Gladstone's Living Heritage ARCHITECTURE COMPETITIONS 2018

Gladstone’s Living Heritage

BRIEF

Gladstone’s Library is seeking submissions for an Invited Design Competition from architect–led teams with exceptional design skills for a prestigious new building and re-development of the existing Grade I listed building and its landscape.

William Ewart Gladstone (1809 – 1898) was the single most significant political figure of the Nineteenth Century. He founded the library in 1889 as a centre for debate, research and comment on the political, spiritual and cultural values he stood for.

Gladstone’s Library is the UK’s only Prime Ministerial Library and is unique in being a residential Library. Founded by Gladstone in 1889, its aim is to be ‘the place to go’ for debate, research and comment on the political, spiritual and cultural values that Gladstone stood for and, most importantly, showing how his ideals still have currency today. We want to extend our local, national and even global reputation through the quality of our programme and the excellence of our research collections, archive and exhibition. Our project will bring Gladstone’s legacy alive for the 21st century.

The client would like to develop the Library in order to promote wider engagement with the liberal values that lay at the heart of Gladstone’s life and work. The new building must be complementary to, but quite different from, the Victorian library building; a flexible, contemporary space will enable the expansion of the public programme including lectures and debates.

The aim is to create a visitor experience that will engage and inspire a broader range of audiences. It will be dedicated to three defining themes of Gladstone’s political career that have exceptional contemporary resonance – human rights and genocide; the evolution of democracy; religious tolerance. These themes will be the focus of a permanent exhibition and will form part of the Library’s future work and mission.

It is anticipated that five teams will be shortlisted and invited to participate in the design phase of the competition. An equal honorarium of GBP £4,000 (+VAT) will be paid to each of shortlisted teams.

In the first instance, applications are invited in accordance with the requirements set out in the Briefing information and accompanying Selection Questionnaire, which is available from the competition website.

Peter Clegg, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and RIBA Adviser said: ‘Gladstone’s library is a real National Treasure, celebrating as it does one of our greatest Prime Ministers whose contribution to democracy, religious tolerance and human rights needs to be better understood.

‘There is a tremendous opportunity for architecture to help facilitate this with the refurbishment of their Grade I listed building and a new extension that will house an exhibition space and cultural hub. It deserves to be a truly amazing project.’

SCHEDULE

Issue OJEU Notice Monday 05 March
Release of Briefing Information & Selection Questionnaire Tuesday 06 March
Latest date for queries relating to the SQ Tuesday 27 March
Deadline for receipt of SQ returns 14:00 — Tuesday 10 April
Evaluation meeting and selection of shortlist Tuesday 01 May
Shortlist notified & notification to unsuccessful candidates w/c 07 May
Issue of Design Brief & ITT to shortlist w/c 07 May
Site visit & briefing session for shortlisted teams Monday 21 May
Latest date for queries relating to the ITT Friday 01 June
Memorandum issued in response to queries w/c 04 June
Submission deadline 14:00 — Tuesday 19 June
Clarification interviews & presentations Wednesday 27 June
Notification of result and start of 10 day Standstill period w/c 02 July
Winning press release announcement w/c 16 July

The Timetable is indicative only and Gladstone’s Library reserve the right to change it at its discretion. You will be notified of any changes made to the timetable