The judging panel faced a huge challenge to assess 234 entries. Light sculptures. A UFO film. Windmills. Underwater tunnels. There were no restrictions on the imagination of entrants or who could enter. It didn’t have to be a building. Pieces of music or virtual landmarks were all judged by the same criteria.

The competition brief asked for ideas that would be:

• sustainable
• have a positive impact on the local environment
• unique or distinctive
• representative of the region’s qualities (for example, its heritage, role in renewable energy, the fens, waterways, its cultural achievements)
• something people could be proud of. 

So the judges needed to get to grips with a wide range of ideas, technologies and designs before arriving at the shortlist. Twelve projects were originally shortlisted, at which point opinions were sought from people across the region. Two members of the public were appointed to the final judging panel from the BBC focus group.

 Ultimately, choosing three winners (as planned) from the initial shortlist proved impossible. “We decided to choose four ideas because they were all so strong,” said Anthea Case, chair of the judging panel. “The winning ideas demonstrated they have the potential to be major landmarks the people of the East of England could be really proud of.”

The four ‘winning‘ ideas have been awarded funding for feasibility studies which were commissioned at the end of 2004.

The judging panel

Anthea Case – chair of judging panel, former Chief Executive of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Board Member of Living East (the Regional Cultural Consortium), a Member of the Regional Assembly and a member of the National Trust's East of England Committee.

Tim Bishop – head of regional and local programming for BBC East.

Helaine Blumenfeld – sculptor, fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors and served on the Visual Arts Panel of the Arts Council of Great Britain.

Professor Sir David King - chief scientific advisor to the government, office of science and technology.

Alex Lifschutz – director of architects Lifschutz Davidson and an elected member of the Architectural Association Council.

Simon Loftus - chairman of the Southwold brewers Adnams and on the Council of Aldeburgh Festival.

Bill Macnaught – Head of cultural development, Gateshead Council.

Anne Marks – member of the public elected by participants at the BBC focus group

David Marlow – Chief Executive, EEDA.

Charlie Nightingale – member of the public elected by participants at the BBC focus group

Yasmin Shariff – EEDA board member, chair of landmark east steering group and a chartered architect.

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