A TOTTON man is set to become one of the UK’s most noteworthy architects for his design for a new national landmark.

Paul Bulkeley has been given the green light for his design to be built in the centre of the country.

Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer is a gigantic, Möbius strip; a surface which appears to have no beginning or end.

Paul won a global competition run by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2019.

His concept gained him the top spot in an international field of 133 entries from 28 countries.

Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer will be built near Birmingham and “will be one of the world’s largest collaborative projects in the world”.

Each one of its one million bricks links digitally to a personal story of an answered prayer made by people all across the UK.

Using interactive technology and an app, visitors will be able to use their phones to read the answered prayer story behind each brick.

The huge Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer will reportedly eclipse the Angel of the North, to stand at 169ft high. it is expected to attract 300,000 visitors each year, contributing £9.3 million to the Warwickshire economy.

Paul founded “award-winning professional practice” Snug Architects in Winchester in 2003 before moving to Totton near Southampton in 2016.

He said: “As I’ve been part of the journey, I’ve realised that this monument will not only be awe-inspiring as a piece of public art but I”m also convinced it will be loved as an iconic landmark of hope communicating the value of prayer to the visual and interactive age in the 21st century. I am delighted to be part of such a ground-breaking Christian venture and look forward to seeing the design now become a reality.”

Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2021 with completion in Autumn 2022.

The project needs 2,578 answered prayers from Southampton, and 14,306 from Hampshire. For more information visit the Eternal Wall website.