ETERNAL WALL OF ANSWERED PRAYER IS GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT
Snug Architects, is en route to delivering one of the UK’s most noteworthy buildings after our design for a new national landmark, Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer got the green light to be built in the centre of the nation.
Snug won a global competition run by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2019 after our concept of a gigantic, never-ending Möbius strip; a surface which seemingly has no beginning or end, won top spot in an international field of 133 entries from 28 countries.
Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer will be built on a site near Birmingham, and will be one of the world’s largest crowd-created collaborative projects in the world, digitally linking every single one of its one million bricks to a personal story of answered prayer submitted from individuals all across the UK. Using interactive technology and a bespoke app, visitors will be able to use their smart device, holding it against any brick to read the specific answered prayer story behind each one.
The huge Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer will eclipse the Angel of the North, standing 169ft high. It is expected to attract 300,000 visitors each year, contributing £9.3 million to the Warwickshire economy.
"It’s an incredibly ambitious, stunning project… in terms of a real statement, a landmark for the Midlands, I think it’s an incredibly progressive, ambitious piece of architecture."
Andy Street, Mayor of West Midlands
Snug's design director, Paul Bulkeley says:
“As I’ve been part of the journey, I’ve realised that this monument will not only be awe-inspiring as a piece of public art, but I”m also convinced it will be loved as an iconic landmark of hope communicating the value of prayer to the visual and interactive age in the 21st century. I am delighted to be part of such a ground-breaking Christian venture and look forward to seeing the design now become a reality.”
After North Warwickshire Borough Council granted planning permission, the Secretary of State ratified the decision, giving Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer the go ahead to start construction. The projects CEO, Richard Gamble, the former chaplain of Leicester City Football Club, is the visionary behind the monumental project.
Gamble says: “It’s been 16 years since the idea was first born. To finally receive the official consent is incredible. We are building a very special landmark and it is an amazing opportunity for the British people to leave a legacy of hope for future generations. Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer will make hope visible to the UK. The unique thing about the project is that it’s all about the community: it’s crowdfunded and a million people will come together to crowd-create this incredible piece of art with their stories of hope. What we're doing is historic.”
It is anticipated that Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer will create 60 new jobs during its two year construction phase from 2021, thereafter providing 20 full-time positions for employees to work for the charity in the visitor centre, café, bookstore and a 24 hour on-site chaplaincy support service. It is also estimated that the monument will generate an additional gross social value of £1.4 billion, including £430 million in charitable donations.
Gamble continues: “We want to celebrate and remember the prayers that God has answered for individuals throughout our nation’s history. Each answered prayer could provide hope to those who visit. Our desire is to create thought-provoking public art and offer a space for recreation and reflection for everyone. Our hope is that those who visit will see how God can bring peace in life’s storms and be encouraged to think about the power and relevance of prayer. One individual’s answered prayer can be another person’s hope.”
Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2021 with completion in Autumn 2022.
Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer is looking to gather one million answers to prayer. To ensure every city and region in the UK is represented in this incredible project, they need 2,016 answered prayers from the New Forest area of Hampshire. Share yours by going to www.eternalwall.org.uk/testimony
For more information, interviews or comment, please contact Tamara Thompson at Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer. E: tamara@eternalwall.org.ukT: 07579069063
For more information about Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer please visit:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eternalwalluk
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"I think it will make a big impact on our national consciousness. It’s a reflection that many, many people in Britain as well as in our history, have experienced answered prayer…"
Stephen Timms MP