Four leading international architecture and engineering firms have today been appointed to design stations for the first phase of the UK’s planned high-speed railway, HS2.
WSP, Grimshaw, Arup and Wilkinson Eyre, will team up in various combinations to deliver four new stations in London, Birmingham and Solihull in what the government is calling the "biggest station-building programme since Victorian era" ahead of HS2’s planned start of operations in 2026.
Also today, shortlists of bidders were revealed to build HS2’s two London stations, a revamped Euston Station and Old Oak Common, together worth approximately £3bn.
These bidders comprise five multinational joint ventures, and the American giant Bechtel, standing alone.
On station design, HS2 Ltd., the government body delivering HS2, today revealed that the following designers will develop detailed plans for the four stations due to open in 2026:
- Birmingham Curzon Street: WSP UK Limited (working with Grimshaw Architects LLP);
- Birmingham Interchange: Ove Arup & Partners International Limited (working with Arup Associates and Wilkinson Eyre Architects Limited);
- Old Oak Common: WSP UK Limited (working with Wilkinson Eyre Architects Limited);
- London Euston: Ove Arup & Partners International Limited (working with Grimshaw Architects LLP).
For the London stations construction contracts, HS2 Ltd. today confirmed that the following bidders have been invited to tender:
– London Euston (estimated to cost £1.65bn):
- Costain/Skanska Construction UK;
- Mace/Dragados;
- Bechtel;
- BAM Nuttall/Ferrovial Agroman UK;
- Canary Wharf Contractors Limited/MTR Corporation (UK) Limited/Laing O’Rourke Construction Limited
– Old Oak Common (estimated to cost £1.3bn)
- Balfour Beatty/Vinci Construction UK/Vinci Construction Grands Projets, SAS/Systra;
- Mace/Dragados;
- Bechtel;
- BAM Nuttall/Ferrovial Agroman UK.
HS2 Ltd Chief Executive, Mark Thurston said: "Our new stations in London and Birmingham will be at the heart of the first phase of the project, increasing capacity, improving journeys and helping to unlock opportunities for tens of thousands of new jobs and homes around what will be four new landmark buildings."
"The new HS2 stations will be designed with input from local communities, using best practice principles from stations around the world, and guidelines and specifications endorsed by an independent panel of leading architects and designers."
Image: Artist’s render of the new London Euston HS2 terminal (HS2 Ltd)
