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Lord West announces winner of counter terrorism design competition

HOME OFFICE News Release (084/2009) issued by COI News Distribution Service on 8 May 2009

The winner of a Home Office backed competition for architecture and design students to design a public space to minimise the effects of a terrorist attack, has been announced by Security Minister Lord West.

Peter Hughes successfully combined the development of a public space that could support a number of social uses with a design that considered minimising fatalities in the event of a terrorist attack to win the 'Public Spaces, Safer Places' competition.

Lord West congratulated Mr Hughes, who is currently undertaking his Part One qualification in architecture, having graduated from Sheffield University last summer, during an award ceremony at the Home Office.

Lord West said:

"I want to congratulate Peter and thank all the entrants to this unique competition. In particular, I want to draw attention to the innovative work that Peter has done. His design integrated counter terrorism measures into a redeveloped social space. This approach is to be encouraged for the next generation of architects and designers in order to better protect our crowded spaces.

"The designing-in of counter terrorism protective security measures to new buildings and space at the earliest concept design stage will be crucial to the future of safer crowded places.

"I would also like to thank the RSA, RIBA and NaCTSO who, through this competition, have successfully raised awareness of designing-in counter terrorism among the architects and designers of the future."

The competition - part of the RSA's Design Directions student award scheme - asked competitors to think about security features and safety issues when designing a fictional public space. Competitors were asked to consider and include innovative counter terrorism measures in their designs.

The competition attracted 92 entrants. The winner received a £1,000 prize and a number of outstanding entries have been on display to a wide range of stakeholders in the Home Office London headquarters building this week.

Chief Executive of the RSA, Matthew Taylor said:

"Design Directions challenges designers to use their skills in dealing with disorder, complexity and intractable social issues. Working with the Home Office on this project has been a great opportunity to expose young designers to some of the specific challenges of the public realm today, particularly the crowded urban context. How to answer in equal measure the high expectations of elegant, busy and animated public space and the increasing tensions and technicalities of security is the challenge here. Peter Hughes's solution combines inspiring symbolism with an ingenious, tactical organisation of space."

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The competition brief presented architecture and design students with a fictional terrorist attack in a space approximately one hectare in size. They were asked to respond with proposals for a new public space on the site with well-considered design proposals that are appropriate to the space and the buildings/interiors that will surround it. Central to this, is the integration of security features, protection for the space, the buildings and those that use them that does not compromise the integrity of the environment's design aesthetic.

2. The competition is a response to one of the recommendations Home Office Security Minister Lord West made last year in his review of how best to protect crowded places from terrorism. In particular, the need to do more to raise awareness of counter terrorism measures among professional bodies, such as architects and designers.

3. The competition has been developed in collaboration with the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the police National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO).

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