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Ten architects on the Chelsea Barracks shortlist
12 Aug 2009
Alan Baxter is an engineer and founded his firm in 1974. It now employs more than 150 people. He played a key role in planning the new town of Poundbury in Dorset, which has been built according to the principles of Prince Charles. The firm specialises in the “sensitive reuse of historic buildings” and Mr Baxter, pictured, recently wrote an article on architecture website bdonline.co.uk slamming Lord Rogers's original design for the Chelsea Barracks development.
Paul Davis designed a traditional proposal for the Barracks site itself for developers P&O, who were bidding against the Qataris but pulled out before the end of the process.
Demetri Porphyrios is a Greek-born architect and traditionalist. Most of his buildings are neo-Classical. His classical design of an extension to Magdalen College, Oxford, made him a favourite of the Prince of Wales. Bob Allies and Graham Morrison are well-regarded contemporary architects who have worked together for 25 years. The two practices are joint masterplanners for the King's Cross Central regeneration project.
3. Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company + others
DPZ is headed by Andres Duany, a pioneer of urban design codes. Prince Charles is a confirmed fan and has consulted him on numerous projects.
Jeremy Dixon and Edward Jones are best known for their redevelopment and refurbishment of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Somerset House and the National Portrait Gallery. The firm is also involved in the extensive redesign of Exhibition Road in South Kensington.
5. Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Richard Feilden, Peter Clegg and Keith Bradley won the coveted Stirling Prize for architecture in 2008 for a controversial housing scheme.
Two years ago they were part of consortium which failed to get permission for a massive 400-home social and private development, featuring a controversial 23-storey tower in Shoreditch.
Their clients include Historic Royal Palaces, the National Trust and Westminster School, and they are framework architects for English Heritage and English Partnerships.
6. Terry Farrell and Partners
Sir Terry Farrell began his career as a high-tech modernist but over the past 25 years has concentrated on “urbanism” and has defended Prince Charles against attacks by Richard Rogers. He is best known for Embankment Place and the ziggurat-like MI6 Building in Vauxhall, pictured.
7. Hamiltons Architects and Think Place and Patel Taylor
Hamiltons Architects has been involved with major projects at Brunel University and Imperial College in South Kensington. Think Place is led by Garry Colligan, who specialises in urban development and regeneration.
Last year, Prince Charles likened a £6 million building — a lecture theatre at the University of Essex — by architect Patel Taylor to a “dustbin”. Patel Taylor is a small London-based practice, and has designed award-winning schemes at Putney Wharf, Royal Victoria Dock and Thames Barrier Park.
8. Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands
Alex Lifschutz, Ian Davidson and Paul Sandilands are best known for their social housing near Coin Street. But they are also the designers of the highly controversial Doon Street Tower, which caused massive local opposition.
The firm oversaw the restoration of the Oxo Tower.
9. Robert AM Stern Architects
A large US-based international firm specialising in museums and educational buildings. Recently selected to design the George W Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas, Texas, but also co-master planners of the new town of Celebration, Florida.
10. Squire and Partners and Kim Wilkie Associates
Michael Squire has designed luxury housing in Knightsbridge but also the troubled Pan Peninsula tower in Docklands.
Kim Wilkie Associates was responsible for the redesign of Hyde Park Corner and the garden at the Victoria and Albert museum in South Kensington, which was opened by Prince Charles.
Kim Wilkie set up his practice in 1989 to promote projects that explore the relationship between land and culture, community and place.
Reader views (2)
It seems these descriptions are written to highlight any controversies that have affected the architects selected, however small in relative terms. Presumably this is to continue the controversial tint of the project, but isn't that a little unfair? It's hard to find a firm of the sort of merit and size this project requires that hasn't had some controversy at some point during its history. I was particularly amused at the labeling of FCB's Accordia scheme as "controversial". To whom exactly? My understanding is that the residents and the community (as well as the architectural critics, obviously) love it...
- M Brown, London, UK, 14/08/2009 11:44
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A civil engineer told me that the site's main problem is that the services,water,sewerage etc.,will not be able to cope.
- Jimfred, London Uk, 12/08/2009 21:41
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