Whitehaven Central Harbour Site Competition

This competition, to select an architect-led team to design a circa GBP £10m mixed-use development on a prominent site adjacent to Whitehaven Harbour, is being organised with the support of Places Matter! the architecture centre for the Northwest.

Description
The total construction cost envisaged for the mixed use development is GBP £10 million. This figure includes all design fees (architect, structural engineer, M&E consultant), statutory fees (planning or commuted sums), QS fees, plus non-recoverable VAT.

Proposals should achieve the full potential of the site. As a minimum, the scheme should accommodate approximately 4,000m2 of office accommodation (for sale and let) and 40 No. luxury residential apartments (predominantly two-bed, with some three-bed, together with 3 No. penthouses). The office accommodation should be designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent. The apartments should be designed to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 as a minimum, and to exceed typical space standards - with minimum GIFA of 80m2 (two-bed), 90m2 (three-bed) and 150m2 (luxury penthouse) respectively. All the apartments should have coastal views and useable balconies with enough space to sit on - the balconies to the larger flats should be able to accommodate a small table and a couple of chairs as a minimum. Competitors may propose higher densities, but not if it jeopardises the quality of the design or the potential ability of the scheme obtaining planning consent.

The ground floor should not be allocated for residential use but should be appropriate to the residential development above.

Appropriate levels of car parking should be provided on site.

Massing should be appropriate to the site and the development constraints. Designers are free to choose whether to accommodate the offices and apartments in a single, or more than one block.

The development must be capable of being delivered within the overall budget of GBP £10million pounds. Any proposals that exceed the budget would need to demonstrate the additional benefits/attributes the scheme would bring.
Given the site's exposed maritime setting, due consideration will need to be given to selecting an appropriate palette of materials to ensure longevity of the building(s) and minimise any future maintenance regimes.

Jury
Stephen Hodder, Hodder + Partners (acting as the RIBA Architect Adviser)
Stuart Cowperthwaite, Britain's Energy Coast West Cumbria (Director)
Frank Lowe, Magnus Homes Ltd. (Programme Director)
Celia MacKenzie, Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners (Chief Executive)
Charlotte Myhrum, Places Matter! (Design Review Manager)
Cllr. Bill Southward, Copeland Borough Council (Chair of Planning Panel)
James Porter, RIBA Competitions Office (Competitions Consultant)

Prize
Design commission

Each team short-listed to Stage 2 of the competition (up to five) will receive an honorarium payment of £4,440

Entry Fee
GBP £50.00

Entries
One A1 lightweight foam board, etc.

Submission Address
Whitehaven Harbour Central Site Competition
RIBA Competitions
6 Melbourne Street
Leeds
LS2 7PS

Timetable
Review of anonymous Stage 1 Proposals:27 Sept. 2010
Deadline for Stage 2 submissions:Thurs. 4 Nov. 2010
Result announced: W/c 22 Nov. 2010

Organizer
Britain's Energy Coast Cumbria and Magnus Homes Ltd.

Official Website
http://www.riba-whitehavencentralsite.org.uk/