The Wall of Answered Prayer moves into its next phase after Snug Architects were announced as the winners of a global competition to choose the design for the major new landmark being erected near Birmingham.
Snug Architects were selected from among over 130 architectural firms following a competition spanning three years and overseen by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
The Wall of Answered Prayer is being erected in an effort to celebrate the UK's Christian heritage while also encouraging the nation to pray.
It features a million bricks, each representing an answered prayer and will be complemented by state of the art technology allowing visitors to use their phones to read the answered prayer that each brick corresponds to.
The winning design is a beautiful interpretation of a Mobius strip - a seemingly continuous surface - and was chosen for its innovative approach of incorporating the visitor centre within the installation.
Paul Bulkeley, Design Director at Snug Architects, said he was excited to be working on such a "ground-breaking project".
"It is an honour to have been chosen to design and deliver this project of national significance," he said.
Land for the structure has been donated by the Edmiston family at Coleshill Manor on the edge of Birmingham, between the M6, M42 and HS2.
The team hope to have the structure completed in time for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
CEO of The Wall of Answered Prayer, Richard Gamble, said the project had been an "incredible journey of prayer".
"This 15-year-old vision is now becoming reality," he said.
"I'm chuffed to bits with the design which handled perfectly the challenge of creating intrigue when being seen from afar, yet provides a truly interactive journey for those who visit.
"We want to create an iconic structure the nation will not only be proud of but find inspirational – it will be a landmark of hope."
The Wall team hope the landmark will be as popular as the Angel of the North and attract anywhere between 150,000 and 200,000 visitors to the landmark each year, generating over £500m in the first 10 years for the local economy.
Steve Maxey, Acting Chief Exec, North Warwickshire County Council said: "We are greatly excited by this project – I strongly believe it will come to be as loved by people locally and nationally as the Angel of the North, and brilliantly complements our work on improving mental health and wellbeing."
Archbishop Bernard Longley, said The Wall of Answered Prayer was an "exciting project".
"I hope that all those who visit it will find some space and inspiration to consider the value of prayer in their lives. The local Catholic community looks forward to playing its part in supporting this work so that together we can leave a legacy of faith for generations to come," he said.
Paul Manwaring, senior leader of Bethel and Europe Shall be Saved said: "This project to build a wall declaring the testimonies of Jesus, not in Bible times or other countries but here in the UK is one of the most exciting, brave and adventurous building projects of our times. 'If walls could talk.' Well this one will, and it will tell of the wonders of our God."
