norman foster has presented plans for a transparent parliament building in london that would be used while the palace of westminster undergoes restoration work. the temporary structure, which is expected to cost around £300 million ($390m USD), would be built on horse guards parade, in close proximity to the existing site. the palace of westminster, informally known as ‘the houses of parliament’, is set to close in 2025 for major repairs. it is expected that a replacement structure would be required for at least six years.

norman foster plans pop-up parliament building for london
the palace of westminster is the current meeting place for the house of commons and the house of lords
image by shane rounce/unsplash | main image courtesy of delancey foster/the times

 

 

according to the times, foster, who originally submitted the scheme three years ago, was asked to resubmit the plans by the body in charge of restoring the palace of westminster. ‘it saves a huge amount of money and time and is reusable,’ norman foster told the times. ‘it showcases what we can produce as a nation. everyone regards the relocation of parliament as a huge problem, but it also presents an incredible opportunity and I can’t see any downsides to our proposal.’

 

it is estimated that the pop-up proposal could be constructed in 28 months, and could be dismantled and relocated once MPs return to the palace of westminster. other projects that norman foster and his team have designed for london include the ‘world’s most sustainable office building’ and a tulip-shaped tower conceived as a cultural and tourist destination.