Eternal Wall of Answered Prayers
Snug Architects has won the international design competition for a groundbreaking national “landmark of hope” to be located at the center of the UK.
The “Wall of Answered Prayer” (The Wall) is the vision of Richard Gamble, former chaplain of Leicester City Football Club, to build a colossal national landmark of hope.
Richard’s idea was to provoke an ongoing conversation around the purpose and value of prayer. This message will be physically realized by one million bricks – with each and every brick telling a unique story – symbolizing the Christian belief that Jesus lives, listens, and answers prayer.
The sheer scale of The Wall, in a prominent location, will place the landmark and its message at the forefront of the nation’s consciousness for generations to come.
Described as a visionary, thought-provoking initiative, instigated by a group of Christians from across the UK, ‘The Wall’ is to be a lasting monument, a piece of public art which incorporates the client’s requirement for a million bricks – each representing an individual story of hope and faith – to feature in the design. The 50-meter-high arching structure will dominate the landscape, situated on a strategic 10-acre site between the M6 and M42 motorways and HS2 (a new high-speed rail line) where it is expected to be seen by more than 500,000 people every week.
The winning submission was commended for its unique interpretation of the brief and appropriately challenging design, featuring dynamic geometry and a stunning representation of a möbius strip – a non-orientable surface which seemingly has no beginning and no end. It is hoped that The Wall will be completed in time to launch alongside the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
