Ewer Street rain garden

Better Bankside and the Low Line Steering Group, working with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have launched an international design competition to develop a green and creative vision for the Low Line. The competition is supported by Lund Trust, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.

Managed by RIBA Competitions, the competition invites multi-disciplinary teams of architects, landscape architects, ecologists, engineers, artists and other professions to develop a green and creative vision and strategy to underpin the future development of the Low Line.

The Low Line links diverse neighbourhoods and communities, leading visitors off the beaten track and into areas of creativity, history, industry and entertainment, such as Union Yard Arches, Flat Iron Square and Vinegar Yard, Maltby Street and Bermondsey. It celebrates the heritage of the railway arches and unlocks the potential of derelict and forgotten sites.

The aim of the Low Line competition is to develop a unifying vision and strategy to inform the delivery of greening and biodiversity enhancements along and adjacent to the Low Line, that can help support social, environmental and economic well-being, and can be implemented organically over time as the Low Line route evolves.

The initial phase of the competition invites teams of architects, landscape architects, designers, ecologists and other design-related disciplines to submit designs anonymously, in digital format only. Five concept designs will then be shortlisted for further development. Each shortlisted designer will receive an honorarium of £4,000 + VAT. The winning team will be invited to develop the vision in greater detail. The closing date for initial stage entries is 2nd September 2019.

For full details of the competition and how to enter please visit www.ribacompetitions.com/low_line