Could redesigning parliament end the Brexit deadlock?

As corporate UK and the public continue to be left flummoxed about what is actually going on with our impending exit from the European Union, Axiom Architects has posed the question of whether rethinking the design of parliament could help end the current political deadlock. With politicians seemingly unable to find progress, could the built environment have the answer? Questioning whether the architecture of parliament is fit for purpose and whether it could be to blame for the UK’s fractured politics, Axiom has come up with some fresh designs for the Grade I listed Palace of Westminster to open up the buildings and create a more collaborative work environment. [gallery type="slideshow" size="full" link="none" ids="974736,974737,974735,974738,974739"] The designs directly contrast the current adversarial set-up of parliament, using a bespoke parametric glass structure to maximise openness and transparency, and imagining new uses for Big Ben and Victoria Tower. The current debating chamber is configured with opposing sides facing one another; the building uses dark timber panelling and has no natural light or view to or from the outside. Axiom’s new Central Assembly Hall is large and circular, promoting collaborative, as opposed to confrontational, debate. Big Ben has been repurposed as a modern communications tower, with digital screens displaying news updates about what’s going on inside Westminster. The design would enable correspondents to report from directly inside the tower, emphasising the focus on open communication. Victoria Tower – currently the Queen’s entrance – has been repurposed into flexible co-working and co-living spaces for the media and members of parliament to use. On the north side there are flexible offices leading out to the Thames. Each tower has an inclusive, flexible working environment. There are also garden public amenity areas – quieter quads for times of reflection and smaller group meetings. Axiom partner James Mitchell said: “At the moment, the buildings are shrouded by high walls and are totally impenetrable. Our designs seek to make the buildings as permeable and accessible as possible. We want to encourage collaboration and openness, rather than division and conflict – which are exactly the qualities we need in this increasingly uncertain political climate. “We feel that our modern definition of democracy is not reflected in the current architecture of London’s parliament buildings. There’s no doubt that the built environment affects the culture of a society, so the architecture of Westminster surely sets the tone for our nation’s politics. With its nooks, crannies and antagonistic layout for debate, Westminster encourages secrecy, tension and conflict in politics.” He adds: “Our reimagining of parliament is a response to the archaic arrangement of the current buildings and spaces – an attempt to burst the Westminster bubble. There’s a reason people call it a bubble and we believe the architecture is part of the problem. “Our designs are in total contrast to the rigid solid walls of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, which have no natural light and huge, seemingly impenetrable doors. These buildings obviously served a purpose at one point, but do they now encourage the transparency we need in government?” While Axiom’s designs for the Palace of Westminster are obviously pie in the sky, Westminster is due to undergo a £3.5bn refurbishment from 2025 that will see MPs relocated for at least six years and they do raise a serious question about the role of the real estate community in building an environment for positive human engagement. What role do you think the built environment has to play in they way that humans engage and politicians and businesses make decisions? Should the Palace of Westminster be entirely redesigned to force better collaboration between political parties? Which other UK or global structural icons are no longer fit for purpose? E-mail samantha.mcclary@egi.co.uk or tweet us @estatesgazette with your suggestions.