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CNN Live Today

Team Chosen to Design Permanent Memorial to Princess Diana

Aired July 31, 2002 - 11:13   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It's been nearly five years, if you can believe that, since the death of Princess Diana, and now a team has finally been chosen to design her permanent memorial. A firm led by an American landscape architect was picked today to create a public fountain in memory of the people's princess, but it is an American firm.

The story now from ITN reporter Romaly Weeks (ph).

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROMALY WEEKS (ph), ITN REPORTER: The banks of the Serpentine in London's Hyde Park, as they are now, and the outline of the design chosen to transform them into a lasting memorial to Princess Diana. The oval water future, shallow enough for children to paddle in, was designed by American architect Katherine Gustafson and her London partner Neil Porter.

NEIL PORTER, GUSTAFSON PORTER: The idea of the oval ring was that it welcomed people into its heart. That would also relate very specifically to Diana and her relationship with people.

WEEKS (ph): Back in 1999, it was decided that some sort of fountain would be the best way to commemorate the princess. But after months of wrangling, the memorial committee could not decide between two short-listed designers, and the Cultural Secretary Tessa Jowell had to step in.

TESSA JOWELL, CULTURE SECRETARY: It's very easy to understand why the committee became deadlocked in the way they did. But at the end of the day, it was the Gustafson Porter design that met the very clear criteria, in relation to innovation, flare, but also the capacity of the team to deliver.

WEEKS (ph): The winning design is still at a concept stage, but it has to be finalized quickly. The government has promised the memorial will be finished by August of next year, in time for the sixth anniversary of Diana's death.

Romaly Weeks, ITV News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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