Shortlist Announced for Gateways to Whitechapel Design Competition

Thursday 06 November 2025

NLA, in partnership with Tower Hamlets Council, is delighted to reveal the shortlist for the ‘Gateways to Whitechapel’ design competition. This exciting initiative will create bold new ‘welcome’ features for Whitechapel Market, celebrating one of London’s most vibrant and historic destinations.

Launched earlier this year, the competition invited architects, landscape architects, designers, and artists to reimagine key entry points along Whitechapel Road, developing permanent installations that enhance the market’s identity, welcome residents and visitors, and reflect the area’s rich cultural heritage.

Six multidisciplinary teams have been shortlisted for their imaginative, inclusive, and place-specific approaches to transforming Whitechapel’s gateways. Each proposal celebrates the market’s distinctive character and energy, contributing to the wider Whitechapel Road Improvements Programme and Tower Hamlets Council’s ambitions for improved accessibility, wayfinding, and public realm.

The Shortlisted Teams

East with Urban Radicals, Shahed Saleem, Daisy Froud, Edoardo Tibuzzi (AKT II), Anoushka Rodda and Pali Palavathanan (Templo)

East and Urban Radicals bring together two generations of design thinking, one rooted in contextual city-making, the other in playful experimentation. East’s work across London and beyond is known for its sensitivity to place and focus on everyday experience, while Urban Radicals inject curiosity and collaboration into every scale of their practice, from intimate installations to civic-scale interventions.

With input from Shahed Saleem, Daisy Froud, Edoardo Tibuzzi (AKT II), Anoushka Rodda and Pali Palavathanan (Templo), the team brings deep expertise in architecture, cultural engagement, and engineering. Together, they aim to design interventions that are as thoughtful as they are bold, transforming the street into “a successful room for all.”

“We are interested in the multiplicity of places and the cultural layering which enables and makes a street ‘a successful room for all’. Whitechapel offers glimpses of this, as well as design challenges such as clutter, unclear organisation, and lack of clear identity.”

See more on the team:

GPAD x Beyond The Box x Love Design Studio x Shade the UK x Jason Bruges Studio x BD x Momentum

This creative collective merges design innovation with social purpose. Led by GPAD, the team spans architecture, landscape, lighting, sustainability, and movement, bringing together Beyond The Box’s community engagement expertise, Love Design Studio’s environmental design approach, Shade the UK’s resilience thinking, Jason Bruges Studio’s interactive lighting, BD’s award-winning landscape design, and Momentum’s specialist transport knowledge.

Their concept is driven by joy, inclusivity and collaboration, envisioning gateway spaces that not only celebrate Whitechapel’s heritage but also invite people to linger, connect and explore. Sustainability and co-design sit at the heart of their approach, shaping proposals that will feel distinctly of and for Whitechapel.

“Being shortlisted for the Whitechapel Gateway design competition is a chance to celebrate this unique place through joyful, community-rooted design. Our team combines co-design, resilient architecture, sustainable landscapes, and creative lighting to shape gateways that will welcome, connect, and reflect Whitechapel's unique spirit.”

See more on the team:

IF_DO × Alaa Alsaraji with Arup, Michael Grubb Studio & IF/Design Labs

This collaboration unites architecture and art in a dialogue about identity, belonging, and storytelling. Award-winning practice IF_DO joins forces with east London-based visual artist Alaa Alsaraji, combining architectural rigour with creative expression deeply rooted in the local community.

Working alongside Arup, Michael Grubb Studio and IF/Design Labs, the team draws on expertise in engineering, lighting and research to propose Connecting Thread, a concept inspired by Whitechapel’s diverse cultural fabric. Their vision uses art, light, and narrative to highlight the stories that weave this market together, transforming everyday journeys into moments of connection.

“Being shortlisted for this commission is incredibly exciting - Whitechapel Market deserves interventions that truly reflect its communities. Our ‘Connecting Thread’ will amplify the voices, stories and energy that already make this place extraordinary.”

See more on the team:

Layer. Studio with Studio Justine Fox + Will Sandy Design Studio

For Layer. Studio, Whitechapel is more than a site, it’s a community they are part of. Led by landscape architect Luc Jones, the team collaborates with colour psychologist and local resident Justine Fox and landscape architect and artist Will Sandy. Together they explore how colour, ecology, and materiality can foster positivity, connection and pride in place.

Their proposal, Gateways Designed by Whitechapel, champions co-design and lived experience, ensuring local voices shape both process and outcome. By blending playful environmental design with a sensitivity to wellbeing and local culture, the team aims to create gateways that feel distinctly rooted in Whitechapel’s creativity and humanity.

“Whitechapel has such a diverse community of people who live, work and visit the area, and we're proud to be part of it as both residents and practitioners. By putting local voices at the forefront, we have an opportunity to create gateways that celebrate the identity and creativity of this place.”

See more on the team:

Office S&M Architects and Hanna Benihoud Studio

Reuniting after their acclaimed collaboration at Holcombe Market in Haringey, Office S&M Architects and Hanna Benihoud Studio share a passion for design that delivers both joy and social value. Their practice blends bold architectural form with community-driven art, creating spaces that feel personal and alive.

For Whitechapel, the team will work closely with local businesses, residents, and visitors to ensure the design reflects the rhythm and colour of the market. Their approach captures the sensory “magic in the clutter” that defines Whitechapel, transforming it into a celebratory public realm that embraces the everyday energy of the area.

“We are thrilled to have been shortlisted! Whitechapel Market is a vibrant place with an intangible ‘magic’ in the clutter. We are excited to explore and capture the sensory experience of the market and translate it into something celebratory that embodies the essence of Whitechapel and its people.”

See more on the team:

Studio Loci

Studio Loci’s proposal brings together art, light, and landscape to tell the story of Whitechapel through its people and textures. Led by landscape architect Nigel Prince, the team includes artist and placemaking specialist Peter Fink, local artist Puer Deorum, cultural leader Maher Anjum (Oitij-jo Collective), poet Stephen Watts, and engineering firm Curtins, a uniquely rich collaboration bridging creativity and technical excellence.

Their concept explores Whitechapel’s layered histories through sculptural forms, material tactility and poetic storytelling. By working directly with local communities and artists, Studio Loci aims to create gateways that are both visually striking and emotionally resonant, contemporary landmarks that feel authentically of the East End.

“Our team brings together art, landscape, and storytelling to celebrate Whitechapel’s vibrancy. We’re inspired by its textures, languages, and cultures - this project is an opportunity to create welcoming thresholds that express the soul of the East End.”

See more on the team:

@studio.loci

A new chapter for Whitechapel

Each shortlisted team will receive an honorarium of £2,000 + VAT to develop their design proposals further, with concepts to be shared publicly in late 2025 for community feedback. The winning design will be announced in late 2025.

The judging panel brings together voices from Tower Hamlets Council, The Ninety Four Group, and NLA, alongside leading figures from the fields of art, design, and placemaking. Together, they will select a winning proposal that demonstrates creativity, inclusivity, and a deep understanding of Whitechapel’s unique character.

Part of the wider Whitechapel Road Improvements Programme, this project represents a significant opportunity to enhance the market’s identity and experience, creating distinctive gateway features that celebrate the area’s heritage, culture, and community life.

Further details on the shortlisted proposals and public exhibition will be announced later this year.