Revealed: Shortlist of 4 design ideas to replace Old Street roundabout

Old Street could get weird.

Islington Council today announced a judging panel’s favourite four design ideas to replace Old Street’s 1960s roundabout, which will be dug up next year.

Where these designs are strange – two of them look like spaceships – sadly some of the more insane proposals have been ruled out.

As reported by the Gazette last month, two of the designs on the initial 39-strong longlist included a copy of Stonehenge and the UK’s second tallest building – with a public park on the roof. The 39 architects had responded to Islington’s “open call” for ideas.

However, there is no guarantee the panel – made up of tech leaders, councillors and transport consultants – will adopt any of the shortlisted designs. The council is holding a separate formal tender process to develop “feasible, affordable” designs, but the shortlist could be used to inform this.

The council’s main aim is to remove the “outdated, intimidating roundabout and create a safer, more pleasant layout for people”.

Changes will include segregated cycle lanes, low-level cycle signals, new surface-level pedestrian crossings, two new Old Street station entrances and the reintroduction of two-way traffic.