When the Aarhus School of Architecture was established in 1965 the intention was that the school was to be temporarily housed in an old merchant's house at Nørreport 20, 8000 Aarhus C until a more appropriate premises could be found, or a completely new school built.
Almost 50 years have passed, and the school is still located at Nørreport 20.
The Ministry of Education, Aarhus School of Architecture and the Municipality of Aarhus (Aarhus Kommune) have therefore decided to build a new school of architecture at Godsbanearealet in the centre of Aarhus, with the Danish Building and Property Agency as the developer.
The Danish Building and Property Agency (BYGST) is the state's property enterprise and developer. The new school is expected to be fully functional in 2020.
This will be the first time a new school of architecture is to be built in Denmark. Besides centralizing the school physically and creating an up-to-date physical framework for teaching and research, it is the intention to create a school which embraces the city as well as the world, and makes New Aarhus School of Architecture a laboratory for rethinking and development of architecture.
The vision of New Aarhus School of Architecture is ‘Engaging through Architecture’. The school wishes for a place that embodies this vision in a raw materiality and robust structure, though flexible enough to withstand changes over time.
The building is not expected to be a work of art in itself, but a physical framework for continuous change; a laboratory for architecture.
The new school shall provide modern energy efficient facilities for learning and knowledge sharing with focus on the students. There must be room for individual working spaces as well as for teaching, experimentation and development in a common learning environment. The school wishes for spaciousness with contrasts and a great amount of flexibility as well as a general workshop character.
The schools relation to the outside area and the community is a valuable potential for the school in the new location, which needs to be taken into account. The school wishes to be a public point, open to the city and invitingly arranged at Godsbanearealet.
The school is to be built on a ground area of 10 to 12 000 m2. The school of architecture is expected to be approximately 15 to 17 000 m2. However, the square metres may be reduced by up to 30 % due to funding.
The construction sum is expected to be approximately 200 000 000 DKK . However, the sum can be reduced or increased by up to 30 % due to funding. Additionally there can be options of up to 100 000 000 DKK , if the project receives donations.
The contracting authority reserves the right to cancel the competition. This right will only be exercised if circumstances render a continuation of the competition impractical, for example in the event of difficulties in relation to planning or funding.
BYGST intends in accordance with EU-Directive 2004/18, section IV, to conduct a restricted design competition prior to awarding a consultant contract. Since BYGST however wishes that the final construction of the New Aarhus School of Architecture is a result of creativity and innovation, BYGST intends to combine the said restricted design competition after EU-Directive 2004/18 with an preliminary open design competition.
BYGST expects a process as follows:
1. Publication of this notice for the restricted design contest and of the prior information notice
2. Pre-qualification of 3 participants for the restricted design competition conducted according to this notice
3. Launch of an open design competition followed by the appointment of up to 3 additional participants for the restricted design competition conducted according to this notice
4. Launch of the restricted design competition according to this notice
5. Launch of negotiation procedure without preliminary notice according to EU-directive 2004/18, section IV and closing of contract.
Cfr. phase 2:
BYGST intends to pre-qualify 3 participants for the restricted design contest based on the criteria listed in section III.1. below. BYGST emphasizes that the time-line mentioned below is indicative. The pre-qualification begins early September 2015 and the 3 participants for the restricted design competition conducted according to this notice is expected to be announced ultimo November 2015.
Cfr. phase 3:
In the period between the pre-qualification implemented in phase 1 according to this notice and the dispatch of the competitive material, BYGST intends to conduct an open design competition, which will be announced in a separate Prior Information Notice. This open design competition aims to create a room for creativity, and the solutions proposed in the open design competition will partly perform the basis for the competition program prepared for the restricted design competition conducted according to this notice. To establish a link between the two competitions and provide an incentive to participate in the open design competition, BYGST intends to appoint up to 3 of the participants in the open design competition to participate in the competition conducted according to this notice. It must, however, be stressed that a pre-qualification through the open design contest also requires that the criteria mention in section III.1. below are met.
Overall, this means that there will be up to 6 participants in total in the restricted design competition conducted according to this notice, 3 of which are selected based on a common pre-qualification assessment, and up to 3 are appointed on the basis of the open design competition.
Therefore; if an applicant has not been selected to participate in the competition conducted according to this notice, via the usual pre-qualification, it is possible to be nominated to participate via the open design competition.
The open design competition will be announced in a separate Prior Information Notice and is expected to end with the appointment of up to 3 additional participants in April 2016.
Cfr. phase 4:
The restricted design competition conducted according to the EU-directive 2004/18 is expected to begin in August 2016, and the up to 6 participants will have to submit their entries at about November 2016.
When the competitive proposals are submitted, the proposals will be evaluated according to the criteria stated in section IV.3 in this notice. The criteria will be further elaborated in the contest material. On this background there will be appointed 1-3 winners to participate in the negotiation procedure.
Cfr. phase 5:
When 1-3 winners of the restricted design contest are appointed the contest, a negotiation procedure without preliminary notice according to EU-directive 2004/18, section IV will be implemented. This following negotiation and awarding is expected to be concluded in March 2017.
The contract will be awarded on the basis of which tender is considered to be the most economically advantageous tender. This process and the award criterion will be further described in the competition material that will be sent to the participant(s) that are appointed to participate in the negotiation procedure.
When there, expectedly, is appointed an overall winner / bidder BYGST expects to enter into a consultant contract with the said winner.
Upon the conclusion of the design competition BYGST furthermore expects to issue a call for tenders for a design-and- build contract. The contractor will in the tender material be instructed to enter a consultant contract with the winner of the design competition. Thus, the contract between the winner of the restricted design competition and BYGST will be replaced by a contract between the contractor and the winner of the design contest. The extent of the consultant contract will be further described in the competition material for the restricted design competition conducted according to this notice.
For further information regarding both the restricted design competition conducted according to this notice, as well as the open design competition reference can be made to the following websites: www.aarch.dk and www.bygst.dk