Cultural Centre Design Competition, Baron's Quay, Northwich

The Northwich Regeneration Partnership is inviting submissions for a two stage open design competition for the design of a new Cultural Centre to be located at Baron’s Quay, Northwich.

The competition is organised with the support of the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Competitions Office.

The competition is open to architect-led multi-disciplinary design teams and will take the form of a two stage process organised as follows :

Stage 1 : Submission of concept designs which will be assessed anonymously

Stage 2 : A shortlist will be chosen and invited to stage 2. Stage 2 will involve further exploration of stage 1 design ideas. Anonymity will be lifted and shortlisted teams will be invited to attend an interview and make a presentation to the Jury Panel.

Introduction

Northwich is a key northwest market town that provides a range of services both to residents of the town and to the surrounding rural hinterland. It is the largest town in the Borough of Vale Royal and is sited in the heart of the Cheshire plain at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane. Manchester lies 20 miles to the north east of the town and Chester 18 miles to the east.

Historically, Northwich was the focus of the Cheshire salt industry which led to the establishment of a regionally significant chemical sector in the town. Salt extraction in the town dates from Roman times with significant development of the salt and chemical industries taking place in the Victorian period when the town also became a busy port and inland shipbuilding centre.

The legacy of salt extraction in the town was a cluster of abandoned salt mines and associated subsidence problems that curtailed the town centre’s development. The ground conditions also gave rise to an historic town core that is characterised by distinctive black and white ‘Tudor style’ timber framed buildings that were designed to be lifted or jacked if subsidence did occur.

Following major investment, the salt mines have now been stabilised and there is the opportunity for the town centre to expand and progress its role at the heart of Cheshire life. The Northwich Regeneration Partnership has taken the lead in developing a new ambitious strategy for the town ‘Northwich Vision’. The Vision is a 20 year plan that identifies a number of sites and projects across the town centre that have the potential to provide for a variety of new commercial, residential, leisure and cultural developments. One of the key projects is the delivery of a new ‘Cultural Centre’ for residents of Northwich and the wider Vale Royal area. Vale Borough Council has indicated the desire for the centre to include a new heritage interpretation centre, conference and performance theatre facilities, exhibition space for community arts and a tourist information centre with ancillary food, drink and associated administration accommodation.

Background and Context

The Northwich Regeneration Partnership is an informal partnership of eight leading public sector organisations which includes : Vale Royal Borough Council ; the North West Development Agency ; English Partnerships ; Cheshire County Council ; British Waterways ; the Environment Agency ; the Learning Skills Council and Visit Chester and Cheshire. The Partnership has taken the lead role in putting together Northwich Vision regeneration framework which includes proposals to embrace the two rivers running through the town, the Weaver and the Dane, by creating a mixed-use waterfront activity. The waterfront area would include retail outlets, bars and restaurants. This would clearly increase Northwich’s tourist appeal and develop the town as a premier leisure destination in Cheshire, both of which are key goals of the regeneration plan and would put Vale Royal on the map.

In 2003 BDP, Jones Lang la Salle and MVA produced the Northwich Vision Interim Planning Guidance (IPG) featuring a new Cultural Centre adjacent to the River Weaver. Now adopted, the local planning guidance acknowledges that the new Cultural Centre should represent an exciting iconic structure on the Weaver Navigation waterfront, symbolic of the wider renaissance of Northwich. The building will become a landmark and focus for public activity throughout the day.
In terms of Leisure Services provision the Borough Council carried out a leisure facilities review that highlighted the need for further development work in Northwich and to consider rationalisation of service provision. This rationalisation will entail the replacement of the existing Memorial Hall and transfer of functions into the new Cultural Centre.
It is envisaged that this proposal will develop a gateway heritage interpretation centre for the Weaver Valley Regional Park and Northwich area reinforcing those historical links to the Lion Saltworks, Anderton Boat Lift and the wider area.
A bid for the Weaver Valley Regional Park highlights the salt heritage of central Cheshire as a key theme with the three towns of Northwich, Middlewich and Nantwich being pre-eminent in industrial/Victorian, Roman and medieval salt-making respectively. It is considered essential to make this connection with the Regional Park opportunities.

Timetable

The timetable for the competition (which may be subject to change) is as follows:

Competition announcement : 5th December 2008
Brief available : 15th December 2008
Question deadline : 22nd December 2008
Response to questions :  w/c 5th January 2009
Submission of designs : 10th February 2009
Stage 1 Assessment : w/c 16th February 2009
Shortlist notified / stage 2 instructions : 23rd February
Stage 2 Submission : 12th March
Public consultation : w/c 16th March
Final assessment/interview : w/c 23rd March
Winner notified : w/c 23rd March onwards

Further Information

Further information on Northwich and the Northwich Vision can be obtained from the Partnership website at www.northwichvision.org.