Over 60 architects and artists have submitted designs for a memorial honoring the late Queen Elizabeth II. Their ideas are a testament to a wide variety of artistic imagination that celebrates her incredible life and legacy. These proposals will eventually go before King Charles III and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to approve.
Among these, one of the standout designs is by WilkinsonEyre, working with artists Lisa Vandy and Fiona Clarke. Their concept features a thread of pathways and landscapes that symbolize seven key themes of Queen Elizabeth II’s life: reign, faith, Commonwealth, values, nature, family, and her late husband, Prince Philip. The fabric unusually exhibits a beautiful pair of handsome bridges in prayer. At the heart of one bridge sits an exquisite limestone sculpture of the Queen herself. This award-winning sculpture is protected from the elements by a naturalistic looking mega-canopy made up of eight sculptural lily pads.
Limestone was a purposeful choice in the creation of the sculpture. It is designed to “age with dignity,” which ensures the memorial will age beautifully, serving as a permanent tribute to the Queen’s lasting impact.
British architect and designer Thomas Heatherwick’s studio has collaborated with sculptor and ceramicist Halima Cassell. They collaborated with MRG Studio, Webb Yates Engineers, and Arup to produce a truly groundbreaking proposal. Their design focuses on a memorial walk based on the theme of unity. This walk includes 70 lily pad stepping stones. Through these iconic spaces, they encourage visitors to contemplate the enduring connections the Queen fostered during her reign.
Landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith is working with Jamie Fobert Architects and artist Adam Lowe of Factum Are. Collectively, they’ve come up with an inspiring scheme that includes an intricate cast of oak tree from Windsor Great Park. The oak now stands in commemoration of Her Majesty’s dignity and resolve, qualities which are at the heart of the crown itself. Stuart-Smith went on to call the oak “awe-inspiring,” insisting that it would play an important role of portraying the Queen’s legacy.
Architect Lord Foster of Foster + Partners Working together with artist Yinka Shonibare CBE, ecologist Professor Nigel Dunnett and landscape architect Michel Desvigne Paysagiste. In tandem, they envisioned an elegant series of regal gardens to serve as the memorial’s centerpiece. This beautiful environment is intended to be a calm and healing place of contemplation and memory.
The planned new monument will go in St James’s Park – just a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace in the heart of central London. This prime location will bring in residents and visitors alike. It continues to be a most fitting tribute to the admired queen.
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