West Cork Arts Centre

The RIAI (Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland) is administering a competition on behalf of the competition promoters, West Cork Arts Centre (WCAC). This is an open, two stage competition for the architectural design of a high-quality, purpose-built facility that will enable the people of West Cork to have access to and to engage with local and global arts practice of excellence i.e. create the ideal environment for the interaction of people and art.

Established twenty-one years ago in Skibbereen, West Cork Arts Centre (WCAC) is funded by public money to provide a community-based arts facility and arts programme for the whole West Cork region. It supports a multi-disciplinary arts programme with a focus on modern and contemporary visual art and a range of education and community programmes.

It is active in commissioning new work, publishing, and arts education, generating programmes in partnership with other agencies and organisations and disseminating best practice.

With a significant and growing demand for their programmes and services, WCAC needs to expand into a purpose-built building that will open up an abundance of opportunities which will have a positive impact on the aesthetic, cultural, social, economic and educational fabric of the region.

This new building will revitalise and make vibrant the centre of Skibbereen as the art heart of West Cork and will draw people from all over Ireland and abroad to the region. It will enable West Cork Arts Centre to cater for increased numbers and services for the people of West Cork and be an arts facility that the community will be proud of.

The competition site is known as the Wolfe Bakery and located in the centre of the commercial district, overlooking Field’s car park and Main Street, this building is on a 470m approx site. It is not listed and is designated as derelict. The new building will be approx 1080m and the budget is estimated at €1,500 per m²
Eligibility

The competition is open to architects holding a qualification listed in the EU Qualifications Directive 2005/36/EC.

In the case of architects eligibility is defined as: Equivalent means a person holding a qualification equivalent to a qualification for the purposes of Article 46 of the European Union Directive 2005/36/EC (Qualifications Directive) to include persons whose qualifications were successfully assessed by the Panel established by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government in 1996 and persons from outside the EU/EEA area. Persons outside the EU/EEA area should include evidence confirmation of registration with a national registration body and/or a UIA recognised professional organisation.

It is the function of the Registrar to decide on eligibility and equivalence.
An entry may be submitted by an architectural practice. In this case the name and address should be given and the official entry form signed by a partner. In this context the practice is defined as; a partnership properly established for the purpose of an architectural competition or an association of architects for the purpose of entering a competition.

Competition Jury

• Denis Deasy, County Architect, Cork County Council
• Emmett Scanlon, Architectural Advisor, Arts Council
• Mary McCarthy, Dublin Docklands Development Authority
• Maud Cotter, Artist
• Helen Collins, Solicitor, Former Chair of West Cork Arts Centre
• Patrick Creedon, Architect, Magee Creedon Kearns Architects
• Ann Davoren, Director, West Cork Arts Centre

Prize Fund

Each short listed competitor invited to participate in Stage 2 of the competition will be paid an honorarium of €10,000 for a valid Stage 2 submission.

Competition Programme
Stage 1

• Competition Registration Opens: 14 July 2008
• Withdrawal of Registration and refund of fee: 25 July 2008
• Stage 1 Questions Deadline: 1 August 2008
• Stage 1 Answers Circulated: 15 August 2008
• Stage 1 Registration Deadline: 29 August 2008
• Stage 1 Submission Deadline: 5 September 2008

Stage 2
Stage Two Opens: October 2008

How to Register

The Registration Form is available in the Competition section of the RIAI website www.riai.ie

Download and complete the registration form including payment / payment details of €121.00 registration fee (inclusive of VAT at 21%). Registration forms are accepted via email, fax or post. Email: [email protected] Fax: 00353 1 6610948 or West Cork Arts Centre Architectural Design Competition, RIAI, 8 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, Ireland.

A registered competitor may withdraw a registration on or before Friday 25 July 2008 and will be entitled to a refund of the registration fee. After that date no other refunds can be made in any circumstances whether a valid entry is submitted or not.

We accept Cash, MasterCard, Visa, Laser, Electronic Funds Transfer, Bankers Draft, Euro Cheque and Irish Cheques. Cheques/Drafts should be made payable to the RIAI.

Once we have received a completed registration form with payment, a username and password will be emailed to you. The username and password will allow you to download the competition brief from the RIAI website www.riai.ie

Enquiries contact

Karina O’Neill, Competitions Officer, RIAI, 8 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, Ireland
Email: [email protected] Tel: +353 1 669 1480 Fax: +353 1 661 0948

Once you have registered, you will receive a username and password via email enabling you to download the Competition Pack.