Whitechapel Market (Photo credit: Luke O'Donovan)
A new design competition to create bold ‘welcome’ features for London’s famous Whitechapel Market has been launched on 20th June 2025. Open to architects, landscape architects, designers and artists, the competition has been launched by Tower Hamlets Council, NLA and Ninety Four Group.
This exciting open call seeks innovative designs that create striking ‘gateway’ features at key entry points along Whitechapel Road to celebrate and enhance Whitechapel Market, welcome residents and visitors, and reflect the vibrancy and diversity of the local community. Recently named as ‘Best Large Outdoor Market’ at the Great British Market Awards, this competition aims to further the outdoor space and develop the area even further.
Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman said: "Whitechapel Road has always been a major destination in Tower Hamlets and this iconic, award-winning market is at its heart. We want to celebrate the area, the market and its local community and encourage more people to shop, eat and visit.
“This is an exciting competition for creative professionals to showcase the spirit of Whitechapel through their designs, and I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with. I would especially like to see submissions from local designers and encourage them to take this opportunity."
Design for Diversity, Identity and Public Life
Entrants are invited to develop proposals that bring new visual focal points to the market’s west, east, and station entrances – creating a stronger sense of arrival, identity, and pride in place. The brief calls for permanent installations that are imaginative, inclusive, and representative of Whitechapel’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
Up to six teams will be shortlisted in July 2025 and awarded an honorarium of £2,000 + VAT each to develop their designs further. Shortlisted proposals will be exhibited publicly in early autumn 2025 to gather community feedback, with the winning team announced in September. The final design will be delivered for installation in summer 2026 to coincide with the London Festival of Architecture.
Celebrating Local Identity and Design Excellence
With Whitechapel Market undergoing a wider transformation as part of the Whitechapel Road Improvements Programme, this competition offers a timely opportunity to shape the area’s future. Proposals are expected to align with Tower Hamlets Council’s ambitions for improved accessibility, wayfinding, and public realm, while offering a platform for creative expression rooted in local identity.
This commission forms part of NLA’s commitment to supporting high-quality design, public participation, and the long-term resilience of London’s built environment.
Rosa Rogina, Head of Collaborate at NLA, said: “Whitechapel is one of London’s most distinctive and dynamic neighbourhoods – a place layered with history, culture and community spirit. We’re inviting designers to think boldly about how the public realm can celebrate and amplify that identity. This is an opportunity to create powerful visual markers that not only improve the experience of arriving in Whitechapel, but also champion its people, stories and future. We look forward to seeing imaginative proposals that are rooted in place, inclusive by design, and built to last.”
Adam Green, Founder at NFG, said: “At the heart of this initiative is a commitment to reimagining Whitechapel Market’s gateways as vibrant, inclusive landmarks that celebrate the area’s cultural richness. Through artistic design and close collaboration with the community, we aim to create welcoming spaces that reflect local identity, support social connection, and enhance the everyday experience for residents, traders, and visitors. We’re incredibly excited to bring this vision to life and deliver a project that honours Whitechapel’s unique spirit while shaping a more connected and expressive public realm.”
Submission Details
The competition is open to architects, designers, artists, and other creatives. Collaborations are encouraged – particularly those involving local organisations or underrepresented groups.
The deadline for first stage submissions is 12:00 on Thursday 24 July 2025.
Full competition details are available at the below links:
- FTS link here: HAR6080 Gateways to Whitechapel Market - Find a Tender
- ProContract link here: HAR6080 Gateways to Whitechapel Market
#WhitechapelGateways
Posted on Monday 23rd June 2025