Press Release issued by the MCC 17 April 2008
A 21ST CENTURY FUTURE FOR LORD'S
• MCC selects shortlist of five architects to develop a Lord's Masterplan
• Sir John Egan to chair selection advisory panel
Marylebone Cricket Club's (MCC) vision to improve Lord's for future generations of cricketers, Members and cricket fans took another significant step forward today as the Club announced the selection of five architectural practices to develop a Masterplan for the Ground.
BDP, David Chipperfield Architects, Dixon Jones, Herzog & de Meuron, and Hopkins Architects have been shortlisted to respond to a comprehensive Masterplan brief that will be provided to them. They will be asked to prepare a framework showing where and how the needs of Lord's can be accommodated to enhance this world class sporting venue and deliver improved facilities for Members, fans and players. They will also be asked to show how they would handle the sensitive location within a historic environment and create a framework for outstanding and internationally recognised architecture. The winner is expected to be selected in early summer.
MCC has also appointed a special panel to review the responses from shortlisted practices, conduct interviews and make a recommendation for approval to the MCC Committee. The panel chairman will be MCC Member Sir John Egan, former chief executive of Jaguar and BAA. Sir John's experience of managing world class businesses combined with his knowledge of cricket and Lord's will be vital in selecting the right architect to take forward the vision for the Ground.
Joining him on the panel are respected figures representing the Club, architecture and property development who will help ensure that the winning submission incorporates all the key elements of the vision for Lord's. They are David Batts, Professor Ricky Burdett, Robert Griffiths QC, Blake Gorst, Charles Rifkind and Sir Nicholas Serota. The panel will be assisted by The Architecture Foundation, which has considerable experience in helping clients to select the best architects for important commissions such as Lord's.
The Masterplan brief for Lord's takes into account the hugely positive feedback and strong support from Members for the Club's ideas for improving the ground, particularly the increase in capacity and improvement of cricketing facilities such as retractable floodlights. These ideas were presented to Members as part of a consultation that the Club undertook in autumn last year and included eight roadshow events at Lord's and other county grounds where David Batts, Keith Bradshaw and Tony Lewis presented a vision for the future of Lord's.
Commenting on these announcements, Sir John Egan, the chairman of MCC's selection panel said:
"I am delighted to be involved in a project that will deliver major long-term improvements to Lord's. The panel has a wide mix of expertise from architecture to development and of course cricket; I am confident that our recommendation for the selected architect will deliver the very best for the sport's home."
Rowan Moore, Director at The Architecture Foundation said:
"Lord's is a special place, and a site of both London-wide and international significance. It has also proved over the years how outstanding new architecture can enhance its character. With this exceptional list of architects Lord's traditions of intelligent commissioning will become even stronger in the future."
Keith Bradshaw, MCC Secretary and Chief Executive said:
"The selection of a shortlist is a key milestone as we seek to deliver significant and long-term improvements at Lord's. The appointment of an advisory panel of experts alongside the Architecture Foundation will ensure a professional and considered approach to the selection process."
END
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Notes to Editors
• Since its bicentenary, in 1987, MCC has spent over £50 million on improving Lord's. This includes the refurbishment of the pavilion and construction of the Investec Media Centre and Grand Stand.
• The brief for shortlisted Masterplan architects will include reference to the following ideas;
- an increase in the Ground's capacity, to between 35,000 and 40,000.
- the installation of permanent but retractable floodlights
- the development of an Indoor Cricket School & Cricket Academy with an analysis suite, gymnasium, sports injury clinic and treatment rooms alongside the retention and improvement of the Nursery (practice) ground
- the creation of a purpose-built museum to house MCC's outstanding collection of cricket art and artefacts;
- the construction of an additional new real tennis court to enable Lord's to host top-class international real tennis competitions;
- improvements to general amenities at Lord's including the entrances, shop, food village, banqueting and picnic areas;
- feasibility for the development of a Lord's Hotel;
- potential for residential development at the Wellington Road end of the Ground to act as an enabler for improvements to the Ground.
<b>Shortlisted Masterplan Architects </b>
• BDP (Building Design Partnership)
BDP is Europe's largest interdisciplinary design practice of architects, engineers and designers. Previous projects include the Masterplan and buildings for the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, the Olympic Tennis Centre Athens, the Grand National Project Aintree and the BBC Mailbox. BDP's Hampden Gurney Primary School was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize in 2002 and they were voted Housing Architect of the Year in the Building Design Architect of the Year Awards 2007.
• David Chipperfield Architects
David Chipperfield Architects was founded in 1984 and boasts an international portfolio of architecture, masterplanning and interior design projects. Their designs for the America's Cup Building in Valencia and the Marbach Literature Museum in Neckar, German were both shortlisted for the Stirling Prize in 2007 with the latter chosen as the winner. They are currently masterplanning the Museum Island in Berlin and will shortly complete the 400,000 square metre City of Justice in Barcelona.
• Dixon Jones
Dixon Jones has a wide range of architectural experience, winning many national and international competitions and awards for high-profile projects, most notably the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1984 and the Venice Bus Station in 1991. In 1998 Dixon Jones was commissioned as masterplanner for the National Gallery. The work of the practice over the last 20 years has been mainly involved with arts, university buildings and retail.
• Herzog & de Meuron
Prizker Prize winning Herzog and de Meuron was formed in 1978 by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron. The Zurich based international practice includes the Tate Modern and Laban Dance Centre in London and the Allianz Arena, home to Bayern Munich F.C, amongst their portfolio. Possibly their most high profile commission to date however is the Beijing National Stadium, the main stadium for the 2008 Olympic Games.
• Hopkins Architects
Hopkins Architects have designed projects as varied as Glyndebourne Opera House, Portcullis House/Westminster Station, Norwich Forum and Evelina Children's Hospital. In 2007 Hopkins Architects won two major international architectural competitions: the new Cyprus Cultural Centre, Nicosia and the Velopark design for the London 2012 Olympic Games, building on past sporting experience such as the 1987 Mound Stand at Lord's, Hampshire County Cricket Club's Rose Bowl and Goodwood Racecourse in 2001 and the National Tennis Centre for the LTA at Roehampton in 2007.
Masterplan Selection Panel
• Sir John Egan - Chairman of the Panel - One of the most successful UK business leaders of his generation, Sir John Egan was chief executive of Jaguar plc in the 1980s before turning round the fortunes of the British Airports Authority between 1990 and 1999. Sir John is currently chairman of Severn Trent Water, chancellor of Coventry University and a vice president of London First. He has been a member of MCC since 1997.
• David Batts - Masterplan Project Director for MCC, David Batts is spearheading MCC's vision for improving Lord's for generations of future cricketers and cricket fans. David has been Deputy Chief Executive of MCC since 2000 and has been responsible for a large number of Ground improvement initiatives including the acclaimed Pavilion refurbishment project in 2004-05.
• Professor Ricky Burdett - A highly respected figure on the London and international architecture scene, Ricky Burdett is the Centennial Professor in Architecture and Urbanism at London School of Economics and is the chief adviser on architecture and urbanism for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He is a former design adviser to the Mayor of London and has been on selection panels for major architecture competitions for the BBC, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum extension and all the Olympic venues.
• Blake Gorst - Chair of MCC's Estates Committee, Blake Gorst has had a long and successful career as a chartered surveyor and has worked at both Jones Lang LaSalle and Singer & Freidlander. He has been an MCC member since 1984 and has served on the Estates Committee since 1991. He is also a member of the main MCC Committee.
• Robert Griffiths QC - One of the UK's most experienced barristers, Robert Griffiths has appeared in a large number of leading and high profile cases concerning public/administrative, planning, commercial, employment and sports law. He is a member of MCC and has been a member of the Club's Committee since 2000.
• Charles Rifkind - A Barrister, Company Director and a founding partner of the Rifkind Levy Partnership, Charles Rifkind has been involved in many residential and commercial developments in central London as well as the creation of a vision for a new village for Matlock Town, Matlock Spa. Charles has a passion for bringing projects and people together not only in property development but also for instance when he introduced and arranged the funding to move the World Cities exhibition from the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2006 to the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern as their summer exhibition in 2007.
• Sir Nicholas Serota - Director of the Tate Gallery since 1988, Nick Serota led the development of the Tate Modern, creating one of the most popular museums of modern art in the world. He was CABE commissioner for seven years and is currently a board member of the Olympic Delivery Authority.
The Architecture Foundation (AF)
The Architecture Foundation promotes and encourages the best in contemporary architecture and brings it to a wide public. It runs a rich programme comprising exhibitions, talks, events, design initiatives and competitions, research, policy work and films. Established in 1991 as Britain's first independent architecture centre, The Architecture Foundation actively bridges the gap between decision-makers, design professionals and the public. Recent design competitions have included managing the practice selection process for the 2012 Olympic Games Athletes Village in Stratford City, the Promenade of Light in Old Street and advising The Museum of Garden History on the creation of a new exhibition space. www.architecturefoundation.org.uk
For more information please contact Oliver Basciano on 020 7253 3334 or via oliver@architecturefoundation.org.uk