The winning bid was put forward by Rick Mather in conjunction with Grant Associates, Eckersley O'Callaghan, Mott MacDonald and DHA Lighting.

Lancaster University was seeking to select a multi-disciplinary team with innovative design skills to redevelop the Spine and transform it into an "inspirational space where people learn, work, live and socialise". The Rick Mather Architects team was selected from a five strong shortlist that also included Gustafson Porter; Land Use Consultants; Shepheard Epstein Hunter and White Arkitekter.

Rick Mather Architects' plans involve "re-defining the Spine as a necklace thoroughfare with enlivened building frontages, and a series of characterful connecting spaces with diagonal relationships to knit the campus together". The selection was made through RIBA Competitions. Mark Swindlehurst, director of facilities at Lancaster University, said:

"Rick Mather Architects' submission demonstrated a convincing intellectual process, with a good logic to the proposed phasing to test design strategies and help minimise disruption to campus life. We very much look forward to working with the RMA team to develop the ideas presented."