The Glasgow Institute of Architects, in association with local Community Councils, invite design proposals for the creation of a modern, multi-purpose performance and activity space at the site of the former Queens Park Bandstand

The Glasgow Institute of Architects, in association with the local community councils, invite entries for design professionals and students to produce design ideas for the site of the former Queen’s Park Bandstand area to create a modern, multi-purpose performance and activity space for community and visiting arts groups with capacity to accommodate small (up to 300) and large (up to c900) audiences.

History of Queen’s Park
Queen’s Park was designed by Sir Joseph Paxton and constructed, in modified form, between 1857-62. It is named after Mary Queen of Scots rather than Queen Victoria, in allusion to the Battle of Langside (1568) which took place nearby. Its current features and facilities, in addition to mature trees and shrubs, include a boating lake, tennis courts, bowling green, allotments, glasshouses with planting and live animal displays, children’s play area and a cafe, can be seen from the Park Heritage Trail booklet. Google Earth satellite view shows how SW side of the park is more heavily wooded while NE, where the arena site is situated, is more formally laid out. A bowling club, 'Goals' football facilities and Langside Halls where a range of classes take place, are situated on the south side of the Park. Current usage is estimated very roughly at 30,000 p.a. plus a further 20,000 attending for specific events, of which the Southside Festival, attended by c16,000 over 2 days in May, is the most important.

History of the Queens Park bandstand
The bandstand site is approached by tarmac paths and is within 200 m of the park entrances at Balvicar Road and Victoria Road.

Further information can be found at the following websites:
www.qppp.org.uk/ and www.glasgow.gov.uk/heritagetrails

Who can enter?Applications for entry into the competition is open to all design professionals or students of architecture, engineering or landscape architecture.The entry fee per individual, practice or team is £25, entry fee for students is £10. Cheques should be made payable to 'Glasgow Institute of Architects'.Prize moneyThe first prize will be £1000, second prize £500 and third prize £250. An additional £250 may be awarded for a submission that the judges consider deserves an honourable mention. Application forms should be downloaded from the link below and entry monies and completed forms should be submitted to;GIA Queen’s Park Arena Design Competition
c/o CDA
299 West George Street
Glasgow G2 6TSAll entry forms must be submitted by 19th April 2010.Competition ProgrammeAs part of the GIA's AGM there will be a lecture by a leading Architect, details of this will be published by the GIA. It is expected that the lecture will be themed with the competition.There will be a ‘launch day’ design workshop on Sat 24th April 2010, at the Queen’s Park Church, 170 Queens Drive, Glasgow, G42 8QZ‎. Competitors will be invited to attend a short presentation from members of the local community councils. A visit to the site will then take place, this will be followed by a design workshop at the church, where members of the local community will be invited to enage with competitors as they begin to discuss and develop their ideas.Community engagement is a key driver of this design process and competitors are encouraged to engage with the local community at this event.Final submission of competition entries to be by 12noon, Friday 7th May 2010, to CDA office as noted above. Entries should be on 2no. sheets of A3 landscape paper mounted onto foam board.The panel will then draw up a shortlist of 10-12 entrants whose designs will form an exhibition (to be promoted in the Festival programme and publicity) in the Glasshouse, Queen’s Park as part of the Southside Festival on 22-23 May. Members of the public will be encouraged to contribute their views through a questionnaire.Shortly thereafter the shortlisted entrants will be invited to a prizegiving night, where they will be asked to briefly present their design. Following a short consultation the judges will announce the winners and prizes will be awarded.Entry requirementsEach submission should not contain any mark or name identifying the author.Submissions should be enclosed in a plain A3 envelope. The submission entry from should be used again in order to identify the submission, please ensure that the same details are on both forms.