The project for redesigning Nottingham’s Market Square is called Square One. It is probably the most important regeneration scheme in the City centre since, well, since Cecil Howitt inserted his original Market Square into the centuries old Market Place in 1928-9.
In September this year the City Council announced its intention to set up an international competition inviting “design-led professional companies or consortia” to submit proposals for creating in Old Market Square a public open space “that will be a signature of our future aspirations for Nottingham and for our wider plans for the city’s development.” In short, providing Nottingham with a “high quality square of international significance whilst respecting its local identity, history and importance.”
The competition was widely advertised in the architectural press and European journals during October. The Council expressed its vision for Old Market Square as:
A public realm of excellence
A people hub through which thousands pass daily
A meeting place for all (by the lions)
Somewhere to relax, to take the kids, to be entertained
A place of safety
The Council further indicated its basic requirements for the new design of Old Market Square:
Create a space worthy of a leading European city.
Capture the imagination and meet the needs of residents, businesses and major stakeholders and visitors.
Be a practical solution which can easily be taken from the competition stage through planning to implementation.
Accommodate the range of uses and roles of Old Market Square.
Those interested in participating were instructed to submit their “Expressions of interest” by 12.00 noon on 13 November. There was some apprehension from the interested public that the relatively small financial rewards on offer would not tempt many responses, £5,000 expenses plus an honorarium of a further £5,000 for six chosen finalists, with the winning design receiving an additional £10,000. £5,000 would be paid on account of fees.
How wrong can doubters be? By the closing date over 60 entries had been received from design teams in the USA, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Holland and Spain as well as the United Kingdom. These design teams comprised architects, landscape architects, urban designers, civil, structural and lighting engineers and artists. Preparing a short list was a daunting task, for many of the entries saw in the competition stimulating challenges and great possibilities. The judging panel of ten was chaired by Professor Les Sparks of CABE and an English Heritage Commissioner.
After much deliberation six very good submissions were short-listed. These
were, alphabetically:
· Conran and Partners
· Gillespies (Leeds)
· Gustafson Porter
· Hopkins Architects
· Patel Taylor
· Stig L. Anderson (SLA)
On the morning of Saturday 6 December members of the public and representatives from business, the police and other interested bodies met these teams at the Council House. At this point no firm ideas were put forward or discussed. The purpose of the event was for the design teams to receive from those attending their hopes, fears, reservations and expectations for the future of the Market Square.
It was an excellent morning. A great deal of common sense, mingled with good ideas was conveyed to the designers who in turn expressed their delight at the wholehearted involvement shown by those attending, which included a group of teenagers from Ellis Guilford Comprehensive School who had prepared their own lap-top presentation of their vision for OMS.
The next stage will come in the Spring of next year when the six final designs will be exhibited in central Nottingham. The general public and all other interested parties will be invited to assess and record their views on the designs. A summary of these views will be passed to the Evaluation Panel. After this consultation there will be a last interview with the six finalists, following which the Panel will decide the winner of the competition.
All of this consultation and participation is in quite stark contrast to the way in which T. Cecil Howitt’s grand design was prepared and delivered between 1927 and 1929. Then the progressive Councillors – for not all were in favour of change – invited Howitt to reinvent a market place that had little changed since before the Market Charter granted by Henry II in 1155.
On 4 July 1927 the City Council received and accepted the proposal from the General Purposes Committee to move the historic market out of the Great Market Place to a site in King Edward Street. At the same meeting the General Purposes Committee was instructed to get plans prepared for the transformation of the Great Market Place – a new layout.
Final approval to move the market into covered premises was given at the
next meeting on 3 October 1927. The only mention of the new layout came in
the form of objecting amendments which when put to the vote were not carried.
However the General Purposes Committee must have nodded or winked at Howitt,
architect of the Council House and “on the staff”, and given him
a free hand not long after the July meeting - perhaps even before –
because during September 1927 Howitt submitted a written appraisal assuming
what was needed and how he would turn these needs into reality. He opened
his report with: “The following general items of policy have been assumed,
given in their order of importance:
a) The whole of the surrounding roads should be widened to cope with the traffic
problem.
b) The square should be developed on lines that will allow the maximum open
space should citizens wish to assemble in the square.
c) The square should be designed on very simple architectural lines.
d) The scheme should be arranged to blend architecturally with the New Exchange
and in such a manner that it will harmonise with the probable future architectural
development of Long Row and South Parade.
e) The scheme should be economical as possible without statuary or heavy bronze
work, and arranged in such a manner so that upkeep costs and possible damage
by children will be reduced to a minimum.”
There followed details of a possible future layout, backed by ample references
to well known examples from abroad. Howitt starts his vision with its main
thrust. “Architecturally the key to the Scheme is to form a wide processional
way leading from the west side of the Square and terminating with the Exchange
and Dome.”
The Town Clerk asked Howitt on the 26 October 1927 when his plans would be ready. They were certainly received by the General Purposes Committee by 24 February 1928. The decision to proceed with Howitt’s grand scheme was taken on 2 April 1928. There was never any serious intention to hold an open competition and virtually no public consultation. Howitt took possession of the Market Place on 22 November 1928 and F.S. Minter of London moved in to start on their £22,959 contract for “Slab Square”.
Ken Brand
January 2004
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