Imperial War Museum North External Spaces Design CompetitionSponsors: Imperial War Museum North and RIBA Type: Open, international, RfQ Timetable: 23 October 2008 – Expression of Interest deadline : Assessment of EOI’s : w/c 3rd November Brief issued to shortlist : w/c 10th November Deadline for concept designs : 15th January 2009 Final judging (including interviews) : w/c 26th January Eligibility: Open To Multi-disciplinary teams led by an architect or landscape architect Fee: None Awards: £12,000 Total (between 5 finalists) and Design Commission Jury: The Jury Panel will include the Museum Director and other senior IWM representation, a Quays stakeholder representative and the RIBA architectural adviser, Maggie Mullan of Austin Smith Lord Architect Design Challenge: Imperial War Museum North is a hub for learning in the region with many innovative outreach programmes such as its award-winning volunteer scheme in addition to its exhibition and events programme. It also has a growing business development focus. All of these elements will benefit from the development of the external spaces. The various spaces around the museum have very different characters, largely dictated by the weather, sun and other external factors such as the road, fencing, and the relationship between the building and the space around it. The site area is 20,000 sqm of which 5,000 sqm is the footprint of the museum itself. At this stage the intention is not to be prescriptive, rather to give an outline of the hopes and ambitions of those closely associated with the museum. Key objectives can be summarised as follows: • To clarify and introduce the content and message of the building in order to complement and balance the iconic architecture and nature of the building. • Responding to the clear message inherent in the architecture of the building, reinforcing and possibly explaining or further exploring the ideas of the world shattered by war. • Enhancing the accessibility and the welcoming nature of IWM North. • Exploiting the waterfront location. This could include the possibility of a landing stage for water taxis. There are plans for a new pedestrian bridge from MediaCity:uk and the potential for development on the neighbouring plot of land will need to be taken into account. • Developing the relationships with other organisations, through partnership working and openness. • Accommodating the full range of visitors to the museum, all of whom should have the possibility of having their visit enhanced by the development of the external spaces. Of particular importance to the museum are school groups and veterans and the families of both groups. • Offering a space for personal and emotional responses to the museum; the content and message of the museum are uncompromising, emotionally challenging and deal with a difficult subject. The building itself is disorienting and reflects the challenging. Information and submissions: RIBA Competitions Office 6 Melbourne Street Leeds LS2 7PS Email: riba.competitions@inst.riba.org Website: www.architecture.com/competitions Ph: 44 (0) 113 2341335 Fax: 44 (0) 113 2460744 |
Six Firms Competed to Rethink the Future of a Major Museum  Aerial view of winning design ©Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos (courtesy Malcolm Reading Consultants) The history of the Dallas Museum of Art’s expansion has been punctuated by several moves, culminating in a new building designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes in 1984. The importance of this move to a new, somewhat desolate location in the city cannot be underestimated: it has led to the revitalization of what is now called the “Arts District,” with the relocation of various arts institutions to new facilities: the opera house (Foster and Partners), Dee and Charles Wyly Performing Arts Theater (REX/OMA), Nasher Sculpture Center (Renzo Piano), and I.M. Pei’s Meyerson Symphony Center being among the most significant. Read more… Young Architects in Competitions When Competitions and a New Generation of Ideas Elevate Architectural Quality  by Jean-Pierre Chupin and G. Stanley Collyer published by Potential Architecture Books, Montreal, Canada 2020 271 illustrations in color and black & white Available in PDF and eBook formats ISBN 9781988962047 What do the Vietnam Memorial, the St. Louis Arch, and the Sydney Opera House have in common? These world renowned landmarks were all designed by architects under the age of 40, and in each case they were selected through open competitions. At their best, design competitions can provide a singular opportunity for young and unknown architects to make their mark on the built environment and launch productive, fruitful careers. But what happens when design competitions are engineered to favor the established and experienced practitioners from the very outset? This comprehensive new book written by Jean-Pierre Chupin (Canadian Competitions Catalogue) and Stanley Collyer (COMPETITIONS) highlights for the crucial role competitions have played in fostering the careers of young architects, and makes an argument against the trend of invited competitions and RFQs. The authors take an in-depth look at past competitions won by young architects and planners, and survey the state of competitions through the world on a region by region basis. The end result is a compelling argument for an inclusive approach to conducting international design competitions. Download Young Architects in Competitions for free at the following link: https://crc.umontreal.ca/en/publications-libre-acces/  View from Congress Square of Lever Architecture entry showing new wing on left A New Wing to Accommodate a Museum’s Burgeoning Holdings, New Programs, and Rise in Attendance The passage of time has seen most art museums adding on new wings, or even deciding on a brand new building. The Portland Museum of Art (PMA) has followed this pattern, having commissioned the new Charles Shipman Payson Building by Harry Cobb of I.M. Pei and Partners in 1981. This building served the community well for decades; but numerous gifts to the museum have necessitated the expansion of exhibition spaces well beyond the limited capacity to be found in the existing building. Adding to this is an evolving mission of the PMA in its interaction with the community. Read more…  Courtesy Malcolm Reading Consultants, ©Kengo Kuma & Associates A UNESCO World Heritage Site Again on the World Stage How does one approach a challenge when creating a design worthy of a park with a history dating back to antiquity? This was what four design teams faced when shortlisted for the design of a Visitor Center for the Butrint National Park in Albania. The park’s history is illuminating in this regard.
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Chungji National Heritage Museum Competition

Image ©Ona Architects + Jongjin Lee architects + Laguillo Arquitectos
For those unfamiliar with Korean Heritage and its symbols, the choice of the jury for a new complex to house artifacts, now located at various scattered sites, would seem to beg more information, especially when one views the designs of the non-selected finalists—all quite modern. Some of this can certainly be explained by the subject matter of the new museum’s holdings, another by the site in broader terms. Some might say that emphasis placed on the heritage element in the design brief fostered an interpretation leading to the choice of the winning design: “The site chosen for the new Chungji National Museum is logical: Chungju, located in the central part of the Korean Peninsula, is the center of the so-called ‘Jungwon culture,’ which has played an important role geographically and historically since ancient time. Jungwon culture developed around the Namhan River, which runs through the central region from east to west, and the relics showing this are currently scattered and stored in various museums.”
Read more… University of Florida’s College of Design Construction and Planning’s New Addition 
Development phase image courtesy ©Brooks + Scarpa
If architects have had one complaint concerning the planning and realization of a project, it has been with planners and especially construction managers, both of whom often display a lack of knowledge about architecture. The survival of a well-conceived design can hang in the balance when there is a knowledge gap at the planning and realization end.
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