Station Approach, Winchester

https://swilliamsarchitects.com/projects?project=node-47

Sarah Williams was approached by RIBA competitions to be part of the panel responsible for selecting a winning team for this very significant mixed-use scheme in the centre of Winchester. She has also been retained by the City council as the RIBA Client advisor for this high-profile project.

Winchester City council were loooking for a design team to work with them and other stakeholders in the city to formulate designs for a £50m mixed-use developments on two key sites. The team was also commisioned to create a public realm strategy which can be implemented as development proposals come forward from other developers in the area.

A successful outcome of the regeneration of the area will achieve the creation of commercially successful developments, create a distinctive local character area and improve the connectivity between the emerging suburb of Barton Farm, Hythe , the station and the city centre

The Council is developing sites within its ownership whilst providing a framework within which other independent development proposals can be assessed. Sarah and the panel, chaired by Roger Hawkins and including council officers and an advisory panel, shortlisted the five architectural teams, interrogated their proposals and interviewed the bidding teams.

The winning practice was Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands

Sarah has since been commissioned by Winchester City Council to work alongside the winning team in an advisory capacity, supporting and advising the Winchester team and council members during the development of the scheme. WCC have also secured LEP funding for the public realm around the site and are in discussions and collaborating with Network rail about land under their ownership and improvements to the station forecourt.

''As RIBA Client Advisor to Winchester City Council on the Station Approach project over the course of the last 2 years, Sarah Williams has provided the role of reassurance and technical oversight to the process of advising on the design competition, selection and appointment of design team, and continuing now with a reassurance role on the proposed scheme moving forward. She has particularly helped in advising on governance matters to ensure the scheme moves forward in an optimal way. Her professional manner, responsiveness and technical experience all give strong independent reassurance in the steps we are taking for a big project initiative which needs exactly the range of skill sets that Sarah so capably brings to the table, and provides invaluable, respected assistance to the Council.”

Ian Charie, Head of Programme, Winchester City Council