Designer shortlist for NZ memorial in London

A shortlist of designers has been chosen to develop plans for the New Zealand memorial in London.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said they were chosen from 68 who put their names forward.

The designers must complete their proposals for the memorial at Hyde Park Corner by January 26. A panel of assessors will consider the proposals.

Helen Clark said the memorial would commemorate the relationship between New Zealand and the United Kingdom and serve as a focus for remembrance of the contribution and sacrifice made by New Zealand during armed conflicts, especially the two world wars.

Discussions were continuing with English Heritage, which was proposing a new landscape design for Hyde Park Corner to include the New Zealand Memorial. Work was being done to obtain the necessary consent to build the memorial.

These were both lengthy processes so it was unlikely the memorial would be completed before mid-2006.

* The shortlisted designers are: Anthony Hoete of WHATarchitecture (UK); Evzen Novak of Studio of Pacific Architecture; Guy Cleverley of Craig Craig Moller Architects; Ian Athfield of Athfield Architects; John Hardwick Smith of Athfield Architects; Katrina Simon; Neil Dawson; Peter Nicholls; Rhondda Grieg (UK); Roy Wilson of Warren and Mahoney; and Virginia King.

- NZPA