UKTI shortlists eight teams in running to design UK base for 2015 event

Designs by Amanda Levete, Asif Khan and David Kohn are among those on the eight-strong shortlist for the UK Pavilion at Milan Expo 2015 that are revealed for the first time today.

They are joined in the fray by entries from AHMM, Wilkinson Eyre, Paul Cocksedge and Universal Design Studio in the closing weeks of UKTI’s competition.

The designs have been kept anonymous by UKTI.

The teams will present their ideas and concept designs to the competition jury on 1 May, with the UKTI expected to announce a winner later in the month.

The chosen pavillion will showcase Britain’s contribution in research, innovation and entrepreneurship to the 20 million visitors anticipated to attend the six-month event.

Architect and competition organiser Malcolm Reading said the selection process had run to an “ambitious” timescale and that finalists had responded admirably.

“Designing a pavilion is a unique challenge: the structure needs to say it all in a glance yet continue to intrigue over the life of the Expo,” he said.

The winning design will be chosen by a panel including Roddy Langmuir of Cullinan Studio, Moira Gemmill, director of design and FuturePlan at the V&A, chef Tom Aikens, film maker David Puttnam and former Design Council chief executive Andrew Summers.

This story first appeared on Building Design.

The shortlisted teams in full

(In alphabetical order with team lead first)

  • Amanda Levete Architects with Gross Max, Woodroffe Bassett Design, AKT II, Max Fordham, Equals, The Nature Conservancy, Exposure, The Future Laboratory and Charles Leadbeater.
  • Allford Hall Monaghan Morris and Studio Myerscough with Scanlab, Atelier Ten, Eckersley O’Callaghan, Gillespies, and Mindseye.
  • Asif Khan with AKT II, Atelier Ten, Ralph Appelbaum Associates, iart, ES Global, Dr. Rachel Armstrong, Andrew Pimbley and The Skinny Bib.
  • Barber Osgerby with Universal Design Studio, Map Project Office, Max Fordham, Arup, Land Use, Gensler, B Reel, Movement Strategies, Speirs & Major, Lend Lease, Sarah Miller & Partners, Imperial College, Science Museum, Angela Hartnett MBE.
  • David Kohn Architects with Bompas & Parr, Jane Wernick Associates, Max Fordham, Jonathan Cook Landscape Architects, Exploration Architecture, Sara de Bondt Studio, Change Performing Arts, Random International, London Research Kitchen, Tristram Stuart, Nicola Twilley / Edible Geography and Progetto CMR.
  • Grant Associates with Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Thomas Matthews, Atelier One, Atelier Ten, Seawater Greenhouse, Cornwall Food Foundation/Fifteen, Buro 4, James Wong, PT Consultants, Claire Patey, Louis Thompson, Sennep, Useful Simple Trust, Feeding the 5000, Sustainable Food Trust, LEAF and Five Hats.
  • Paul Cocksedge Studio with Arup, GrowUp Urban Farms, SustainRCA and Blippar.
  • Wolfgang Buttress Studio with Simmonds Studio, BDP, Slow Food UK, Martin Dewey, Dr Martin Bencsik, John Dorat, Arnia, The Social London, Nick Dewey, Robin Turner, Carl Gosling, Clear Construction Consultants Ltd, Joff & Ollie, Professor Rudi Klein and Paul Smith.