The crest of a wave - new flood wall scoops regional design award
The company behind the design of the West Kirby flood wall has scooped an award at a prestigious local awards ceremony.
AECOM’s work on the scheme led them to picking up the award for Best Landscape Project at the Merseyside Civic Design Awards, which took place at the Arts Bar in Liverpool at the end of November.
The awards focus on high quality projects that enhance people’s ‘shared experience of the places that surround us’. Any project completed between 1st August 2018 and 31st July 2023 within Liverpool City Region was eligible for nomination by members of the public, and the judgement was made by an independent panel who assessed shortlisted projects in October.
The judges award to AECOM for West Kirby Flood Alleviation Scheme cited their reasoning as follows:-
“As a flood defence scheme, the structure is required to fulfil some heavy-duty functions and in less imaginative hands could have been delivered as an uninspired piece of infrastructure that was more of a barrier to people than an asset to the waterfront. Instead, the barrier forms attractive and playful seating along the promenade. Allowing people to rest regularly if tired, or just to enjoy the view and an ice cream, is a simple thing, but well executed here with interesting detailing that adds to the visual interest. A strong, witty, and appropriately joyful intervention at the water’s edge.”
Congratulations to AECOM for this award, which recognises the innovative way they designed the West Kirby flood wall scheme. Praise should also be extended to the wider project team, including council officers and, of course, Volkerstevin for their work on the construction.
The ‘wave’ shape and other aspects of the final scheme, including materials and colour, were chosen as a result of direct involvement from local people in the consultation process, so they are also to be congratulated as their ideas ultimately provided the inspiration for the design.
