ARCHITECTURAL
EXCELLENCE PLANNED FOR CITY CENTRE,
December 2004
A prominent
development in the Lace Market
is to benefit from architectural
design of the highest quality
thanks to a national competition.
For the first
time in nine years a private
commercial company, backed by
Nottingham City Council, has
held a competition to attract
some of the country's top architects
to design for the City.
Local developers
Bildurn Properties has invested
over £150,000 in prize
money to ensure the quality
of entrants is of the highest
possible calibre.
Adrian Jones,
Nottingham City's Assistant
Director for Planning and Transportation
welcomed the initiative. He
says "The city council
wants to promote high quality
building design. We have been
impressed by the way the competition
has been organised and by the
quality of the designs submitted."
Bildurn has
brought together a judging panel
with excellent credentials,
comprising Ian Simpson (Principal
at renowned Ian Simpson Architects
- in London and Manchester),
Derek Latham (Latham Architects
in Derby) Nigel Turpin (Project
Officer, Nottingham City Council)
Fiona Heron (NEED SOME INFO)
and Sean Akins (Director of
Bildurn).
The Lace Market
site on Bottle Lane covers just
over ½ acre and is adjacent
to Waterstones on Bridlesmith
Gate - an award winning redevelopment
completed by another Bildurn
Group company several years
ago.
The site has
been used for car parking since
the 1990's but will now to be
redeveloped with a £25m
landmark scheme that is in the
region of 100,000 sq ft, which
will much improve this run down
site at the heart of the Lace
Market Conservation Area. It
is anticipated the building
will house two or three levels
of retail units aimed at the
fashion sector and larger space
users. In addition there will
be several floors of hotel and
leisure uses.
M/f
2/..
An impressive list of five competitors
included award-winning practices,
Benson+Forsyth, Shedkm, HBMA,
Rick Mather, and Stanton Williams.
Benson+Forsyth are currently
front-runners, the practice
has an impressive portfolio
of national and international
projects, and their strength
is to introduce contemporary
buildings harmoniously into
urban and historical environments.
Their award-winning designs
include the Millennium Wing
of National Gallery of Ireland,
in Dublin, and Museum of Scotland.
Sean Akins, Managing Director
of Bildurn, is excited about
the design competition. He said,
"We are proud that we can
be involved in such a landmark
scheme which will be responsible
for bringing the highest quality
design to Nottingham. This is
a fantastic opportunity to capture
great design for Nottingham
and it would be great to think
that this will be something
that others will follow in future."
"I hope
that we can create a unique
development on Bottle Lane that
will enhance the character of
both the Lace Market and Nottingham
and will integrate this site
into the fabric of the City."
The competition,
managed by Latham Architects,
was advertised in early autumn
and the short-listed designs
assessed by the Technical Team
in November 2004 following extensive
consultation. The Judging panel
will consider these shorlisted
designs in December. Revised
proposals will then be put forward
for formal public and City Council
support, if all goes according
to timetable work should start
in spring 2005 and be completed
towards the end of 2006.
A Technical
Team of advisors have been involved
with the project since its inception
in at the end of 2003. The team
consists of some of most experienced
professionals in the City and
includes Nattrass Giles, Gleeds,
BWB, Latham Architects, Freeth
Cartwright and Dalgleish (London).
ENDS
23 December 2004
For further PR information contact
Eden PR on 0115 852 4717, fax
0115 950 9175 or contact Kathryn
Harrison, Kathryn@edenpr.co.uk
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