Canning Dock Competition Sponsor: National Museums Liverpool (U.K.) Type: International, RfQ, invited Competition Manager: Colander Associates Location: The National Museums Liverpool (NML) comprises eight museums and galleries and has one of the largest collections in the UK. Several of the venues, including International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum and the Museum of Liverpool are located on the Liverpool waterfront. It is a stunning location with a powerful heritage narrative that has been granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Language: English Fees: none Timetable: 23 April 2021 – RfQ Submission deadline 21 May 2021 – Announcement of shortlist 20 July 2021 – Stage 2 submissions due Compensation: Each competitor that is shortlisted to take part in Stage 2 will be offered an honorarium of £10,000 + VAT (if required), payable on receipt of a compliant Stage 2 submission. In addition, each team will receive an allowance of up to £5,000 to build their temporary 3D structure on the quayside Jury: TbD (Jury panel with be the same for Stages 1 and 2) Design Challenge: There are four parts to the project: There are four parts to the project: - Public realm, including a public art strategy – agile public space with a design that considers wayfinding throughout the site, the hard landscaping of the quaysides, seating, lighting, signage, refuse disposal, power, and sites for storytelling/performance, art and museum artefacts.
- Pedestrian bridges between Mann Island and Hartley quay – new beautiful, iconic pedestrian bridges that have entry points onto the Canning Graving Docks quays, providing multiple routes through the NML estate. This includes a new swing bridge between Canning Half Tide Dock and Canning Dock, adjacent to The Pump House.
- Graving Docks (No1 and No2) and the historic boats within – a ‘Heritage Dock’ that includes the narrative of the Maritime Museum and International Slavery Museum, and an ‘Experience Dock’ to include opportunities for commercial opportunities, workshops, storytelling, and performance. There are two vessels in the docks – Edmund Gardner and De Wadden, both are items from NML’s museum collections.
- North Shed – a new waterfront focal point, bringing visitors and pedestrians into proximity with the water, right at the heart of NML. This could include infrastructure for a temporary or permanent venue for commercial uses or events. Consideration to be taken as to how the unique offer of water on the site in Canning Dock can be animated.
For more information and entry requirements: https://www.colander.co.uk/architectural-competitions/colander-competitions/national-museums-liverpool-waterfront-transformation |
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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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/ Houston Endowment’s New Headquarters on the Bayou  Southwest view Houston Endowment Headquarters – Photo Ivan Baan, courtesy Kevin Daly Following in the footsteps of other major non-profits—The Ford Foundation and LA’s California Endowment Center in particular—the Houston Endowment’s new headquarters, located on a grassy knoll just above the Buffalo Bayou in the city’s outskirts, has also made a strong architectural statement. Similar to the California Endowment, this project was also the result of a design competition, won by the California firm, Kevin Daly Architects. Read more…
The Makasiiniranta South Harbor Competition
Helsinki South Harbour and Tori Quarter Suomen Ilmakuva Helsinki. Image credit/ Tietoa Finland, Janne Hirvonen
As a prelude to a competition for the design of a new Architecture and Design Museum to be located in Helsinki’s South Harbor, the City of Finland staged an open competition to establish a roadmap for the future redevelopment of the Makasiiniranta harbor area, the last old harbor area to be transformed for public use in Helsinki. The competition for the museum is scheduled to take place later this year; but the entire surrounding area has come up with a plan to review improvements for the entire harbor environment.
Read more… Vltava Philharmonic Hall Design Competition  View to Concert Hall from bridge ©BIG Classical music is still part of a vibrant musical scene in Prague, with at least four principal venues hosting concerts, ballet and opera. As a modern European city, the only missing venue from these choices is a state of the art concert hall. Other European neighbors have also recently staged competitions for such projects: Munich, won by Cukrowicz Nachbaur Architekten of Bregenz, Austria; Belgrade, won by AL_A of London; and Vilnius, Lithuania, won by Arquivio Architects of Spain. It should be noted, however, that one of the most important competitions for a concert hall, not only in Europe, but the world, was the 1961 Berlin Philharmonic hall competition, won by Hans Scharoun (below). It was the interior of that building, in particular, that served as a model for many others that followed, one of the first being Los Angeles’ Disney Hall by Frank Gehry. Read more… Budapest’s Nyugati Rail Station Competition  Image courtesy Budapest Development Agency ©Grimshaw Completed in 1877, Budapest’s Nyugati Railway Station has witnessed many of the twists and turns of Hungarian history: the Austro-Hungarian Empire, revolutions of post-World War I and 1956, and various shades of expansion and shrinkage in their territory. Its important location in Europe’s history as a contested land in southeastern Europe has not only served as a path for armies of conquest, but as a matter of great interest for major powers. Amid all the changes it has experienced, Hungary, and Budapest in particular, has retained a fascination for outsiders, making it one of Europe’s high profile tourist attractions. Read more… |