The Ministry for Youth
and the Arts has received over ninety registrations
from various architects, teams and agencies interested
in taking part in the International Competition for
the design of the Mnajdra and Hagar Qim Heritage Park.
The International Competition was launched by Minister
for Youth and the Arts, Jesmond Mugliett on November
22, 2003.
The larger part of these registrations came mainly
from Europe but there were others from Asia, the Middle
East, North Africa and the Americas. These architects
or teams of specialists, in the next week will be receiving
a package containing the Brief containing all the necessary
information regarding the site.
There were also a series of questions and queries
since the launch regarding the competition parameters,
the site in question and details on Brief content.
Around 50 queries and questions were addressed to the
Technical and Professional advisor responsible for
the competition procedures. The website of the Ministry
for Youth and the Arts, www.mya.gov.mt has been updated
to respond to the various queries.
The brief being sent to the registered competitors
contains a section on Site Issues: that is the rationale
behind the project, site issues, climate, site context,
a statement of significance, World Heritage Values,
description of site, assets and context and a full
evaluation of the site both from an ecological, archaeological
and historical level. This section also refers to planning
policies and protection levels in the area.
Another section refers to Competition Regulations.
This contains mostly information regarding the process
of the competition and apart from quoting the dynamics
of jury it refers to the type of assessment, eligibility,
parameters for disqualification and details of documents
to be submitted.
In the section on Programme-Related Issues the design
philosophy is highlighted and reference is made to:
design principles, project specifics and area requirements.
The section on plans included in the Brief refers
to alternative sites for the visitors' centre and the
site for the visitor orientation point, contour plan
of the area, protected areas, general plan of the site
and access and a general map of the Maltese islands
with orientation of the site. In the addendum there
is a full version of necessary planning policies and
local legislation.
The next stage of the competition will see the appointment
of the Technical Committee, which will co-ordinate
the competition and must guarantee that the competition
runs smoothly and correctly.
The committee shall see to all the aspects of the
competition and its main responsibility will be to
study the subject of the competition in-depth and to
run it impeccably whilst complying with the rules laid
down in this document. It will also organise the meeting
between the competitors and the representatives of
the promoter. A coordinator will than be appointed
to liaise with and report to the Jury.
The deadline for the submission of the design projects
is set for March 26, 2004 and the announcement of the
winning project follows the jury meeting, which will
be held in April. An exhibition of the design projects
will follow.
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