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Imperial War Museum North External Spaces Design Competition

Sponsors: 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