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Opportunities Hub: Commissions worth the bidding

Words:
Julie Butterworth

Revamp a theatre and performance space, design a building to showcase Finnish architecture and design or reimagine a London museum: these are some of the latest architecture contracts and competitions from across the industry

For updates on the latest competitions, contests and contracts follow us on twitter #ribajopportunities @RIBAJ

 

Main high street, Fleet Hampshire. The Harlington venue lies to the south.
Main high street, Fleet Hampshire. The Harlington venue lies to the south. Credit: BasPhoto / Shutterstock

Contract

HARLINGTON REFURBISHMENT, FLEET

Architect sought for £9.5m remodel of Hampshire performance venue

Deadline: 5pm, 17 May 2024

Fleet Town Council is looking for an architect-led team to overhaul The Harlington, a live performance and community space in the town centre.

Fleet lies 38 miles south-west of London in the Hart District of Hampshire. It is known for architect William Burges’ grade II listed and recently restored 1860s All Saints Church and its high street of Victorian and Edwardian buildings.

The Harlington and the adjacent library opened as a civic complex in 1972. Facilities include a main hall, two function rooms, offices, general public areas and accommodation for council and voluntary functions. The main hall is used as a badminton hall, dance hall, a theatre, conference room, an exhibition space and a general space for public hire.

 

According to the brief, ‘the venue is dated and has outgrown its current facilities. New facilities are needed for both the present and for growth… it is not simply a matter of providing better facilities for the same output, but of providing a venue to increase and improve the social, cultural and entertainment opportunities for the community’.

Works will include the refurbishment of the existing building, replacement of all mechanical and electrical installations, a revamped theatre facility with balcony and retractable seating and potentially a new studio theatre extension for smaller public events. Evaluation criteria: 70 per cent quality; 30 per cent price. Total development cost is £9.5 million.

Procedure Open procedure with standard selection questionnaire. Top three tenderers will be called for interview.

Requirements Examples of three refurbishment works for theatres or performing arts and community buildings.

Location Fleet, Hampshire.

Other dates Open day and guided site tour, 11am, 30 April 2024. Contract, 10 June 2024 to 10 June 2025.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Rochelle Halliday, Fleet Town Council, 01252 625246, executive.officer@fleet-tc.gov.uk


 

The site for the new museum at Helsinki’s South Harbour.
The site for the new museum at Helsinki’s South Harbour. Credit: Sami Saastamoinen

Project competition

FINNISH MUSEUM OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN, HELSINKI

Open call for innovative new building design to house Museum of Finnish Architecture and the Design Museum, Helsinki

Stage 1 deadline: 29 August 2024

Finnish real estate company ADM and the City of Helsinki have launched an open international competition to find a design team for a new museum building.

The project, planned to complete in 2030, will house the city’s existing architecture and design museums, which merged earlier this year.

The new Architecture and Design Museum will occupy a vacant former dockside in a UNESCO World Heritage Site buffer zone close to Helsinki’s 18th-century Suomenlinna sea fortress. The historic waterfront is also home to the Market Square, the Orthodox and Lutheran cathedrals and Esplanade Park.

Area map showing the competition site in context.
Area map showing the competition site in context.

According to the brief, the main objective of the new museum will be ‘democratising the tools of design, drawing on the history and present of Finnish and Nordic architecture and design to guide a programme of public activities that will look at how design thinking and skills are relevant to the challenges we face as individuals and societies in a rapidly changing world.

‘The newly-formed collection… will contain over 900,000 artefacts, including objects, correspondence, models and photographs documenting the work of internationally famed practitioners such as Aino and Alvar Aalto, Eero Aarnio, Maija Isola, Eliel and Eero Saarinen, Paavo Tynell, and design brands such as Marimekko, Nokia and Fiskars.’

Cardboard design at Helsinki Lutheran cathedral in Senate Square, South Harbour.
Cardboard design at Helsinki Lutheran cathedral in Senate Square, South Harbour. Credit: Jussi Hellsten and Helsinki Partners 30

Proposals for the 10,050sqm building will need to split public and back-of-house uses equally and include facilities for diverse exhibitions, historical collections, contemporary design, architecture and a wide range of media. Other requirements include spaces for events, conferences, workshops, a library and a waterfront café-restaurant.

Total budget is around €105 million with construction costs capped at €70 million.

The competition is organised in collaboration with the Finnish Association of Architects. Funding of €120 million comes from the City of Helsinki and the State of Finland with a €20 million donation from the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation and €30 million to be raised by private donors.

Format Two-stage contest. Stage 1, open call, after which three to five entries will be selected. Stage 2, development of concepts into viable proposals.

Stage 1 eligibility Open to individuals and design teams with a lead designer who has completed a university level master’s degree in architecture, has the right to practise as an architect in their country of residence, is a resident of a European Union country or a resident of countries that are parties to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA 2012). Design teams can include members from countries that do not fall under the scope of the European Union and its procurement legislation.

Stage 1 requirements Maximum of 12, A3 boards showing conceptual-level proposals only, ie with emphasis on the overall concept, rather than detailed plans and sections or photorealistic visualisations.

Finnish artist Tapio Wirkkala exhibition at EMMA, the Espoo Museum of Modern Art in Espoo, Finland.
Finnish artist Tapio Wirkkala exhibition at EMMA, the Espoo Museum of Modern Art in Espoo, Finland. Credit: Aleksi Poutanen and Helsinki Partners

Honoraria and prizes Each team selected for Stage 2 will receive €50,000 in two instalments: €30,000 at the beginning of Stage 2 and €20,000 on completion. Prizes of €50,000, €35,000 and €25,000 for first, second and third place, with purchase options of €20,000 for the remaining two designs.

Jury panel Mikko Aho (chair) and Juha Lemström (vice chair), both ADM; Gus Casely-Hayford, V&A East; Beatrice Galilee, The World Around; Kaarina Gould, Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design; Salla Hoppu and Anni Sinnemäki, both City of Helsinki; Riitta Kaivosoja, Ministry of Education and Culture, Department for Art and Cultural Policy; Beate Hølmebakk, Manthey Kula Architects; Matti Kuittinen, Aalto University; Mikael Silvanto, AD Museum; Sari Nieminen, Sari Nieminen; Hannu Tikka, APRT Architects.

Other dates Online information session, 24 April 2024 (see competition website link, below). Stage 2 shortlist notifications, December 2024. Stage 2, February to May 2025. Winner announced, September 2025.

To apply or find out more, go to the competition website


 

Aerial shot of the British Museum looking north, with the Western Range on the left.
Aerial shot of the British Museum looking north, with the Western Range on the left. Credit: © The Trustees of the British Museum

Project competition

BRITISH MUSEUM WESTERN RANGE GALLERIES

Architect-led design team sought to reimagine section of the museum housing the Parthenon Sculptures and Rosetta Stone

Competition organiser Colander is launching a two-stage, open international contest later this month to find an architect-led design team to reimagine part of the British Museum in Central London.

The 15,000sqm that make up what is known as the Western Range cover about a third of the Bloomsbury building’s footprint and contain public galleries housing collections from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome as well as back-of-house spaces.

Organisers say they are keen to see how the competition brief will be met ‘bearing in mind the need for pragmatism, vision, collaboration and bold thinking, while all the time meeting the Museum’s exacting sustainable agenda for its estate’.

  • Egyptian sculpture at the British Museum.
    Egyptian sculpture at the British Museum. Credit: © The Trustees of the British Museum
  • British Museum, Bloomsbury, London: the Great Court by Foster & Partners.
    British Museum, Bloomsbury, London: the Great Court by Foster & Partners. Credit: Janet Hall / RIBA Collections
  • British Museum, Bloomsbury, London: Central and Egyptian Saloons, 1831 print. ‘Interior of the new saloon – British Museum. Published by J. Bollaert, 12, Wellington-St, Strand’.
    British Museum, Bloomsbury, London: Central and Egyptian Saloons, 1831 print. ‘Interior of the new saloon – British Museum. Published by J. Bollaert, 12, Wellington-St, Strand’. Credit: RIBA Collections
123

The imminent competition launch comes as the British Museum appoints a new director and controversies continue around its right to hold onto treasures such as the Parthenon Sculptures and Benin Bronzes.

Last year the Museum launched an independent review of security after discovering that potentially thousands of artefacts from its collection were missing, stolen or damaged.

A full competition brief will be published on launch.

Format Two stages. Stage 1, open call for expressions of interest requiring details of team expertise and creative vision. Stage 2, five teams shortlisted to further develop their proposals.

Honorarium Five shortlisted teams will be paid an undisclosed sum. Details to follow.

Jury panel To be announced.

Team skills required Architectural design, including non-exhibition interior design (design team leader); conservation architecture; gallery exhibition design; architectural lighting design; exhibition lighting design; BIM lead; structural and civil engineering; mechanical, electrical, public health, fire engineering and sustainability expertise; 2D design - wayfinding.

Location Central London.

Deadlines and dates To be announced.

To find out more, go to the competition website

Buyer contact britishmuseum@colander.co.uk


 

Narrow brick lane in The Old City, Hull.
Narrow brick lane in The Old City, Hull. Credit: Minda photos / Shutterstock

Contract

HULL CITY CENTRE MASTERPLAN

Urban design and development solutions for Yorkshire’s maritime city

Deadline: 12 noon, 3 May 2024

Hull City Council is looking for an urban planner to identify development priorities, carry out a feasibility analysis and create a bespoke masterplan for the city centre.

Hull is Yorkshire’s maritime city and the most urban, densely populated and diverse local authority within the Humber region.

According to the brief, ‘there is a concern that a “use it or lose it” dynamic will occur affecting the future workings of the city centre. Lack of spending power, the pandemic, a cost of living crisis, spreading comparison retail demand too thinly across numerous centres and a growing trend in moving to online retailing has undermined the health and vitality of the city centre. As a main focus for retail, the “shopping core” in the centre has also migrated westward towards the newer floor plate products at St Stephen’s’.

The council has secured Levelling Up funding for the project, whose objectives include exploring ‘how areas on the edge of the existing city centre boundary may provide future options for development, including how the existing character and predominant use of these areas might change’.  

Other locations singled out for potential include The Old Town and tourism destinations such as the Museums Quarter and award-winning aquarium The Deep. The Council also says it has ‘aspirations’ to locate a cruise liner terminal at Riverside Quay, Albert Dock.

The masterplan, says the council, will need to include ‘some technical assistance to help determine a way forward, working in collaboration with partner organisations, land owners and key funders. The aim will be to develop and roll out either previously devised or newer mixed use development proposals with the intention of bringing wide ranging health, job, living and carbon emission benefits’.

Evaluation criteria: 65 per cent quality; 5 per cent social value; 30 per cent cost. Value of contract, £240,000 maximum.

Procedure Open procedure.

Location Hull, Yorkshire and the Humber.

Other dates Award of contract, 1 July 2024. Contract, 8 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, with option to extend for a further month.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Mark Homersham, Hull City Council, 01482 613694, Mark.Homersham@hullcc.gov.uk


 

Fyvie Castle in Fyvie, Aberdeenshire.
Fyvie Castle in Fyvie, Aberdeenshire. Credit: Francesco Bonino / Shutterstock

Contract

FYVIE CASTLE, ABERDEENSHIRE

Conservation-accredited design team sought for Phase 1 restoration of A-listed medieval building and estate

Deadline: 12 noon, 1 May 2024

Charity the National Trust for Scotland is looking to appoint an experienced design team for a £5.6 million Phase 1 programme of conservation works at Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire.

The 800-year-old, A-listed landmark was once a medieval royal fortress and home to Kings of Scotland William I and Alexander II. In the 16th century, the Lord Chancellor of Scotland Alexander Seaton transformed it into a renaissance palace and further major works were carried out in the 18th and 20th centuries. The castle has a significant collection of art and antiquities.

The wider estate includes B-listed Home Farm, which dates from 1777, a walled garden, Racquets Court, boathouse, game larders plus a complex of disused agricultural buildings. The estate’s loch of Fyvie is a popular spot for dog walkers and bird watchers.

According to the brief, ‘Fyvie’s significance to the story of Scotland and position within the current experience of Scotland has been diminished. Fyvie Castle and estate has huge potential to widen the audience, drive visitors and showcase the work of the Trust. The challenges to the site relate to both physical condition of the built and natural heritage as well as the current business performance, visitor offering and experience’.

 

Challenges include structural instability, water ingress and the poor condition of carved and sculptural stonework that dates from 1590. A masterplan was carried out last year with proposals for the whole site. These include ‘addressing the conservation needs of all the built heritage while seeking solutions to enhance the visitor experience… The project also aims to exemplify the Trust's ambitions to address environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation and carbon reduction targets in the context of the historic environment’.

The design team are expected to progress the masterplan to RIBA stage 3 and develop Phase 1 proposals (initial stabilisation of the main building and adaptive reuse of Home Farm) to stage 4.

Services required include lead designer, conservation accredited architect, principal designer, accessibility consultant, conservation accredited building surveyor, conservation accredited structural engineer, building services engineers with renewal and micro-generation experience and a fire safety consultant.

Evaluation criteria: 70 per cent quality; 30 per cent price. The build cost for Phase 1 is £5.6 million.

Procedure Open procedure.

Location Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Other dates Design team interviews, week of 13 May 2024. Award of contract, week of 20 May 2024.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Jenny Neville, National Trust for Scotland, 0844 493 2282, jneville@nts.org.uk


 

The Guildhall Art Gallery and offices above.
The Guildhall Art Gallery and offices above. Credit: Ben Gingell / Shutterstock

Contract

GUILDHALL YARD EAST BUILDING, LONDON

City of London seeks architect for £17.5m office reconfiguration in historic square

Deadline: 12 noon, 29 April 2024

The City of London is looking to appoint an architect to overhaul four floors of office space in the Guildhall Yard East building used by the City of London Police (CoLP).

The office complex dates from the 1990s and is located next to the Square Mile’s grade I listed Guildhall. Alongside offices, it houses the Guildhall Art Gallery, a museum and art and manuscript storage.

According to the brief, the winning team will work on ‘a programme to modernise the police estate through a combination of new buildings and refurbishment of existing premises… a full reconfiguration of the internal layout would likely be required’.

Existing designs have been carried out to RIBA stage 2, ‘however elements of this design are incomplete and there is requirement for the appointed design team to review the existing information/design and provide appropriate advice / expertise as to what extent the current packages are progressed further to provide a complete RIBA 2 design before commencing the RIBA 3 (Detailed Design) stage’.

 

The appointed architect will act as lead designer to stage 4 ‘and then act as client monitoring agent to completion’.

Award criteria: 45 per cent technical; 40 per cent commercial; 15 per cent responsible procurement; 40 per cent price. Estimated value of 2.5-year contract is £280,000. Build cost is £17.5 million.

Procedure Open procedure.

Location City of London.

Other dates Award of contract, April 2024.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Jemma Borland, City of London, 020 7606 3030, Jemma.Borland@cityoflondon.gov.uk


 

Bat and Ball rail station, Bat and Ball Road, Sevenoaks, Kent.
Bat and Ball rail station, Bat and Ball Road, Sevenoaks, Kent. Credit: Moonstone Images / iStock

Contract

OTFORD ROAD LIGHT INDUSTRIAL UNITS, SEVENOAKS

Architect sought for £2.6m commercial development near Bat and Ball station, Kent

Deadline: 12 noon, 19 April 2024

Sevenoaks District Council is looking for an architect and principal designer to bring forward plans for a commercial development on the A225 Otford Road, near Bat and Ball rail station, north of Sevenoaks Town in Kent.

The 1.3ha site has a developable area of 0.48ha and is currently used as a council depot and bin store. Plans are for the construction of four small light industrial units and a drive-through café.

The appointed architect will act as lead consultant, overseeing and coordinating the wider consultant team. The client will appoint the other disciplines, including cost consultant, project manager, engineers and planning consultant. Works cover RIBA stages 2 to 6.

According to the brief, the site is ‘currently under-optimised and will provide much needed employment space for small businesses with a drive-through for the benefit of the scheme and the wider area, which is the main commercial area outside Sevenoaks town centre… The site has a number of constraints, which include Greenbelt designation (previously developed land identified in the emerging Local Plan as an employment designation)’.

The architect may potentially be novated to the contractor. Evaluation criteria: 60 per cent quality; 40 per cent price. Build cost is £2.6 million, excluding, finance, design etc.

Procedure Open procedure.

Location Sevenoaks, Kent.

Other dates Award of contract, 3 May 2024. Contract, 3 May 2024 to 31 August 2026.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Rory Davis, Sevenoaks District Council, 01732 227037, rory.davis@sevenoaks.gov.uk


 

The International Velux Award aims to widen the boundaries of daylight in architecture, including aesthetics, functionality, sustainability and the interaction between buildings and environment.
The International Velux Award aims to widen the boundaries of daylight in architecture, including aesthetics, functionality, sustainability and the interaction between buildings and environment. Credit: cla78 / Shutterstock

Ideas competition

VELUX ‘LIGHT OF TOMORROW’ CONTEST 2024

Biennial competition for global students of architecture launches 11th edition with €30,000 prize fund

Registration deadline: 11.59pm UTC-12, 14 April, 2024

Window manufacturer Velux Group is asking architecture students around the world to explore the role of daylight in architecture and inspire new thinking. 

Its open ideas competition is organised in two phases with two categories. In the first, regional prizes are awarded to projects from the UIA member regions of Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, the Americas, Asia+ Oceania, Africa. In the second phase, prizes will be awarded to overall winners. The two categories under the overall theme of ‘Light of Tomorrow’ are Daylight in Buildings and Daylight Investigations. Details of each can be found in the spec.

According to the brief, The award ‘welcomes projects that celebrate the privilege of being a student; with curiosity and with the willingness to think “out of the box” – as well as consider the social, sociological and environmental dimension of light. The award also encourages specific focus on the existing built environment by looking at: how to recycle, adapt, upgrade or reuse buildings by considering daylighting as a driver for lower energy demand consumption and better indoor comfort’.

The awards have been running every second year since 2004. 2022 Global winner of the Daylight in Buildings category was TIP: Time Indicate Protection from Poland. FLight from Iran was 2022 Global winner in the Daylight Investigations category.

Eligibility Open to any registered student of architecture – individual or team – all over the world. Every student/team must be backed and granted submission by a teacher from a school of architecture. Projects from individuals or groups of students enrolled as bachelor’s or master’s students during the academic year 2023/24 are welcomed.

Requirements One image file that depicts the project; description of project, maximum 800 words, in English; thumbnail image; banner image.

Evaluation criteria Daylighting as a premise for architecture; how the project is researched and documented; how it addresses contemporary and future challenges; level of experimentation and innovation; overall graphic presentation and how the project presents itself.

Prizes Grand prize of €5,000 for each category (€4,000 to the student; €1,000 to the teacher) for the most outstanding projects. Regional prizes of €1,250 per category for the best projects (€1,000 to the student and €250 to the teacher). Plus special prizes, including for the innovative use of Velux  products.

Jury panel Includes Alberto Veiga, Barozzi Veiga; Ewa Kurylowicz, Kurylowicz & Associates; Jenni Reuter, Aalto University; Song Yehao, SUP Atelier; and Kent Holm, Velux.

Other dates Submissions, 11.59pm UTC-12, 30 May 2024. Regional winners announced, June 2024. Global winners announced, week beginning 26 August 2024.

To apply or find out more, go to the competition website

Competition contact iva@velux.com


 

Tilehouse Street, Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
Tilehouse Street, Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Credit: Peter Moulton / Shutterstock

Contract

HERTFORDSHIRE ENVIRONMENTAL AND DESIGN SERVICES FRAMEWORK, 2024-27

Hertfordshire County Council seeks providers and panel members for new three-year agreement

Deadline: 12 noon, 29 April 2024

Hertfordshire County Council is launching an environmental planning support and design review services framework. Providers can bid for either or both areas.

The home county of Hertfordshire borders Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Greater London and Buckinghamshire. Its largest town is Watford and its county town, Hertford. The area is home to Letchworth – the world’s first garden city.

Within the framework, planning support is split into five work packages and providers can bid for one or more of the five. According to the specification, ‘demand for the LEADS Team planning support services exceeds current resource levels and will continue to increase due to a strong local growth agenda (including more complex large scale strategic sites), and changes in environmental legislation (such as Biodiversity Net Gain). Additional resource is therefore required to ensure that the service can continue to provide support in response to rising demand’.

On the design side, the council is looking for providers to join its Design Review Panel, which provides ‘independent and expert services in support of well designed and beautiful spaces’. According to the specification, ‘demand for design review services continue to increase due to a strong local growth agenda (including more complex large scale strategic sites). Since 2022 (post-pandemic) requests for services have doubled and more panel members are required to meet service demand… Panel chair(s) will also be required for the panel. Once the framework agreement is in place, all successful panel members will be invited to apply for the role of Chair via a mini competition process’.

There are nine framework lots altogether: 1 Architecture; 2 Urban Design; 3 Spatial Planning and Masterplanning; 4 Landscape; 5 Transport Planning; 6 Sustainable Construction; 7 Historic Environment; 8 Ecology; 9 Miscellaneous. This new framework will replace the existing Hertfordshire Design Review Framework Agreement that is due to come to an end in July 2024. Existing panel members are invited to apply for entry onto the new agreement.

Value of three-year contract (with option to extend for a further year) is £1.12 million. Contracts are executed as deeds.

Procedure Open procedure.

Location Hertfordshire.

Other dates Award announcements, 11 June 2024. Contract, 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2027.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Jennifer Owen, Hertfordshire County Council, 01992 555205, jennifer.owen@hertfordshire.gov.uk


 

Platform at Liverpool Central underground railway station on the Merseyrail network.
Platform at Liverpool Central underground railway station on the Merseyrail network. Credit: Philip Brookes / Shutterstock

Contract

LIVERPOOL CENTRAL STATION AND ENVIRONS

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is asking interested parties to bid for a two-lot project covering an upgrade of the rail station and wider public realm

Deadline: 11am, 18 April 2024.

Merseytravel and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) is looking for a strategic partner for the development of a rail transport and regeneration project in the city centre.

Liverpool Central is the terminus for suburban lines that service Merseyside and the Wirral. It opened in March 1874 and is now the third busiest station in the North of England (after Leeds and Manchester Piccadilly) and the busiest station outside London by average platform utilisation.

According to the specification, works will include ‘developing a rail solution for current capacity issues [at the station… and] a regeneration strategy for the Central Gateway area… and identifying the most appropriate delivery and funding models’.

The procurement is split into two lots: Lot 1 Transport and Lot 2 Regeneration. Phased outputs for each lot will be required by December 2024 and December 2025.

The brief describes the project as ‘a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver significant change for both Liverpool City Centre and the wider Liverpool City Region’ and ‘an ambitious transport-led programme which will create multi-faceted regeneration opportunities that can redefine this key area of Liverpool’s city centre. LCRCA and its partners Liverpool City Council are seeking to deliver transformational place-based regeneration using the redevelopment of Liverpool Central Station as a foundational catalyst’.

Bidders are encouraged to submit for both lots and a separate proposal is required for each. Evaluation criteria: 70 per cent quality; 30 per cent price. Value of the 12-month contract is £1 million.

Procedure Open procedure.

Location Liverpool, Merseyside.

Other dates Award of contract, May 2024.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Procurement Team, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, tender@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk


 

Applecross Street Basin and old canal buildings, Glasgow Branch, Forth and Clyde Canal. The site is currently occupied by Scottish Canals’ head office and operational buildings.
Applecross Street Basin and old canal buildings, Glasgow Branch, Forth and Clyde Canal. The site is currently occupied by Scottish Canals’ head office and operational buildings. Credit: Image by Rosser1954 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Project competition

REINVENTING CITIES 2024 URBAN DESIGN CONTEST

Creative multidisciplinary teams sought for climate-friendly redevelopment of 15 brownfield sites around the world

Deadline Dates vary. For UK project, expressions of interest, 2pm, 5 September 2024.

C40, a network of mayors from 100 cities, has launched the fourth edition of its global competition Reinventing Cities. The contest was set up to encourage the decarbonised urban regeneration of underused brownfield sites.

Organisers are looking for creative multidisciplinary teams - including architects, developers and community groups - to design and develop projects that will serve the needs of local communities and become sustainable city landmarks.

Fifteen cities will participate in 2024. They are Almere, Bilbao, Bologna, Brussels, Glasgow, Milan, New York, Palermo, Renca, Rome, San Antonio, San Francisco, São Paulo, Seattle and Venice.

The only site in the UK is at Applecross Wharf and Baird’s Brae in Glasgow and is part of the city’s Canal Regeneration Action Plan. According to the project brief, proposals ‘should utilise the existing heritage buildings in a vibrant way and create an activity node at this important point on the canal. The project presents an opportunity to unlock the potential of the canal to create a further vibrant neighbourhood for people to live, work and visit’.

 

Scottish Canals, which owns the site, says it is keen to work with interested parties to create a suitable financial development model with its contribution to be ‘via land ownership solely, with external funding coming from the project providing development capital and ultimately delivering a suitable return to Scottish Canals’.

Winning submissions across all the brownfield sites in the contest are expected to be ‘highly ambitious regarding environmental and social benefits and go beyond business as usual. To date, Reinventing Cities has engaged over 3,500 businesses worldwide with 40 projects under development globally, demonstrating how urban climate leadership and collaboration with the private sector can enable zero-carbon development to serve the needs of local communities’. The competition is supported by Ingka Group.

Procedure Two-phase procedure. Phase 1, expression of interest. Phase 2, restricted to the finalist teams.

Evaluation panel The jury will be set up by the relevant city with the support of C40.

To apply or find out more, go the competition website


 

The Microhome Kingspan edition: 'An opportunity to contribute to the evolution of residential architecture'.
The Microhome Kingspan edition: 'An opportunity to contribute to the evolution of residential architecture'.

Ideas competition

KINGSPAN MICROHOME CONTEST

Buildner launches seventh edition of its international competition looking for radical designs for off-grid small scale architecture

Competition organiser Buildner, in partnership with online platform ArchDaily, is calling for innovative housing ideas that will ‘propel the micro home from a mere architectural form to a revolutionary genre in its own right’. Sponsored by Kingspan, the organisers are asking entrants to design an off-grid home for a young professional couple with a maximum floor area of  25m2. The home can be located anywhere. ‘The competition challenges participants to radically rethink spatial organisation, to introduce distinctive aesthetics and to implement state-of-the-art technologies and materials.’ According to the brief, ‘designs that prioritise sustainability and present solutions to economic, social and cultural challenges through fresh architectural methods will receive preference’. Registration deadline is 29 April 2024.

Ijmuiden, Netherlands. The Tiny House movement offers a return to a simpler life, where people choose to live with less.
Ijmuiden, Netherlands. The Tiny House movement offers a return to a simpler life, where people choose to live with less. Credit: Erik Laan / Shutterstock

Eligibility The competition is open to all. No professional qualification is required. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (four team members maximum).

Procedure ‘Participants are required to upload four A2 landscape-orientated presentation boards (board must not exceed 10MB per jpg) with sketches, renderings, plans, sections, elevations, diagrams and/or other presentation tools to explain their proposal.’ See the brief for full details.

Prizes First, €40,000. Second, €20,000. Third, £10,000. Student Award, €10,000. Sustainabilitiy Award, €10,000. Kingspan Award (designs must use at least one specified Kingspan product), €40,000, plus four €5,000 ‘Kingspan Compliments’. Note that one entry has the potential to win both the primary competition and the Kingspan Award.

Registration fees From €150 (students, from €130).

Jury panel Ben Van Berkel, UNStudio; Paolo Flores, Zaha Hadid Architects; Flora Lee, MAD Architects; Martina Martino, Mario Cucinella Architects; Silvana Ordinas, Peter Pichler Architecture; Carlo Ratii, MIT Senseable City Lab; Brent Trenga, Kingspan; David Basulto, ArchDaily.

Deadlines and dates Submissions by 11.59pm, 30 May 2024. Winners announced, 24 July 2024.

To apply or find out more, go the competition website

Competition contact contact@buildner.com


 

For updates on the latest competitions, contests and contracts follow #ribajopportunities @RIBAJ

If you have a competition or contest you want architects to know about, email details to julie.butterworth@riba.org


 

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