The developer of a new branch of the Pompidou Centre art museum in the centre of Brussels, Belgium, has revealed the seven-strong shortlist of architects in contention to win the prestigious commission.
Diller Scofidio + Renfro, OMA and 51N4E are among the studios who will now develop a project outline by 23 December 2017. An international panel, led by architect Roger Diener, will choose a winner in Q1 2018.
The Urban Development Corporation of the Brussels-Capital Region is converting the Citroën Yser Garage – once Europe’s largest car factory – into the largest new museum in Brussels since the beginning of the 20th century.
In addition to a 15,000sq m (161,500sq ft) Pompidou outpost, the newly-christened Citroën Cultural Centre will also be a 10,000sq m (107,600sq ft) home for the International Centre for Urbanism, Architecture and Landscape and 10,000sq m of public spaces for cultural, educational and recreational activities. The completed project, which will cost around €125m (US$145m, £111m), is scheduled to open in 2020.
The full shortlist is:
• 51N4E / Caruso St John Architects
• ADVVT / AGWA / 6a architects
• Diller Scofidio + Renfro / JDS Architects
• Lhoas & Lhoas / Ortner & Ortner
• NOA / EM2N / Sergison Bates
• Office / Christ & Gantenbein
• OMA
Ninety-two practices expressed their interest in the project after the first phase of the competition
was launched in April. A star-studded longlist,
revealed last month, included Bjarke Ingels Group, Foster + Partners, Snøhetta, MVRDV, Coop Himmelb(l)au, David Chipperfield Architects, Zaha Hadid Architects, WilkinsonEyre and the studio of Richard Rogers – who designed the original landmark Pompidou Centre in Paris in 1977 with Renzo Piano.
The tender documents called for applications from firms with expertise in architecture, stability engineering, building services engineering, acoustics, energy performance coordination and safety and health coordination.
According to the brief, the centre must be “open to the city and its districts, welcoming as many people as possible and serving as a genuine tool for life in the community.”
