Architectural Shortlist for Bankside House Redevelopment Design Competition Announced

The Bouygues UK-Equitix consortium and leading university London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), have announced the shortlist for an architectural competition for the redevelopment of Bankside House in Southwark, London.

Plans for the new Bankside House include a significant increase in accommodation of upto 2,000 beds, making the site LSE’s largest student residence. The redevelopment will support the institution in its aim to offer bed space to every first year student from 2030. 

The brief stipulates not only adding more rooms in the scheme, which neighbours the iconic Tate Modern, but delivering an exemplary piece of civic architecture. It prioritises being affordable for all LSE students, alongside a focus on environmental sustainability, health and wellbeing and the offer of an outstanding student experience. 

Equitix and Bouygues UK undertook a prequalifying exercise with a mutually agreed longlist of architects in late 2023 during their successful tender and will work with LSE to maximise the potential of the site and prepare a planning application for submission to London Borough of Southwark in 2025.

The firms shortlisted for the Bankside redevelopment competition, here in alphabetical order, are:

• AHMM
• Allies and Morrison
• Carmody Groarke and Sheppard Robson
• COBE (DNK) and TP Bennett
• RSHP with Tigg Coll
• SOM (Skidmore, Owings and Merrill)

This location will require a piece of world class architecture which will meet the ambitions of both LSE and Southwark. The calibre of this shortlisted a testament to each studio’s exceptional design and delivery standards- each in their own design language.

The partnership with our development managers with such extensive sector specific knowledge is set to deliver a landmark building and raise the bar in the provision of affordable student accommodation in the city

Julian Robinson, Director of Estates, LSE

As the first verified carbon-neutral university in the UK, LSE has extensive experience in designing and procuring world-class buildings. On campus, The Marshall Building (Grafton Architects) won RIBA West London Regional Award 2023, Centre Building (RSHP) was an RIBA National winner, and SAW (O’Donnell + Tuomey) was a Stirling Prize shortlist 2014.

The competition is due to commence in late January, with a core team in place by April this year. 

The jury panel will comprise Julian Robinson (Director of Estates), Professor Ricky Burdett (Director of LSE Cities), Ian Spencer (Director of Residential and Catering Services) and James Relf (General Secretary of the Students’ Union) from LSE.

Representatives from the Development Partner consortium include Oliver Campbell (Development Director at Linkcity, Bouygues UK’s development arm), Tristan Meredith (Equitix Development Director) and Colin Boyd (Bouygues UK Design Director), with Isabel Allen (Editor of Architecture Today), chairing the panel.

Construction is expected to start on site in 2026, with completion earmarked for 2030, ready for students to move into at the start of the academic year.