peter Brett Associates, and Karakusevic Carson Architects.

There were 50 expressions of interest for the scheme submitted, including entries from architect giants such as Massimiliano Fuksas, Fat, RMJM, David Chipperfield, Alison Brooks and Foreign Office Architects.

Hawkins Brown’s entry also includes work from Hyder Consulting and Grant Associates while Cullinan’s team includes Space Syntax and Faber Maunsell.

The judging panel, which includes Will Alsop, DFL chief Peter Bishop and Joanna Averley, deputy chief executive of Cabe, is expected to make a final decision on the winning design in June.

Alsop’s vision for Croydon aspires to recreate the area as London’s “third city”, after Westminster and the City of London, eliminating the division caused by the main road and creating a “necklace” of green spaces around the city centre.