Great Fen Visitor Centre

 

Sponsor: Great Fen – a partnership which comprises the Environment Agency, Huntingdonshire District Council, Middle Level Commissioners, Natural England and The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire

Type: Open, 2-stage, 1st stage anonymous

Language: English

Fee: £50.00 (+VAT)

Eligibility: The competition is open to design teams based in Europe and the UK and should include the services of an architect, landscape architect and a quantity surveyor. The design team may be led by a fully qualified, practising, registered architect or landscape architect. Architects should be registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) in the UK, or an equivalent, recognised overseas regulatory authority.

Timetable:

7/8 November 2012 – Site visits for registered entrants

16 November 2012 – Q & A deadline

19 December 2012 – Registration deadline

10 January 2013 – Stage I submission deadline

24 January 2013 – Shortlisting by jury of 4 finalists

Awards:

Each design team short-listed to Stage 2 of the competition [up to four] will receive an equal honorarium payment of £3,000 [+VAT] following attendance at the clarification presentation with the Judging Panel. The Winners honorarium will represent an advance on any professional fees post-competition.

Jury:

Kate Carver, Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northhamptonshire (Great Fen Project Manager)

Cindy Walters, Walters & Cohen Architects (RIBA Architect Adviser

David Thomas, Middle Level Commissioners (Chief Engineer)

Malcolm Sharp, Huntingdonshire District Council

Sarah Smith, Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire

Louise Rackham, Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire

Nigel Hugill, Urban & Civic Ltd.

Andrew Cuthbert, Great Fen

Jeremy Purseglove, Landscape architect & ecologist

James Porter, RIBA Competitions

Design challenge:

The new visitor centre will form the primary focal point for the Great Fen and its associated activities. The site will serve a number of different visitors: those interested in landscape, wildlife or habitats; educational visits (from school children to “third age” learners) supporting education in heritage and ecology; and the visiting public, both local people and tourists, who want a ‘brew and a view’ or perhaps a picnic or a day out to explore the fens or somewhere to bring the family. Extensive community use of the building and landscape is also envisaged.

For information and to enter:

www.ribacompetitions.com/greatfenvisitorcentre/brief.html