The six designs will be exhibited until 2 November

The six designs in the running for Aberdeen’s £120m City Garden Project have been unveiled to the public.

The short-listed teams submitted proposals that demonstrate how the central site of the Denburn valley could be turned into an enhanced green space with better accessibility for residents and visitors.

Their entries, which include 3D models, images, design drawings and design rationale, will go on display at Unit 10 of The Academy on Belmont Street from 19 October  until 2 November.

Members of the public attending the exhibition will be invited to indicate their preferred design, and this will be provided to the jury.

Malcolm Reading of Malcolm Reading Consultants, which is running the design competition, said: “This is a special moment in the competition where for the first time we can see how these six remarkable teams envision the City Garden for Aberdeen. The designs are exceptional – all of them memorable in their own way and visually rich and inspired combinations of landscape, urban design and architecture.

“They are not finished designs but already one can see the insights each design team has taken from the site and the brief. They all demonstrate how level access, place-making and new green spaces could completely transform this area, making a new landmark for Aberdeen.

“The designs show how new facilities for cultural use could be incorporated into the spaces, making the most of safe pedestrian access, natural light and integration into the cultural quarter of the city, as well as spaces for public events all through the year.”

The designs are anonymous so that the ranking by the public cannot be prejudiced.

  • Design 01 features a three dimensional web of pathways over green parkland with the warp and weft of urban lines supporting park and cultural activities
  • Design 02 has doubled the size of the gardens, making them twice the size of Trafalgar Square with an extended glass winter garden running along the middle to make an area for all seasons
  • Design 03 envisages a new garden with an extensive water feature and contemporary cultural centre off a half buried street with clean angular lines
  • Design 04 uses imaginative floral landscaping to tie together the crucial pieces of city centre fabric and create a sun-filled arena within a concentric space
  • Design 05 draws on the historic character of streets and spaces over different levels and uses a mix of hard and soft landscaping to create a series of distinct but inter-connected spaces with footbridges connecting the project to Belmont Street
  • Design 06 also doubles the size of the gardens with layered green areas set in the existing topography that offer differing views, a community boulevard, cultural promenade and terraced flower garden

The short-listed design teams are:

  • Diller Scofidio and Renfro (New York) / Keppie Design (Glasgow) working in association with landscape architect Olin Studio
  • Foster + Partners (London) / Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture (Beirut) working in association with cost and construction consultant Gardiner & Theobald
  • Snøhetta (Oslo) / Gareth Hoskins Architects (Glasgow) working in association with engineering and multi-discipline company AECOM
  • Gustafson Porter (London) / Niall McLaughlin Architects (London) working with urban analyst Space Syntax, engineer Arup and cost adviser Jackson Coles
  • Mecanoo Architecten (Delft, Netherlands) / Cooper Cromar (Glasgow) working in association with landscape architect Ian White, engineer Buro Happold and cost adviser Davis Langdon (AECOM)
  • West 8 urban design & landscape architecture (Rotterdam, Netherlands) / Archial Group (Aberdeen) working in association with engineer Arup and cost and construction consultant Turner & Townsend

Topics