East London Green Grid wins World Architecture Awards

The London Development Agency's East London Green Grid - a combination of over 300 green infrastructure projects - has won two top awards at the World Architecture Festival, held in Barcelona last week, winning the best "Future Landscape" award and receiving the Festival's "Highly Commended" award.

The World Architecture Festival 2009 in Barcelona was attended by over 1500 people from 67 countries. The Festival considered over 600 entries from around the world for all the award categories and 270 shortlisted projects were presented at the event.

The London Development Agency's Design for London were chosen as the Category Winner “Future Project - Landscape” for the East London Green Grid. A jury chaired by Sir Peter Cook - the designer of the 2012 Olympic Stadium - then rated the project as one of just two "Highly Commended" Future Projects from over 200 entries.

Accepting the awards, Design for London Director Mark Brearley said:

"The East London Green Grid is integral to the regeneration of and future growth of east London. It will provide both leisure space and allow east London to grow and adapt to climate change. The collaboration between all the boroughs, agencies and designers makes the East London Green Grid a model for green space planning in urban areas."

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said:

"This brilliant scheme ensures communities in east London have access to green and open spaces and I'm delighted it has been recognised as a leading example of sustainable development. Well done to the Design for London team and all involved in this great achievement."

London Development Agency Chief Executive Sir Peter Rogers said:

"These World Architecture awards recognise the East London Green Grid's ambition for quality open space across east London. I am delighted that the London Development Agency has - through our Design For London team - coordinated a unique design process and collaboration with eleven London boroughs, other agencies and more than twenty of London’s best design practices. The results will be enjoyed by east Londoners, new and old, and all visitors to east London."

The East London Green Grid will create a network of multi-purpose, high quality open spaces - making sure the regeneration of east London creates sustainable communities long after the London 2012 Olympic Games. It will connect the places where people live and work to recreation space and access to nature and it responds to environmental challenges such as flooding. The improvements, links and new open space will help change perceptions of east London and improve environmental resilience.

The success at the World Architecture Festival follows the East London Green Grid winning Landscape Institute’s President's gold medal in November 2008.

ENDS