Local Zone takes shape with Blue Peter’s help

THE design for the Millennium Dome’s Local Zone, a cardboard construction intended to involve Britain’s children more fully in the overall millennial project, has been unveiled by the New Millennium Experience Company.

The concept has been created by architect Gumuchdjian & Spence and Japanese freelance cardboard-structure specialist Shigeru Ban. HP:ICM is project manager to the zone.

A spokesman for the NMEC says that the 1300m2 zone will look at how we live as individuals and the role of neighbourhood and community.

“The contents have pretty much been finalised, but we are not ready to release them yet and I can’t say when that is likely to be,” says the spokesman.

When it has been built, the two-storey spiral structure will have 100 12m columns, created from a mixture of recycled card material.

The zone has the backing of children’s TV programme Blue Peter, which has launched an initiative asking children to send in parcels of cardboard to Paper Building, Halifax.

The release of the Local Zone design follows the unveiling of the Mind Zone, by architect Zaha Hadid, and the Body Zone, created by HP:ICM and Branson Coates, last year (DW 27 November 1998).

The Spirit Zone, by Eva Jiricna Architects and Jasper Jacob Associates, was also launched in December.

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