The studios selected from the 28 applications received are Curl la Tourelle Head Architecture, Freehaus, George King Architects with Grow to Know, New South, and Office Sian.
The Memorial Commission, which is made up of representatives of the bereaved, survivors and local residents, said that due diligence checks were carried out to ensure none of the companies or people potentially working on the project bear any responsibility for the fire that killed 72 people in June 2017.
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The bereaved families, survivors and the immediate community living close to Grenfell Tower have been informed about the shortlist, the Memorial Commission added.
The selection of the final architecture firm is expected in the summer of 2025.
Next steps
Over the next six months, the five studios shortlisted will go through a second round of evaluation, which includes meetings with bereaved families, survivors and the immediate community that lives close to Grenfell Tower.
The architects will be asked to demonstrate their relevant professional and specialist expertise including architecture, landscape architecture, and structural and mechanical engineering. They must also show strong experience of working collaboratively with communities.
In November 2023, the Memorial Commission published a report detailing the Grenfell community’s wishes for a permanent memorial. This was followed by an international selection process in July 2024. In its guiding design principles, the Memorial Commission said that “the primary aim is to create a respectful, bold, lasting and sustainable memorial that honours those that lost their lives”.
Thelma Stober and Lord Paul Boateng, co-chairs of the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission, said: “We have given our word, from the outset, that the voices of the entire Grenfell community must take priority in the memorial decision-making process, both now and in the future.
“We hope that bereaved families, survivors and those living close to Grenfell Tower, will feel able to participate in the selection of a design team and, later on, contribute to the co-design of the memorial, in whichever way feels appropriate and meaningful for them. This will ensure that the final design embodies a profound tribute to the 72 lives lost and provides a lasting place for loved ones to pay their respects, mourn, and feel connected to their memories.”
