National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff

Winners

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

Process

Expression of interest followed by invited design phase with 6 teams participating

Our involvement

• Designing the right competitive process
• Researching and identifying potential competitors to alert to the competition
• Advertising the competition in print and on-line media
• Writing the competition rules
• Appointing an Architect Assessor to write the competition brief
• Planning the competition timetable and budget to meet client requirements
• Acting as point of contact for the competition
• Ensuring a clear and ethical process
• Briefing the jury panel
• Briefing competitors
• Managing the competitive process
• Advising on and then managing the scoring/evaluation procedures
• Arranging and facilitate interviews and presentations
• Maintaining confidentiality
• Creating an audit trail
• Assisting with press and media enquiries and coverage
• Competition administration
• Debriefing and follow up

Facts

• A large, high profile competition that, once announced, was very much in the public eye.
• The competition jury was chaired by the Rt. Hon Lord Callaghan of Cardiff
• The competition was widely advertised to attract international as well as national and local firms.
• The client was looking to appoint high quality designers, capable of creating something exceptional, with whom they could develop an innovative and clever design for the waterside location.
• The competition involved a rigorous procurement route based on the OJEU processes.
• The brief set out a functional specification for the building, expressing a clear desire for an open and democratic building, appropriate for the 21st century.
• The brief included stipulations that: the building be an exemplar for access; sustainable strategies and renewable energy systems be implemented throughout; the building should have a minimum 100-year life span; wherever possible, Welsh materials be used.