Parliamentary Precinct Redevelopment, OttawaSponsor: Government of Canada through PSPC
Administration: Phase eins, RAIC
Type: RfQ, invited, international
Languages: English and French
Process:
The procedure will maintain the competitors’ anonymity. The names of the competitors qualified to participate in the competition will not be communicated to the jury.
Oversight
PSPC has engaged the RAIC to oversee the overall competition process (RFQ and RFP) with the nomination of two national Professional Advisors and the assistance of [phase eins] from Germany as competition organizers. Prior to and during the selection/competition processes, the RAIC will validate:
a) Technical requirements related to the conduct of the competition;
b) Competition rules and the competition brief;
c) Judgement criteria; and
d) Honoraria and prize structure.
Timetable
16 February 2021 – Deadline for applications
Compensation
Under competition Stage 1, an honorarium of CAN$120,000 (excluding applicable taxes) has been allocated for each of the prequalified and invited Competitors presenting a Proposal compliant with the Competition Brief requirements. The terms associated with the payment of the honorarium will be set out in the Competition Brief.
Under competition Stage 2, an honorarium of CAN$165,000 (excluding applicable taxes) has been allocated for each of the invited Competitors presenting a Proposal compliant with the Competition Brief requirements. The terms associated with the payment of the honorarium will be set out in the Competition Brief. Competition Stage 1
• Selected competitors submit an outline of their design concepts.
• The Jury evaluates the design concepts and creates a shortlist of up to six competitors to advance to Stage 2 of the competition. Competition Stage 2
• Shortlisted competitors submit an advanced design concept for their previously submitted work.
• The Jury will then evaluate each design and select the prize winners.
Jury:
To be appointed by the RAIC
Challenge:
The Block 2 project aims to redevelop the existing property and buildings that comprise the city block immediately south of Parliament Hill in downtown Ottawa. Block 2 is bounded by Metcalfe, Wellington, O’Connor and Sparks streets, within Canada’s Parliamentary Precinct. The new and renovated facilities will provide accommodations for Parliamentarians, as well as some retail spaces on the Sparks Street Pedestrian Mall. The purpose of the architectural design competition is to invite architectural firms to submit design proposals to redevelop Block 2 into an efficient complex of buildings while highlighting excellence in architecture. For more information:
https://raic.org/news/advance-notice-parliamentary-precinct-redevelopment-ottawa-block-2-architectural-design |
©Bauen+Wohnen
 An article, Trois tourettes et un jardin (Three Turrets and a Garden) by Swiss landscape architect, Valérie Hoffmeyer, in Werk, Bauen + Wohnen, is another recent example highlighting the value of green space in the design of mid-rise residential buildings. At a time when developers endeavor to maximize their profits by turning to highrise buildings, even when higher density is at stake, referencing the Garden City concept has been turning up as a more frequent theme.
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Budapest’s Nuugati Railway Terminal has reached it capacity, expecially when based on the future needs of the station. To date, the common practice of backing trains out after unloading to turn them around was time-consuming, and, as a result, had maximized the capacity for the terminal. The new plan foresees the hall’s extended tracts to be located underground, so as to create through traffic. 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/ 
Boardwalk photo: Courtesy Atlantic Beach
Boardwalks, especially on oceanfront locations, have a pretty universal look. But how they fit into their local context is another matter. Topography, real estate and commerce all play a role in their function, and to some extent, design. In the case of Miami Beach, it’s primarily a promenade; Brooklyn’s 2.7 mile Coney Island boardwalk stretching all the way to Brighton Beach is a mixture of promenade and commerce, with the latter at both ends. In the case of Atlantic City, it’s mostly about retail.
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Winning entry – Hyunjoon Min Architects Office
National Library of Korea Data Preservation Center Competition
Retrofitting existing buildings is nothing new. The abandonment of old factory structures, especially in the northeast of the U.S., has been occurring at a rapid pace ever since those businesses ceased to be profitable in the face of foreign competition. However, in North America, retrofitting those structures has seldom been the subject of a design competition. In Korea, the recent plethora of design competitions for all types of projects has also included several for providing a new life for abandoned buildings. Read more… Countryside Dilemmas – New Rural Planning 
1st Place – ©Tianjin University Team
Planning used to be at the bottom of Chinese students’ lists of design priorities. One western architect, whose firm was at the forefront in the design and implementation of numerous planning projects in China, surmised that planning was an area that received little attention in the university curricula. So when planning for a major metropolitan area has occurred, the Chinese have almost always turned to outside international firms for ideas and implementation. Read more… The Chicago Architecture Club Shines the Spotlight on Another Endangered Landmark 
Public Pool Image: ©Perkins&Will
What do Bertrad Goldberg and Helmut Jahn have in common? Besides having high-profile buildings threatened by demolition, both served as subject matter for two competitions sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Club (CAC)—raising public consciousness about their impending fate. They both produced buildings in a city famous for its architecture that have been abandoned: Goldberg’s Future Prentice Women’s Hospital, demolished in 2014 after a valiant effort by preservationists to save it from the wrecking ball; and Jahn’s Thompson Center, now the object of a similar effort by the State of Illinois to sell it to a developer. Read more… |
