RIBA COMPETITIONS ANNOUNCES WINNER FOR WHITEHAVEN HARBOUR CENTRAL SITE COMPETITION

Richard Murphy Architects has been selected as the winning team in an international design competition, managed by RIBA Competitions for the redevelopment of the Mark House and Park Nightclub site in Whitehaven.

RIBA Competitions launched the search to find a new design team in the summer of last year on behalf of Britain’s Energy Coast West Cumbria and Magnus Homes, with the support of Places Matter! (the architecture centre for the North West).

This £10m mixed use development of luxury residential apartments and high quality office accommodation will continue the dramatic transformation of Whitehaven’s former working port which has taken place over the past decade.

Cathy Ditchfield, director for RIBA Competitions, said: “We were approached by Britain’s Energy Coast West Cumbria and Magnus Homes to help them find an architect for the project.

“We offer our clients a bespoke service and access to high quality suppliers and have subsequently advised them throughout the entire competition process. From helping to define the initial brief to overseeing the selection of the winners, we have been involved every step of the way to provide specialist advice.”

RIBA Competitions sought design teams with the capacity and imagination to design and deliver a scheme that is appropriate to the urban grain of Whitehaven and massing of other developments on the harbour-side.

The competition followed a two stage process – at stage one entrants submitted anonymous design proposals and were judged by the six strong judging panel which included RIBA architect adviser Stephen Hodder.

Five teams made it through to the second stage, after being shortlisted from 139 entries submitted from around the globe. The teams were then invited to refine and enhance their design concepts that would provide a unique design for the harbourside development and the townscape in Whitehaven.

Paul Crooks, programme manager for Britains Energy Coast West Cumbria, said: “We decided to go down the competitions route as we felt we needed fresh ideas for the harbour site as nothing we’d seen in the past really fitted the bill.

“RIBA Competitions was the obvious choice of procurement service for us and a project of this magnitude. We felt confident that having the internationally renowned RIBA name attached to the competition would in turn attract the highest level of candidates and designs. Having RIBA on board made our lives a lot easier as they were able to manage and oversee all aspects of the competition process, offering a high level of service and expertise at all times.

“The selection of this scheme is the culmination of many months of hard work involving the judging panel, technical panel, the general public and from a wide range of architects and architectural practices. The scale of the initial submissions together with the strength of the shortlist means that this was no easy decision, but we consider this scheme gives Whitehaven the opportunity to gain an architectural gem.”

Richard Murphy Architects winning design captures the spirit of the remarkable Georgian town and will reconnect it with the harbourside, adding an appropriate contemporary layer to its fabric and stunning panoramic views of the harbour from each apartment. The former Bath House building was successfully incorporated in to the design proposals, which would provide a memorable roofline silhouette against the back drop of the hills surrounding the town.

Further information about the competition can be found by visiting www.architecture.com/competitions