project compass

Competition Culture in Europe: Voices

Competition Culture in Europe: Voices is a publication from Project Compass on architectural competitions, with a series of essays by 17 distinguished architects, competition organisers, scholars and commentators in 22 chapters, covering 11 countries. The case studies, project data, discussions and interpretive glossary, that together include reflections on historic, contemporary and future competitions and their practices, opportunities and potential, in Europe and beyond,…

25 May 2018, 7.00-8.30pm, Palazzo Widmann, Venice

Competition Culture in Europe will be gathering and launching the publication ‘Competition Culture in Europe: Voices’ on 25 May 2018, 7.00-8.30pm, Palazzo Widmann, Cannaregio, Venice (Calle Larga Widmann 30121 Venice).   The publication arises from the European call in December 2017 for essays on architectural competitions. The detailed programme is below. In 2017 the collaboration of Project Compass…

The Competition Grid: Experimenting With & Within Architecture

  The Competition Grid: Experimenting With & Within Architecture Competitions   (Theodoru. M., Katsakou A. (eds) RIBA Publishing, 2018. Project Compass Director Walter Menteth has contributed Chapter 10, ‘E-Procurement Delivering Better Design Competitions’ in Part 3-‘Experimenting with Architectural Competitions’.  “This is an engaging and extensive review of architectural competitions. Merging the immediacy of practitioners’ competition experience…

Design Contest Portals, by country

Design Contest Portals from thirty three European countries that announce architectural design contests and competitive opportunities are now published on Project Compass and  on thefulcrum.eu . Open International contests, private contests and opportunities below OJEU thresholds and can also be found through this unique public listing.  Produced as part of the four year programme ‘Competition Culture in Europe’ and issued accompanying…

Procurement reforms at TfL after Hodge Review

After the Thames Garden Bridge debacle and in response to the Hodge Review, on 17 July TfL Board were invited to approve a series of recommendations for governance changes to increase oversight and effectiveness of their procurement activities. This follows on from a number of other previously implemented changes also made public HERE.  Whilst this represents…

Portsmouth Elephant Cage reports: Southsea common

Following conclusion of the 2 stage of ‘The Portsmouth Elephant Cage’, , a new Project Compass report, summarised the findings, and synthesising an alternative strategic design for Portsmouth’s Southsea common and its frontage has been published. Written up by Director Walter Menteth, this is published by Project Compass, is being distributed under ‘The Island City papers’ imprint,…

Project Compass Newsletter May 2016

The Project Compass Newsletter May 2016 reports our outputs, activities and uptake, and includes some summary trends analysis along with our anticipated programme.

Muddy Waters “Jobs for the boys”

London’s proposed Thames Garden Bridge Walter Menteth article originally appeared in January 31, 2016 on LinkedIn Pulse) From all that is now known about the Thames Garden Bridge it has become increasingly apparent that this project represents a turning point.  Its entire procurement is characterised by corruption that is tainted by nepotism and collusion. Boris…