Images unveil: Five unique options selected for Queen Elizabeth II national commemorative structure
Get ready to have your say! The final five designs for the national memorial to honor Queen Elizabeth II have been unveiled. Each design offers a unique take on a permanent tribute to the UK's longest-reigning monarch. Here's a rundown of what each of these inspiring designs has in store:
1. The Tranquil Family of Royal Gardens
Architects Foster + Partners, artist Yinka Shonibare, ecologist Professor Nigel Dunnett, and landscape architect Michel Desvigne Paysagiste join forces in this design to create a tranquil family of royal gardens inspired by John Nash's original landscape in St James's Park.
These gardens, linked by a natural stone tessellated path, will feature a statue of the Queen alongside her beloved Philip on Birdcage Walk, a wind sculpture for reflection, audio installations of the Queen's voice, a digital conservatory, and a Unity Bridge.
2. Bridge of Togetherness
Heatherwick Studio, along with sculptor and ceramicist Halima Cassell, MRG Studio, Webb Yates, and Arup, presents the Bridge of Togetherness concept. This memorial walk, inspired by the idea of togetherness, features 70 lily pads stepping stones, symbolizing each year of the Queen's 70-year reign.
At the center of the bridge, a limestone sculpture of the late Queen will be protected by a giant canopy of eight carved sculptural lily pads. The stone chosen for the sculpture will "age with dignity."
3. The Innovative Stone Bridge
J&L Gibbons, with production designer Michael Levine, and William Matthews Associates bring to the table an innovative stone bridge concept. This design features a cascade of water onto the lake, representing the late Queen as the bedrock of the nation.
The bridge aims to capture a "meandering flow of geology" and invites "forest bathing in the heart of the city," with glades that add color and blossoming to the route.
4. The Queen's Oak
Tom Stuart-Smith, Jamie Fobert Architects, and artist Adam Lowe of Factum Are propose a design that centers around an exact cast of an awe-inspiring oak from Windsor Great Park. This cast will symbolize the late Queen's strength and endurance and stand on a plinth in the lake.
The tree will be surrounded by a memorial path featuring bronze casts of significant objects from the late Queen's life and a "sonic soundscape" of memories from those she impacted.
5. Interwoven Pathways
WilkinsonEyre, with artists Lisa Vandy and Fiona Clarke, propose an elegant design that includes a thread of pathways and landscapes woven through the natural fabric of St James's Park. The thread emphasizes seven themes of the late Queen's life - reign, faith, the Commonwealth, values, nature, family, and Prince Philip.
Don't miss your chance to have your voice heard! Check out the designs and offer your feedback by May 19, 2025. The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee will consider all public feedback before making their final decision. Remember, the winning design is expected to be revealed in 2026 as it would have been the late Queen's 100th birthday year.
Make sure to cast your vote and share your thoughts on these remarkable design concepts!
In 2026, expect the unveiling of the chosen design for the Queen Elizabeth II National Memorial in London, selected from the five shortlisted designs. One such design, entwined throughout St James' Park, features celebrity artists Lisa Vandy and Fiona Clarke's 'Interwoven Pathways' - a thread of pathways and landscapes symbolizing seven key aspects of the Queen's life. Meanwhile, Heatherwick Studio's 'Bridge of Togetherness' showcases a limestone sculpture of the Queen, protected by a canopy of woven lily pads, representing each year of her 70-year reign. Furthermore, the 'Queen's Oak' design proposes a cast of a magnificent oak tree from Windsor Great Park, surrounded by significant objects from the Queen's life and a "sonic soundscape" of memories.
