30
March
2021
|
09:44
Europe/London

Shortlist announced for competition to revolutionise the traditional Police Box in the Square Mile

Six design teams will have the opportunity to develop further their ideas for a 21st Century Police Box to support interaction with residents, workers and visitors in the Square Mile, it has been revealed.

The competition, being run by the City of London Corporation, the City of London Police, Bloomberg Associates and New London Architecture (NLA), aims to provide an engaging and informative addition to the public realm.

The ‘Digital Service Point’ will creatively reinvent the way City residents, workers and visitors can contact authorities and gain information. They will also store medical equipment for emergency response and incorporate amenities to serve the public.

A total of 61 design proposals were submitted in the first phase of the competition. It gained international interest with applications received from Argentina, Canada, China, India, Luxembourg, Spain and from across the UK.

A wide range of ideas were reflected in the submissions from pocket designs to larger structures, with many different building materials proposed. Several designs included sustainability features such as solar panels, rainwater harvesting or greening.

The six shortlisted teams are:

  • CAN with Cake Industries
  • Harry Dobbs Design with Eckersley O’Callaghan and STBY
  • McCloy + Muchemwa with Oliver Wilton, Victoria Philpott & Arup
  • ScottWhitbyStudio
  • tp bennett
  • Unknown Works

The shortlisted practises will now progress to ‘stage two’ of the competition where they will develop their design into a more detailed proposal. The winner will be announced in May.

Chairman of the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee at the City of London Corporation, Oliver Sells QC, said:

“It is fantastic to see the international interest and vast range of ideas submitted for our competition to transform the traditional Police Box into a model of 21st Century policing.

“It is more important than ever that we focus on the safety and security on City streets and these hubs will help to make the Square Mile even more appealing to our residents, workers and visitors”.

Temporary Commander at the City of London Police, Dai Evans, said:

“It is great news that so many groups within our communities have taken the time to submit their ideas for these innovative new Digital Service Points. As a force, the City of London Police are always looking for new ways to keep our City safe and I’m excited to see what these six finalists produce to help us do just that.

“Alongside our Dedicated Ward Officers, Uniformed Policing and Project Servator teams, the Digital Service Points will be an additional means to help us prevent crime, deliver effective policing, provide essential information and keep our communities safe. They will also enforce the message that criminals are not welcome in the Square Mile.”

Katherine Oliver, Principal of the Media & Digital Strategies practice at Bloomberg Associates, said:

“The range of creativity and innovation exhibited by these design proposals is impressive. I’m delighted that these organisations have offered to help shape an important addition to the public realm.

“This will not only improve the City of London, it will be a great model for other cities around the world.”

Managing Director at New London Architecture (NLA), Tamsie Thomson, said:

“It’s exciting to see such a diverse shortlist for our competition to create Digital Service Points across the City of London.

“The challenge of reconciling new technology, public interactivity and the extraordinary backdrop of the Square Mile has understandable proved irresistible to a very strong shortlist of established names and emerging talent, and I’m looking forward to seeing a fascinating set of ideas for our judging panel to consider.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

  • Bios and images of the shortlisted design teams are available here.
  • More on the competition can be found here.

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

The City of London Police is responsible for policing the City’s business district, the ‘Square Mile’ in the historical centre of London. In addition, it holds national responsibility for Economic Crime and under this remit is host to Action Fraud (the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service), the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department and the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit. The City of London continues to be one of the safest urban areas in the country.

The City of London Police press office can be contacted on 0207 601 2220.

New London Architecture (NLA) is London’s independent centre for debate, discussion and information about the future shape of the capital. Its membership represents all those involved in the capital’s built environment. The year-round programme provides a platform for NLA’s broad network to meet, share knowledge and shape a better city. nla.london 

Bloomberg Associates is the philanthropic consulting arm of Michael R. Bloomberg’s charitable organisation, Bloomberg Philanthropies. Founded in 2014, we work side by side with client cities to improve the quality of life for residents, taking a strategic, collaborative and results-oriented approach to making cities stronger, safer, more equitable and efficient. Our team of globally recognised experts and industry leaders has worked with cities across the globe on hundreds of projects in order to ignite change and transform dynamic vision into reality.

For more information on the consultancy, please visit www.bloombergassociates.org or follow us on Twitter @Bloombergassoc.