Flurry of ideas for ‘forgotten spaces’

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has joined forces with the city’s Hallam University to run the Forgotten Spaces competition and has extended the deadline to midnight.

A spokesman said nearly 100 ideas had already been received with “imaginative design ideas to brighten up some of the Sheffield region’s most overlooked sites”.

RIBA is offering prizes of £5,000, £2,000 and £1,000 for winning entries in the contest which comes after a similar project was staged in London last year.

Organisers said some proposals are unlikely to ever become reality, but it is hoped ideas generated will stimulate regeneration.

The project is sponsored by city development company Creative Sheffield, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, Meadowhall shopping centre owners British Land and engineers Buro Happold.

According to RIBA a “forgotten space” could be small or large and take in locations such as a roadside verge, wasteland, an unused car park, derelict building or even a pedestrian underpass.

John Palmer, director of corporate communications at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “It’s fantastic that the Forgotten Spaces competition has caught the imagination of so many people.

“Forgotten Spaces is an opportunity for testing ideas for left-over pieces of land and is a chance to put locally inspired proposals out there.

“Some of the spaces that have been suggested are imaginative and surprising. I’m sure there will be some really interesting design ideas created based on them.”

The deadline for the competition had originally been set for Wednesday, March 30, and was extended after entrants called for more time. Nominations should be sent by email to [email protected]