Baltic Creative seeks designer for next phase

22 July 2010 09:59 Comments (0)

Baltic Creative, the fledgling arts and digital media centre off Liverpool's Jamaica Street, is advertising for an architectural team to take the vision for the development forward.

The whole scheme consists of 18 low-rise commercial units in redeveloped and refurbished historic warehouses on Brick Street and Jordan Street. The £600,000 pilot phase, which is already on site with Nobles Construction, includes three units which will be subdivided into 11 studio spaces. The larger second phase will consist of the remaining 15 units.

Baltic Creative centre manager Mark Lawler said the £5m funding for the project had been approved by the North West Development Agency but the programme was nevertheless "under review like everyone else".

The tender brief published today said: "We want a designer to help us provide both the space and environment for a creative and digital media business centre with a real sense of place. The commission will cover the internal and external refurbishment and space planning of the units themselves together with access, servicing and external works design to deliver this vision.

"We are developing initial ideas with our partners to provide creative space for graduates and bursary students. The aim being to provide an environment where creative and digital graduates and new start up businesses can work in close proximity to existing creative and digital businesses."

As well as the commercial space there will be a mixed-use unit providing a central cafe and retail offer.

The value of the design contract is put at between £100,000 and £220,000. Work is expected to start in September and be completed by the end of February 2012.

The Baltic Triangle area to the south of the city centre is rapidly emerging as an arty district with the AFoundation gallery, The Picket live music venue and Novas Contemporary Urban Centre with a mixture of uses already established.