Foster + Partners selected to design Queen Elizabeth II memorial

British studio Foster + Partners has been selected to design the Queen Elizabeth II memorial in London, which will include a new crossing over St James's Park Lake.

Its design, which will be finalised and revealed next year, is set to include a glass-clad bridge informed by Queen Elizabeth II's wedding tiara, along with a statue of the late monarch.

Envisioned by Foster + Partners alongside artist Yinka Shonibare and landscape architect Michel Desvigne, the memorial will honour the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in 2022 following a 70-year reign.

The proposal was selected by the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee from a five-strong shortlist for its "impressive" design that is "capable of creating an engaging landmark".

"Foster + Partners' ambitious and thoughtful masterplan will allow us and future generations to appreciate Queen Elizabeth's life of service as she balanced continuity and change with strong values, common sense and optimism throughout her long reign," committee chair Robin Janvrin said.

Shortlisted alongside it were proposals by Heatherwick Studio and WilkinsonEyre.

The winning concept by Foster + Partners sought to honour Queen Elizabeth II's ability to balance dualities – namely tradition and modernity, and formal and informal elements.

To represent this, the masterplan encompasses two new gates and two new gardens that will sit either side of St James's Park Lake, and be connected by the Unity Bridge.

Serving as a walkway between the schemes two ends, the bridge will be adorned by a cast-glass balustrade.

"At the heart of our masterplan is a translucent bridge symbolic of Her Majesty as a unifying force, bringing together nations, countries, the Commonwealth, charities and the armed forces," studio founder Norman Foster said.

The memorial's entrance from the Mall will be marked by the Marlborough Gate and Queen Elizabeth II Place statue, from which stone paths will lead into the Communities of the United Kingdom garden.

Its second entrance, which is situated off Birdcage Walk road, will open from the Prince Philip Gate into the Prince Philip Gate Garden. Beyond this, the Commonwealth Garden is set to be complemented by a large sculpture.

Renders of the gardens, which are designed to be spaces for reflection, reveal winding pathways flanked with lush greenery and seating areas.

The final design is set to be officially announced in April 2026, alongside a legacy programme.

Also in London, plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street "as quickly as possible" have been announced by mayor Sadiq Khan and foxes have been reported to be digging burrows in the Google landscraper in Kings Cross.

The renders are courtesy of Foster + Partners. 

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