A competition for architects to design ‘state-owned, temptation-free’ housing for MPs has been won by an entry that 'aims to increase participation in democracy through a network of local assemblies served by re-nationalised railways and ferries'.
Other entrants proposed that MPs should live in mobile homes, on a cruise ship moored on the Thames, in pods along the outside of Westminster Bridge and in stacked flats that change height depending on how many votes their party receives.
The competition - conceived by Allistair Burt of Scottish design duo Hole in my Pocket and run by The Architects' Journal - had more than 40 entries and was judged by Ken Livingstone, AJ editor Kieran Long and Ruth Reed, incoming President of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
The competition has been won by Glasgow based architects Jude Barber and Phil Zoechbauer of Collective Architecture for their winning design “Common Houses” which looks to increase participation in democracy through a network of local assemblies served by re-nationalised railways and ferries'. The first runner up is Sarah Siena Edwards for her design “Ministers Mole Hole” which utilises the underground tunnels of London to create dormitory accommodation for MP’s. The second runner up is Neil McGuire for his design “Redacted Residencies”, which turns Westminster into a museum of Lying and imagines that MP’s expense claims are processed through a computer which creates house designs based on the “honesty” of their claims.
The shortlist and a selection of other entries will be on display in an exhibition at the Lighthouse in Glasgow and Hole in my Pocket are currently in discussion regarding a sister exhibition in London.
All entries can be viewed at the website www.commonofhouses.co.uk
To read more about the competition on www.scottisharchitecture.com click on the following link
