RIBA North West has teamed up with Preston City Council, Lancashire County Council and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), with the support of the Eric Wright Group, to launch a new Forgotten Spaces ideas competition for 2013.  

The competition has successfully taken place in London, Newcastle and Sheffield and now it is the turn of Preston. The competition seeks out redundant spaces across Preston's municipal city boundary and invites innovative design proposals for re-use and regeneration.

The 2013 competition will give entrants the option to consider specific sites put forward by Preston City Council's Planning Department as spaces that could be made a part of the community, or select their own site.  

The competition asks: How would you bring the area under a flyover to life? How could a disused car park be made beautiful? What potential lies in neglected parks, empty buildings, spaces hidden away or on our rooftops? 

Open to RIBA, RTPI and Landscape Institute members, as well as students, artists, members of the public and community groups across the UK, the competition creates a broad platform for discussion across all age groups and disciplines.

1st prize: £5,000
2nd prize: £2,000
3rd prize: £1,000

To find out more about the competition and instructions on how to enter, download the competition brief below.

 

2013 timeline

13 April: Workshop/Mapping event to discuss brief and identify possible solutions
25 April: Deadline to register for competition at midnight
9 May: Proposals must be submitted via online upload by 5pm
27 June: Announcement of shortlist
November: Exhibiition of shortlist in Preston and announcement of winners

A selection of sites have been suggested by Preston City Council's Planning Department and UCLan, although entrants are welcome to suggest their own sites as long as they fall within Preston's municipal boundary. Information about the six suggested sites can be found below:

 

The location of the six sites can be found on the map below:

More information about Preston and the council's plans for development and investment opportunities can be found on their website|.

If you have a query about the validity of a site for the competition or would like to speak to the Planning Department for Preston City Council please contact Nigel Roberts on 01772 906 594 or email N.Roberts@preston.gov.uk|.  

Workshop/Mapping Event
RIBA North West, Preston City Council and UCLan have organised a special workshop for those entering the Forgotten Spaces Preston competition. The workshop will focus on the brief, examine the six identified sites and encourage particiapnts to discuss possible solutions.
The event is free and will be held at UCLan's Harris Building on Saturday 13 April, from 10am - 4pm. As numbers are limited advance registration is required.

To register for the event and to find out more please go the event website|.   

Forgotten Spaces Preston Sponsors:

 

 

Forgotten Spaces Preston Supporters: