The following designers will be awarded contracts to help develop and refine the detailed plans for the two stations, due to open in 2026:
- London Euston - Ove Arup & Partners International Limited (working with Grimshaw Architects LLP)
- Old Oak Common – WSP UK Limited (working with Wilkinson Eyre Architects Limited)
The winners have a track record of delivering cutting edge design with experience of some of the largest and most complex infrastructure projects in the world, including the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, the Eden Project in Cornwall, the new concourse at King’s Cross, Biljmer Arena station in the Netherlands, and the new Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) station at Liverpool Street.
Welcoming the news, HS2 Minister Nusrat Ghani said:
“HS2 is a modern railway fit for Britain’s future, improving vital links between some of our country’s biggest cities, driving forward growth and significantly improving services for passengers with thousands more seats on faster trains.
“Appointing these leading creative firms ensures that passengers on our world-class railway will experience modern and accessible stations. With up to 65,000 new jobs supported by the development of Old Oak Common and the potential for a significant number of new homes in Euston, these landmark stations will be a catalyst for real change and regeneration.
“I am confident that these firms will deliver these projects at value for money, with designs that are both innovative and in keeping with their surroundings.”
HS2 Ltd Chief Executive, Mark Thurston said:
“Our new stations in the capital will be at the heart of the first phase of the project, increasing capacity, improving journeys and helping to unlock opportunities for tens of thousands of new jobs and homes around what will be two new landmark buildings.
“That’s why I’m delighted to welcome these talented designers to the team, and we look forward to working with them to create station designs which showcase world-class architecture, ease of use and value for money that our passengers and communities expect and deserve.”
The new HS2 stations will be designed with input from local communities, using best practice principles from stations around the world, and guidelines and specifications endorsed by an independent panel of leading architects and designers.
Working with HS2 Ltd, the winners will be tasked with delivering:
- People-centred design, which offers a high-quality customer experience including shopping, business facilities, and opportunities for art and leisure
- Architecture which enables accessibility for all including step-free access from street-to-seat which is simple and intuitive to navigate
- ‘Timeless design’ for future-proofing and flexibility so stations accommodate changes in technology and in the population
- Respecting and contributing to the physical and cultural legacy of the location – responding to the local built and natural environment, using local materials and ensuring local people identify with their station and have pride in it
At Euston, the arrival of HS2 will provide much-needed extra capacity, more than doubling the number of seats out of the station during peak hours and helping to unlock the potential for thousands of new homes and job opportunities around the station.
The project will include a new interchange with the London Underground, combining Euston and Euston Square for the first time and including provision for a future connection to a potential Crossrail 2.
At Old Oak Common, the new station will allow passengers to connect with Elizabeth line (Crossrail) services to Heathrow and central London as well trains from London Paddington to Wales and the west of England. This unparalleled connectivity will also act as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of the area which the Mayor of London’s Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation estimates could support up to 65,000 new jobs and 25,500 new homes.
An independent HS2 Design Panel has scrutinised HS2’s guidelines and specifications for the stations, and will continue to play a key role in reviewing the detailed designs as they develop through 2018.
Chair of the Design Panel, Sadie Morgan from DrMM architects, said:
“We welcome the appointment of these world class designers and look forward to working with them and HS2 to help deliver two new landmark buildings for the capital which set new standards in station design and ease of use, and provides a legacy of great architecture of which local people can be truly proud.”
Today HS2 also announced that WSP UK Limited working with Grimshaw Architects LLP has won the Birmingham Curzon Street contract while Ove Arup & Partners International Limited working with Arup Associates and Wilkinson Eyre Architects Limited will work on Birmingham Interchange.
HS2 services from London and Birmingham will travel beyond the new high speed network via existing tracks to a wide range of destinations including Liverpool, The North West, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
ENDS