MRC ran two high profile design competitions for the Olympic Park Legacy Company with the aim of setting the standard for outstanding design within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park following the 2012 London Games.
In the South Park competition the challenge was to come up with a landscape masterplan for a 50 acre site which integrated landmark attractions, including the Stadium, the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the Aquatics Centre and the 2012 Gardens.
Both competitions were launched at lightning speed, within a month of our appointment. MRC set up a dedicated competition microsite for the project and ran a series of e-campaigns contacting a wide range of international media to engage as many opinion formers as possible.
More than 100 teams from across Europe, Asia and North America submitted Expressions of Interest in the first stage of the two competitions. Five teams were selected for the South Park shortlist which was distinguished by some international design heavyweights.
The winning team was led by the American firm James Corner Field Operations, best known for its acclaimed High Line project in New York City.
As Malcolm Reading explained:
‘Their design featured a resilient overlay of formal and informal landscape elements that have been assembled into a constellation of inventive spaces nestled around the major structures in this part of the Park.’
