New Campus Ltd has shortlisted five architect-lead teams to develop a £300m integrated campus for the 50,000 students and 2,000 staff of Glasgow’s four city center colleges- Central, Metropolitan, Nautical and Stow. To be located in the heart of Glasgow, the project is one of the country’s biggest education infrastructure projects of all time. The five teams still in the running are Archial (formerly SMC Group), Atkins with Michael Laird Partnership, BDP, Hopkins with Bennetts, and RMJM with Frank Gehry.

The brief for the successful team calls for a design that delivers on a number of fronts including: the ability to create buildings on a scale and style that inspire and make a positive contribution to Glasgow’s urban landscape; the value for money and efficient use of space; functionality, including the fit for purpose, accessibility and ease of navigation; sustainability; and ‘buildability’.

The co-location project will see existing college buildings demolished, sold on or refurbished,” said Iain Marley, Programme Director. “Landmark new buildings will emerge on existing college sites: City Campus on north Cathedral Street – current home of Central and Metropolitan’s old ‘Food Tech’ building; and Riverside Campus on Thistle Street and the Clyde – current home of Glasgow College of Nautical Studies.”

The 4 colleges will share premises and services across the two sites and continue business as usual during the construction period, which will begin in 2011. The selected design team is due to begin work in June 2009.