Winning design revealed in peace gardens project
The semi-enclosed oval reflecting pool with a continually flowing waterfall focused on ‘peace’ as a state of mind by interpreting equilibrium, contemplation, and protection. [GALLERY]
The project, completed by 36 postgraduate students from the Manchester School of Architecture, was to design proposals for a peace garden that could be created at Lincoln Square. The students worked in groups to explore complex ideas behind the word ‘peace’ and how this might be displayed in a contemporary public space.
Since the previous garden was removed five years ago as part of the St Peter’s Square redevelopment, the Friends of Manchester Peace Garden have campaigned for its reinstallation. Manchester City Council identified Lincoln Square as the likely location, with Planit-IE appointed to deliver the public realm of the area.
Judges included Qaisra Shahraz of Faith Network; sculptor Karen Lyons who created the Erinma Bell busty in the Town Hall, and Steve Roman and Rae Street from The Friends of Manchester Peace Garden.
The runners up proposed the idea of peace as diversity and interaction through overlapping circles, defined through differences in material, vegetation, height and function.
The judges praised the winning entry for its simple, powerful and professional vision of an icon for the city centre and a space for contemplation.
On behalf of the judges, Roman said: “We were very impressed by the quality of the student designs and by the depth and range of their thinking on the concept of peace.
“We were also amazed by how much work they achieved in just seven days. The Friends look forward to using the stimulus of the designs in the next stage of encouraging the re-installation of a peace garden.”
The winning design is not going to be constructed but intends to show how the peace garden may look if it gets building permission in the future.
Click any image below to launch gallery
- The winning design
- The winning design
- CGI of the winning design, with walls punctuated by windows to help light break through
- The second-place design
- The second-place design
- Entry called 'connect and reflect'
- Entry based on floodplains
- Entry based on reflection and reanimation
- Entry called 'peace is not quiet'
- Entry based on the patina of peace
Love it and the very thought of it, BUT if we get it look after it…DO NOT want to see stuff, all over the walls, and rubbish in the water, which is sadly the norm here!
By Schwyz
It’s actually really nice and quite classy. Agree with the comment above though, quite how it will look full of leaves, empty bottles/cans/sweet wrappers and daubed with graffiti is – sadly – another question entirely..
By Gisajob
It would be a much needed improvement if this design were to be reciprocated by the actual design team for the renovation of Lincoln sq however walls in public squares just encourage anti social behaviour and are the perfect place for a late night straggler to relieve himself after a skin full making the area dirty – granted the area isn’t as busy as Piccadilly but the problem could be the same if a wall were incorporated. The globe over the water is a great idea and symbol of solidarity with the world however the wall, though striking, wouldn’t work in reality. For the competition though it is an excellent design…
By MancMan
Looks good. As others have said, it could be a magnet for the anti-social set but we shouldn’t dumb everything down to take account of this. We should aspire to a great environment and be prepared to spend the necessary money to protect our public spaces.
By Ian Jones
Love the design. But I have one question, where will the statue of Abraham Lincoln go?
By David
Can we have Barbara Parsons sculpture back please?
By Sarah Pritchard