Media Release |
Jan. 19, 2005
UBC Selects Three Internationally Acclaimed Finalists for
$100 Million Architectural Competition
Three finalists have been selected for UBC’s University
Boulevard Architectural Competition that will result in a
new campus entry and social heart for the university’s
Vancouver campus.
The three finalist teams, chosen from seven shortlisted teams
in December, following 53 submissions in November, are (in
alphabetical order):
- Allies and Morrison Architects (London, UK) with Proscenium
Architecture and Interiors Inc. (Vancouver, B.C)
- Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners (Santa Monica,
California) with Hughes Condon Marler: Architects (Vancouver,
B.C.)
- Patkau Architects (Vancouver, B.C.)
“It was extremely difficult selecting three finalists
from the extraordinarily gifted group of seven architectural
teams selected in the last round,” said Dennis Pavlich,
UBC Vice-President of External and Legal Affairs. “The
three finalists have inspiring and differing architectural
perspectives. Besides demonstrating design excellence, each
showed a strong implementation capability, and a strategy
that impressed and excited the Shortlist Committee.
“The university community now awaits each of these
talented, internationally renowned teams to prepare their
visions to create a superb boulevard that fosters community
in a distinctive setting and in a sustainable way.”
The vision for University Boulevard is to create a distinctive,
architecturally rich entry and social heart for the campus
that includes a new University Square, a new greenway, new
university related shops and services, university housing,
and all the open spaces and associated pedestrian connections.
The total competition site area is approximately 7.2 hectares
and the total gross building area over the five project sites
is 38,550 square metres. The estimated budget for the completion
of the project is $100 million CDN.
“With this competition we are creating a higher standard
for design at UBC that endeavors to move the university away
from its historical piece meal approach,” said Linda
Moore, Associate Director External Affairs, University Town.
“We are proud to be providing a leadership role in
urban, landscape and architectural design that will enhance
the university's reputation as one of the finest environments
of higher learning in Canada, and set a new standard regionally
to which best practices in architecture and design can and
should be inspired. In addition, the competition provides
an important vehicle for discourse on the built environment
-- be it at a university or elsewhere.”
Beginning April 1, 2005, the designs prepared by the three
finalists will be exhibited in UBC’s Helen and Morris
Belkin Art Gallery for public viewing. During this exhibition,
UBC students, faculty, staff, and alumni will be invited to
comment on the designs by way of a campus-wide poll. The results
of the poll will be given to a jury made up of internationally
recognised architects and UBC representatives for consideration
in selecting the winning submission. The winning design will
be announced in May 2005, on ratification by the UBC Board
of Governors.
The University Boulevard Architectural Competition is the
first architectural competition in Vancouver since 1991 when
the Vancouver Public Library held a national design competition,
which was won by Moshe Safdie and Downs Archambault &
Partners.
The University of British Columbia is a leading university
in Canada, one of the world’s finest academic and research
institutions, and is home to 40,000 undergraduate and graduate
students. UBC ranks consistently among the top 50 of the world’s
best universities.
For further information on the competition objectives, scope
and schedule, please visit: www.universitytown.ubc.ca/archcomp.
Short biographies for each of the three finalists can be
found at: www.universitytown.ubc.ca/archcomp
NOTE TO EDITORS: Each of the shortlisted
architectural firms will be prohibited to comment to media
regarding the competition following the signing of contractual
agreements with UBC. This could occur as early as Friday January
21, 2005 at 5:00pm Pacific Time.
Shortlisted firm URLs:
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Contact
Brad Foster
Manager, Communications
University Town
Tel: 604.827.3006
E-mail: brad.foster@ubc.ca
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