Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has launched a request for qualifications (RFQ) for an architectural design competition to redevelop a significant piece of property in Ottawa’s downtown core.

Block 2 is the city block immediately south of Parliament Hill in downtown Ottawa, within the Parliamentary Precinct. It faces the Centre Block and its Peace Tower to the north, and separates the city-owned and Crown-owned lands in the city’s downtown core.

The site, which is bounded by Metcalfe, Wellington, O’Connor and Sparks streets, spans an area of approximately 9,800 square metres. It consists of a mix of vacant lots, as well as 11 buildings, many of which are designated heritage buildings—including two classified and seven recognized buildings.

The current condition of the majority of buildings on the site is poor. Many are nearly 100 years old, and have reached or exceeded the ends of their lives. Given the prominent location of Block 2, a significant transformation is needed to make best use of the site and its buildings for core parliamentary functions.

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada has designated professional advisors to support and oversee the competition. It has also overseen jury selection for the competition.

The objective of the design competition, which was originally announced last January, is to transform existing buildings and infill potential on the site into an efficient and innovative complex that will meet the needs of Parliament as well as the public.

A redesigned block, says PSPC, “will provide office space for the Senate and the House of Commons. It will include space for a branch of the Library of Parliament. It will also include renovated retail space on the Sparks Street Mall.”

“The goal of the competition is to provide a cohesive design solution and to redevelop the site into an efficient complex of buildings,” says a PSPC procurement notice. “The redevelopment is to create a new integrated building complex, which would include the appropriate rehabilitation and modernization of aging and underutilized buildings, maximize the site developable capacity and enable the ongoing rehabilitation of core buildings on Parliament Hill.”

Following the RFQ, which closes on February 16, PSPC will invite as many as 12 prequalified respondents to a limited, two-stage architectural design competition.

The first stage of the competition is expected to begin in the summer. PSPC will invite the selected competitors to submit an outline of their design concepts. A jury will evaluate the outline design concepts and short-list up to six competitors, who will advance to the second stage of the competition.

The second stage is scheduled to begin in 2021. In it, PSPC will invite the short-listed competitors to submit advanced design concepts. Prizes will be awarded for the three best designs.

The Request for Qualification is available on Buy and Sell.