University College Dublin, Ireland’s largest university has launched a major
international architecture competition for a new landmark development at the
university’s Belfield campus. The Gateway Project comprising cultural, academic,
leisure and business facilities, represents the start of the implementation of a
15-year UCD Campus Development Plan.
The University is inviting submissions from leading architecture firms from
around the world. A jury of internationally-renowned architects will produce a
shortlist of three/ to five candidates in January before selecting the winner
next April.
With over 150 years of proud tradition University College Dublin has played a
central role in Ireland’s advancement as a dynamic and highly successful
independent European state. Offering the broadest range of top quality degrees,
UCD attracts students from throughout Ireland as well as international students
from over 50 countries. Over 22,000 students and 1,000 academics study and
research in the beautiful, leafy 132 hectare campus 4 kilometres to the south of
the centre of Dublin city.
The competition is seen as an opportunity to establish an internationally
recognisable signature image for the Belfield campus. In this respect, UCD is
keen to retain the very best architectural talents to meet these challenges,
resulting in a built environment that will not only provide an attractive and
functional development for the region, but will also be a defining architectural
feature of UCD in the 21st century.
The key driver behind the Gateway Project and the wider campus development plan
is the creation of a sustainable learning and living environment that would move
the university towards a 24-7 campus and create a greater level of interaction
between the university, the local community and the wider visiting population to
Dublin.
The scale of the plan warrants an architectural design of lasting quality. Many
of the great universities of the world are defined as much by their architecture
as well as their academic excellence. UCD’s ambition is to build a Gateway of
great architectural quality that will be recognised throughout the world.
The core competition area consists of 9.86 hectares at the main entrance to the
Belfield campus on the N11. At build out the site will include a new university
related mixed use development including cultural centre with art house
cinema/film studies facility and university welcome and graduate centre, new
student residential accommodation and services, retail outlets, a medical
centre, crèche facility, conference facilities, hotel, offices for knowledge
intensive businesses, other university executive & meetings rooms and a
provision for multi –storey car parking.
Launching the competition, Dr Hugh Brady, President of UCD, said: “This is a
highly prestigious project, providing the world’s leading architects with an
opportunity to create an iconic landmark for Dublin and Ireland. The development
will enhance the working and living environment for students and staff and open
up the campus to local and wider communities”
The competition was announced in the Official Journal of the European Union on
Friday, 27th October. A special website http://www.ucd.ie/gatewayproject has
also been launched to support the competition. An extensive global marketing
communications programme is also being undertaken to support the call for
entries.
The closing date for the receipt of submissions of interest is Wednesday, 6th
December 2006. From that initial list ten firms will be interviewed from which a
shortlist of three to five will be chosen. The three to five short listed firms
will receive €200,000 each for completion of their design submission. Following
a review of the three short listed firms the winning architect will be announced
in or around April 2007 and awarded a further prize of €300,000.
In order to be eligible, firms must demonstrate that they have extensive
experience in the design of institutional/commercial buildings of or in excess
of 20,000 gross square metres. They must also demonstrate experience in the
design of large civic spaces and associated landscape and open space design.
Firms must have successfully completed prime consulting contracts for major
capital works in excess of €50,000,000
The winning firm will be required to devise a master-plan for the competition
area, including indicative designs for the core area and detailed designs of
select buildings within the Gateway area. It will also be retained by UCD to
oversee the implementation of the master-plan design objectives.
diary / Competitions
University College Dublin competition for a new landmark development
Type:
International
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