Design Brief

0 2 DESIGN BRIEF Design Brief & Programme –THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT DESIGN COMPETITION 2018 Page 0 of 59 Revision no.:- V-001 DOCUMENT REVISION SHEET Version Number Modified Modifications Made Date Previous Revised By Location Details Modified -- V-001 SAR pg. 59 1. Confirmation of JIA approval 06/06/2018 of the brief 2. signatures added Design Brief & Programme –THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT DESIGN COMPETITION 2018 Page 1 of 59 ABSTRACT Jamaica has journeyed from being an obscure island territory in the ‘New World’ to a colonial powerhouse where full political control was vested for the British Empire who occupied, settled and economically subjugated, to a now independent nation. Jamaica today is made up of citizens from varying backgrounds and, like its national motto ‘Out of many, one people’ is a complex, multicultural nation. While overwhelmingly of African descent, there also people of Jewish, Syrian, Lebanese, and Indian, Chinese, German, English, Scottish and Irish ancestry. They came fleeing persecution, through the brutality of slavery, in search of opportunity or as indentured servants but now live together with one dream with one hope, to be a nation of opportunity, of equality, of justice striving to succeed. The Parliament of Jamaica represents the changed paradigm, our independence, our ability to govern ourselves as a nation. It is based on our constitutional monarchy which allows our citizens to choose who will govern the country through free elections. It represents the legislative branch of government which creates and amends laws for the peace, order and development of Jamaica and is composed of the nominated Senate and the elected House of Representative. It represents the voice of the people, the will of the people and the vision is that as a symbol of the people it be located in the People’s Park. A manifestation of our struggles and our achievements, commanding our respect, generating civic pride, of a people who holds their destiny in their own hands who dare to dream of the possibilities, of a future for our people which our fore fathers and our national heroes sought to obtain. National Heroes Park echoes the journey, the evolution of the nation. While it continues to be the largest public open green space in Kingston it went from being a place for the agricultural pens north of the old city, to the Kingston Race Course and for almost 100 years it was considered the playground for the city before it became the George VI Memorial Park in 1953. The accompanying Act of 1956 deemed it to be a public garden, pleasure park and recreation area for the benefit of inhabitants of the Corporate Area and then in 1973 it became the National Heroes Park and the permanent place for honouring Jamaica’s National and World War Heroes. Here lie the official memorials to the country’s seven National Heroes. Over the years the park has been used for concerts, large public events, as a refuge during catastrophes and for sports and recreation. The journey of the park continues however, like all urban environments, a constant cycle of formation and reorganization as they adapt to the changing circumstances of the city. (Jacobs) This adaptation is to that of a National Park, expanding its reach to that of the nation, all our people. As it continues to be the People’s Park, it also evolves in symbolism as the Design Brief & Programme –THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT DESIGN COMPETITION 2018 Page 2 of 59 embodiment in joyful celebration of our culture, the dignity of our existence and represents the hopes, dreams and aspirations of our lives. The new Houses of Parliament will occupy a commanding position in the National Heroes Park allowing the space to evolve into one that begins to truly image the city, uplift the mood of the area, to give value, a sense of place and to continue to provide opportunities for our citizens to partake of their democratic rights. It will provide the freedom to gather, to talk, make themselves heard, eat, drink, rest, connect with nature and trade; ennobling, inspiring, entertaining, soothing and above all empowering. It will become an even more significant public green space, it will contribute to the quality of urban life, adding vitality to our local urbanism, meeting the need for physical, intellectual, emotional and social stimuli for healthy development for both young and old, continue to accommodate a community for the people, the urban dweller, the rural visitor, the tourist all engaged in convivial life. This is OUR JAMAICAN PARLIAMENT. www.ourjaparliament.com #OurJAParliament The GOJ/UDC reserves the right to amend or update this Design Brief at any time and provide notification to participants of same. Design Brief & Programme –THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT DESIGN COMPETITION 2018 Page 3 of 59 CONTENTS 1 BACKGROUND…………………………………………………………….5 2 INVITATION………………………………………………………………...5 3 DESIGN GUIDELINES…………………………………………………….6 4 MAJOR SECTIONS………………………………………………………..11 5 ACCESS AND SECURITY………………………………………………..16 6 GOVERNMENT OVAL PROPOSED MASTERPLAN………………....18 7 LOCATION………………………………………………………………….20 8 CONTEXT…………………………………………………………………...21 9 PLANNING VISION………………………………………………………..29 10 PROPOSED SITE………………………………………………………….31 11 BUDGET LIMITATIONS…………………………………………………..33 APPENDICES APPENDIX A…………………………………………………………………………34 History:- Heroes Circle & Environment APPENDIX B………………………………………………………………………….38 How Parliament Works APPENDIX C…………………………………………………………………………41 Organizational Chart APPENDIX D……………………………………………………………………….....43 Schedule of Accommodation APPENDIX E…………………………………………………………………………..58 Infrastructure Review Summary – Heroes Circle and Environs APPENDIX F…………………………………………………………………………..59 Approval of Competition Design Brief & Programme Design Brief & Programme –THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT DESIGN COMPETITION 2018 Page 4 of 59 DESIGN BRIEF 1 / BACKGROUND A National Public Space Awareness of the need for a new Houses of Parliament was brought to the fore from as early as the 1950’s as demand for parliamentary office space became acute. The constraints associated with the existing location led to attention being shifted to finding a new location and initiating new construction. The significance of the attributes of the new location and buildings was not lost then as parliament buildings have come to be an enduring and important national symbol for many countries. The preferred location was identified as what is now known as National Heroes Park. The continued evolution of the park to becoming the home of the new Parliament Building started with the passing of the King George VI Memorial Park Act in 1956 which was threefold: To change the name from Kingston Race Course to the King George VI Memorial Park. To grant powers to the then Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) to develop the Park “to be used as a public park, pleasure garden and recreation area for the benefits of the inhabitants of the Corporate Area”. Enable a section of the Park to be used for “the construction of parliament buildings and such administrative and other buildings” as deemed necessary. The site was officially renamed the National Heroes Park in 1973 and has subsequently seen the development of ‘The Shrine’ in honour of Jamaica’s national heroes, the war memorial cenotaph and an area for the burial of Prime Ministers. The Parliament of Jamaica is currently located at Gordon House on Duke Street in Downtown Kingston. Gordon House was so named to honour George William Gordon who in the 1800s supported the freedom of all classes of people in society and paved the way for advances in democracy in Jamaica. Today Gordon House is inadequate to house the parliamentary operations of the country. It does not meet the standard of internationally iconic parliament buildings. The spaces are inadequate and the general existing facilities modest, technologically ill-equipped and generally does not conform to global standards. 2 / INVITATION The GOJ hereby invites entries to a public architectural competition for the Design of NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT to be located in the National Heroes Park. Design Brief & Programme –THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT DESIGN COMPETITION 2018 Page 5 of 59 3 / DESIGN GUIDELINES This chapter discusses the design principles and requirements that should serve as guidelines in designing the building. Among other things, it deals with the messages that the building should convey, the feelings it should arouse, and the activities it should encourage. A. CONCEIVE THE BUILDING WITH ITS VARIOUS PARTS AND OUTDOOR AREAS AS ONE INTERCONNECTED, HARMONIOUS STRUCTURE As detailed in the brief, the Houses of Parliament Complex will comprise six (6) sections, each having a distinct major function: forecourt and public face, central lobby, chambers, offices suites, parliament library, parliament museum. In addition to their varied purposes, the sections differ from each other by public and private spaces – users, visitors, or employees – the conditions of access, the means of security and supervision. These differences will require the use of various means of separation and differentiation between the diverse areas. At the same time, it is very important that the conception underlying the design consider the building as one harmonious structure, all of whose parts serve the same vision, integrate well with each other, facilitate convenient passage to the other parts, and are visible to each other at certain

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