Foster + Partners has won an international competition to design the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II. In order to honor and celebrate Queen Elizabeth's remarkable life of service and give the public a place for introspection, the five finalist teams were requested to develop a masterplan.

By striking a balance between history and modernity, public responsibility and private religion, the United Kingdom and a global Commonwealth, Foster + Partners' winning architectural concept honors Queen Elizabeth's life throughout a period of significant change. Two gates, two gardens, connected by a bridge and a unifying path, are examples of how she combined these dualities in the design concept.

A new bridge, replacing the existing Blue Bridge, will feature a cast-glass balustrade that recalls Queen Elizabeth’s wedding tiara

A new Prince Philip Gate and figurative sculptures are part of Foster + Partners' design proposal. In order to provide areas for introspection and social interaction, it also has gardens that are devoted to the Commonwealth and the communities of the United Kingdom. Installations of art will honor the variety of the country. 

The Blue Bridge will be replaced by a new bridge with a cast-glass balustrade reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth's wedding tiara.

While it is being refined, this design concept may alter.

The design concept features gardens – dedicated to the Commonwealth and the communities of the United Kingdom – to create spaces for reflection and coming together

Foster + Partners' design, which achieved a balance between formal and informal components, was found remarkable by the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee's selection panel. It has the potential to create an engaging monument that will last for years to come. 

The panel also praised Foster + Partners' technical proficiency, artistic vision, spatial awareness, and consideration for the memorial's site.

Renowned landscape designer Michel Desvigne and artist Yinka Shonibare are on the winning team.

Foster + Partners’ design concept features figurative sculptures

"It is an honour and a privilege for our team to be awarded this project. Her Majesty loved history and tradition, so this is reflected in the inspiration of the original design of St James’s Park by Sir John Nash. 

Some of his principles have survived, whilst others have been lost and will be restored, creating a family of gardens joined by gently meandering paths," said Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners Norman Foster. 

"I knew The Queen on formal occasions but also enjoyed her informality when attending events as a member of the Order of Merit. We have sought to reflect these qualities of the formal and informal in our design, with an appeal across a wide range of ages and interests." 

Foster + Partners’ design concept features figurative sculptures

"To these ends, we have discreetly stretched the boundaries of art and technology with a deliberately gentle intervention. Our design will have the minimum impact on the nature and biodiversity of the Park and it will be phased to ensure that the precious route across it will never be closed," Foster added.

"At the heart of our masterplan is a translucent bridge symbolic of Her Majesty as a unifying force, bringing together nations, countries, the Commonwealth, charities and the armed forces," he explained.

Foster + Partners’ design concept features figurative sculptures

The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee will now work closely with Foster + Partners to develop its original proposal. Together, they will choose a sculptor to create the memorial's figurative element. Later this year, the Committee will reveal the sculptor. 

Foster + Partners’ design concept features figurative sculptures

St. James's Park, a historically and constitutionally significant region with a personal connection to Queen Elizabeth II, will house the memorial. 

It will encompass a section of the park next to Bird Cage Walk and The Mall at Marlborough Gate, and it will replace the current bridge connecting the two with a new one.

A new bridge, replacing the existing Blue Bridge, will feature a cast-glass balustrade that recalls Queen Elizabeth’s wedding tiara

In April 2026, the year that would have marked Queen Elizabeth's 100th birthday, the final design will be formally unveiled along with a legacy package.

A new bridge, replacing the existing Blue Bridge, will feature a cast-glass balustrade that recalls Queen Elizabeth’s wedding tiara

A new bridge, replacing the existing Blue Bridge, will feature a cast-glass balustrade that recalls Queen Elizabeth’s wedding tiara

Plan view of the Queen Elizabeth II National Memorial

The four runner-up design teams, listed in alphabetical order by the lead consultant, are as follows: Heatherwick Studio, in collaboration with Halima Cassell, MRG Studio, Arup - J&L Gibbons and Michael Levine RDI3, William Matthews Associates, Structure Workshop, and Arup - Tom Stuart-Smith, working with Jamie Fobert Architects, Adam Lowe (Factum Arte), and Structure Workshop -  WilkinsonEyre, alongside Lisa Vandy, Fiona Clark, Andy Sturgeon Design, Atelier One, and Hilson Moran.

Foster + Partners is a global design practice specializing in architecture, infrastructure, and products, led by Norman Foster. Since its founding in 1967, sustainability has been central to its design philosophy.

The top image in the article: Artistic installations will celebrate the nation’s diversity.

All renderings © Foster + Partners.

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