Open RIBA competition for Cooling Towers in Sheffield

10 Apr 2007

Sheffield’s iconic cooling towers at Tinsley, one of the contenders in Channel 4’s Big Art Programme, are the subject of a new RIBA open ideas competition for Groundworks. Architects, landscape architects, engineers, town planners and urban designers (or teams thereof) are invited to submit imaginative, inspirational ideas for the future use of a brownfield site situated adjacent to the M1 Tinsley Viaduct. Locals are determined to transform the towers into a public artwork, but demolition remains the preferred option of the landowner due to the on-going maintenance liability that they represent. Competitors can choose to either incorporate or exclude the towers from their design ideas. The Stage 1 submissions will be subject to a technical appraisal and up to twenty schemes will be selected for anonymous exhibition, with comments invited from the general public and interested parties with specialist or local knowledge. The finalists invited to present their ideas to the Jury Panel at a final interview. Prize money of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 will be awarded to the competitors placed First, Second and Third respectively. Registration will close on 30 May 2007.

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