Giant’s Causeway

This international competition was sponsored by the UK Government in Northern Ireland and administered using the UNESCO Standard Regulations. 

The competition site was located on Northern Ireland’s North Antrim coastline, part of the Causeway Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.



Competition results

First Prize :

Roisin Heneghan, Heneghan Peng Architects (Dublin-Ireland)



Second Prize :

Verstas Architect: Väinö Nikkilä, Jussi Palva, Riina Palva, Ilkka Juhani Salminen (Helsinki-Finland)



Theme and objectives

The aim of this competition was to select an architect for the design of new visitor facilities.

The Giant’s Causeway is Northern Ireland’s main visitor attraction. It has an iconic status, both in terms of its natural forms and its mythological connections. In acknowledgement of the geological, scientific and educational importance of the site, the Giant’s Causeway and Causeway coast was inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1986.

The subject of this design competition was the provision of new visitor facilities for the Giant’s Causeway. The new facilities would replace or supplement the existing provision and deliver a world class solution for the interpretation and presentation of Giant’s Causeway and its context, at a level commensurate with its standing as a World Heritage site.



Key criteria

The adjudication criteria adopted by the jury reflected the competition brief: 

  • Show innovative approaches both internally and externally;
  • Respond to current aspirations of good practice;
  • Meet the aims of the promoter and major stakeholders;
  • Satisfy the project objectives referred to in section 3 of the competition brief, which provided the framework within which the project would be delivered and success would be judged. They were: best practice, environmental sustainability, civic pride and community engagement, financial sustainability, visitation and economic regeneration, visitor experience.

Jury Members

  • Bruce Robinson, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, NORTHERN IRELAND;
  • Mario Cucinelli, Architect, ITALY; 
  • Duncan Lewis, Architect, FRANCE;
  • Aidan Mcgrath, Architect and representative of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects;
  • Jochen Brandi, Architect, GERMANY;
  • Peter Hunter, Architect, UNITED KINGDOM;
  • Juhani Pallasmaa, Architect, FINLAND; 
  • Claude Godeffroy, Architect and UIA representative, BELGIUM;
  • Frank McCloskey, NORTHERN IRELAND.

 

Eligibility

This competition was open to all professional architects.

Results

Competition closed. Results announced on  2005

COMPETITION RESULTS

Past
Open
past
Professional