In January the City of London Corporation dropped plans to create a state of the art Centre for Music after the Government made a U-turn on supporting the project. This left the plans for the £278 million venue in limbo. Luckily they were resurrected earlier in May. The search for an architect for the project is now under way.

The tender note for the project calls for a competition to help select the best design. The architect that wins the commission will draw up plans for the venue, ensuring it becomes one of the leading properties in London for acoustic and visual excellence.

The site for the new building is 140-150 London Wall; the current home of the Museum of London. This will be moving from the 1976 property to a new site in West-Smithfield. The venue that replaces it will have to be inspiring and innovative.

The project is a joint partnership between the Barbican (it occupies the adjacent site), the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Upon the reveal of the design competition they commented that they were looking for the most outstanding team of architects. The winner will be asked to design a brand new landmark property that will become a piece of the cultural heritage of the area, inspiring future generations in the process.

The competition is open to the most exceptional companies and individuals from all around the world. Whether it is an architect in London or one with a background in the musical field from overseas, all designs will be given equal consideration.

To take part in the competition interested parties must complete and submit a questionnaire that showcases their experience and the approach they would take to the project. Up to six will then be shortlisted and given £10,000 in funds to create a detailed submission. The winner could earn millions in fees from the project.

This certainly is an exciting project and one every architect in London should consider pursuing. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.