Maidstone public realm shortlist unveiled

Conran & Partners is on the shortlist in a £4m competition to redesign the public realm in Maidstone town centre, Kent.

The consultancy is joined on the shortlist by Douglas and King Architects, Letts Wheeler Architects, Terence O’Rourke and Townshend Landscape Architects.

The aim of the Maidstone High Street Open Design Competition is to improve the public realm of the town centre through innovative use of design and public art.

The competition, organised by the Royal Institute of British Architects, attracted 76 submissions from architects and architect-led teams as far afield as the US and Bulgaria.

Councillor Malcolm Greer, Maidstone Borough Council cabinet member for regeneration, says, ‘We were delighted that so many designers were interested in the project to reinvigorate the High Street and rebalance the competing needs of pedestrians, vehicles and traffic. We had a fantastic response.’

The five shortlisted design proposals will go on public display in Maidstone from 27 April to 5 May, and the design proposals will be presented in mid-May.