Gasholder Bases

National Grid are inviting architects and designers worldwide to consider opportunities for redeveloping empty gasholder bases into valuable structures across a variety of sites in the UK. Redeveloping an empty holder base represents a potentially better environmental and cost option compared with the typical practice of backfilling them with resources that could be used elsewhere.

Description
This competition is being launched to raise the profile of the future of gasholder bases and the subsequent regeneration this will generate. It is important to note that National Grid are unlikely to be the developer for these sites, although they hope the winning designs will attract interest from potential developers and provide a guide for the future use of sites.

There are many gasholder sites where there is potential to leave the holder base empty and install a base, a simple internal structure, and a roof. This 'product' has potential to be more valuable than the land with a backfilled holder and a conventional building. The success of this approach relies on there being a viable market for such products.

National Grid Property Holdings Ltd (NGPH) has a portfolio of well over a hundred former gasholders to be dismantled within the coming years. The engineered bases of below-ground holders represent large voids in the sub-surface. The current practice is to backfill these voids however, this is both labour and resource intensive, even if the material used is from other sites where the material is surplus to requirements. There is also a high environmental cost with the transport of material and associated dis–amenity. For these reasons, there is an opportunity to investigate alternative uses of the void space.

Jury
Richard Alden, National Grid (Chair of the Panel) Head of National Grid Property
Russ Davenport, Faulkner Browns, RIBA Adviser
Matt Pearce, National Grid – Operations Programme Manager
Laura Watson, National Grid – Gasholder Demolition Manager
Charlie Connoly, National Grid – Real Estate Programme Manager
Allen Murray, Advisian – Director of Engineering
Tom Parker, Argentum Fox Ltd – Director

Prize
Each shortlisted designer will receive an honorarium of £3,000 +VAT. The winner will receive an additional £4,000 +VAT and there may be an additional payment of £1,000 +VAT for a highly commended scheme.

Entry Fee
None

Timetable
Notification and result announced: December 2017

Organizer
National Grid

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