Judges named for SAVE/AJ Re:store competition for M&S Oxford St site
24th April, 2024
The first judges have been announced for Re:store, the ideas competition jointly organised by SAVE and the Architects’ Journal for the M&S Oxford Street site.
At the same time a short extension has been announced to the deadline for entries. You now have until midnight on Monday, 29th April.
The independent judges will help draw up the shortlist and evaluate the final line-up of up to six teams.
The judges announced so far are:
Neal Shashore, head of school and chief executive of the London School of Architecture
Sanaa Shaikh, architect, educator, and activist with the Architects’ Climate Action Network (ACAN) who founded her own practice, Native Studio
Simon Henley, principal of the twice RIBA Stirling Prize-nominated architecture practice Henley Halebrown
Basil Demeroutis, managing partner of commercial property investment firm and B Corp FORE Partnership, which is helping to fund the competition
The competition is open to architects, architectural assistants and architecture students.
After a longlist of up to 20 teams is chosen, those selected will present online to the judging panel on Thursday May 9. Following this, the jury will select up to six winning teams, who will each be paid a £5,000 honorarium to develop their ideas further. The six will then work up their designs as part of a day-long charrette on Thursday May 23, with no overall winner picked. Every stage of the contest will be published in the AJ.
The Re:store competition, which is independent of M&S, seeks to promote debate and ideally create a model for the adaptive re-use of the UK's multitude of attractive but ageing department store buildings.
This follows a protracted battle over the future of the building. Last month, a High Court judge ruled that communities secretary Michael Gove must re-examine his decision to reject planning permission for a proposal by M&S to demolish the structure, which dates back to 1929, and replace it with a new 10-storey office and retail building.
According to the competition brief, entries should strive to meet five objectives including prioritising whole-life carbon design principles, preserving heritage and recognising the challenges facing the world-famous Oxford Street and potentially other high streets across the country.
Henrietta Billings, director of SAVE Britain's Heritage, said: "The question of how to handle the future of prominent retail buildings like the M&S store on Oxford Street is being played out in high streets and town centres across the UK.
“We hope this competition will spark fresh and imaginative ideas about new lives for these well-loved city centre landmarks – fit for a climate-conscious 21st century and beyond – that everyone can benefit from.”
Emily Booth, editor of the AJ, said: “We’re excited to launch this competition with SAVE Britain’s Heritage to encourage creative ideas, promote debate and share imaginative approaches for building reuse.
“In the face of the climate emergency and pressures on high streets around the country, we hope re:store will act as a catalyst for fresh thinking – and we look forward to your entries!”
Meet the judges
Dr Neal Shasore, Head of School and CEO of the London School of Architecture, leads the Design Think Tank module. An expert in British and Empire architectural culture of the early 20th century, his work aims to diversify architectural education and practice. He is a trustee the Architectural Heritage Fund and sits on Historic England’s London Advisory Committee.
Sanaa Shaikh is an architect, educator and activist. She started Native Studio in 2020, an architecture practice that seeks to create accessible and inclusive places and spaces, focusing on retrofit and the use of natural materials for a range of spatial typologies. She teaches and examines at several universities and is involved with the Architects’ Climate Action Network, developing strategies to highlight issues around climate justice.
Simon Henley is an award-winning architect and educator known for his bold but thoughtful work including the adaptive reuse of a number of industrial buildings in north, east and west London. He is a principal of Henley Halebrown Architects which has twice been shortlisted for the Stirling Prize.
Basil Demeroutis is the founder and managing partner of FORE Partnership, a pioneering commercial property investment firm with a unwavering focus on sustainability. He is on the board of the UK Green Building Council and chairs the trustees at the Institute of Imagination.
ENDS
Caption: The judging panel will include (clockwise from top left) Neal Shasore, Basil Demeroutis, Sanaa Shaikh and Simon Henley
Notes to editors
2 This competition is run in partnership by The Architects' Journal and SAVE Britain’s Heritage. The AJ and SAVE are the two parties who successfully called on the government to launch a public inquiry into the M&S demolition-and-rebuild proposals on environmental and heritage grounds.
3 The competition follows the decision by the High Court on 1st March 2024 to send M&S’s controversial plans back to the Secretary of State for re-examination. The High Court challenge and preceding public inquiry in October 2022 – which saw the original scheme refused by Michael Gove in July 2023 – have thrown up important issues around repurposing and re-use of buildings like M&S Oxford Street. Mr Gove is expected to make a decision later this year.
4 More background on our website and in our report, The Battle for M&S Oxford Street: Why this landmark case matters
5 SAVE Britain’s Heritage is an independent voice in conservation that fights for threatened historic buildings and sustainable reuses. We stand apart from other organisations by bringing together architects, engineers, planners and investors to offer viable alternative proposals. Where necessary, and with expert advice, we take legal action to prevent major and needless losses. Our success stories range from Smithfield Market in London and Wentworth Woodhouse stately home in Yorkshire, to a Lancashire bowls club and the Liverpool terraces where Ringo Starr grew up.