MIPIM | OMI wins Wirral Waters ‘pop-up village’ contest

OMI Architects have been selected to advance their designs for Egerton Square next to Wirral Metropolitan College.

The project will incorporate a restaurant, shops including a food store, gallery, workshop spaces and outdoor entertainment space, centred around a new public square. This will provide local amenities for the emerging Four Bridges quarter of Peel Holdings’ Wirral Waters Masterplan.

OMI’s winning solution places a collection of modular prefabricated dwelling-like forms around the square. The gable-fronted ‘house shaped’ modules can be arranged in single or double storey configuration to provide a range of differently sized spaces and are designed to reinforce the idea of a village.

The runners-up were Ellis Williams Architects, Sixtwo, K2 and Ainsley Gommon Architects.

OMI said the central square would be both connected to and sheltered from the environment beyond. The studio said it hopes to see the scheme become a local destination and meeting place.

Egerton Square was unveiled by Peel’s director of development, Richard Mawdsley, at Liverpool Waters and Wirral Waters’ MIPIM presentations.

The OMI-led design team are working with Parkinson Inc, the Wirral Waters masterplanners, to bring the project to fruition. The competition winning scheme is currently being tested with potential occupiers and will be submitted for planning approval later in 2017.

Nick Berry, director of OMI Architects said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to create a real place defined by an exciting and diverse range of uses and activities. The village concept will provide an opportunity for small local businesses to contribute to Peel’s vision for this unique waterside environment.”