Union Terrace Gardens Aberdeen, North East Scotland

26 Feb 2010 Young Architect Graduates Present Designs for City Square Project A group of young graduates of the Robert Gordon University will today wade into the debate on Union Terrace Gardens. Three Master of Architecture graduates are releasing a range of designs illustrating the wide possibilities for the the City Square Project. Union Terrace Gardens Proposal 1 + 2; existing site: Leading the group is 25 year old architectural assistant, Graham Edgar. He said: "The proposals for the City Square Project are tremendously exciting with huge potential for Aberdeen City and Shire. "My colleagues and I were concerned that the images associated with the project suggest that the design is complete when it is not even at the design stage. There is a need to provide illustrations with any proposal, but these conceptual illustrations from the technical feasibility study don't do the project justice. "We thought that if we put together a range of thought-provoking aerial montages based on ACSEF's criteria we could help people see the full potential and understand that the current concept is not a final design. "The design possibilities are endless and this is a fantastic opportunity for Aberdeen to create an iconic civic space and gardens, not a flat concrete square. "The on-going public consultation exercise is trying to find out if the public supports the vision of a more attractive and accessible, greener, better-connected and safer city. If people demonstrate they want transformational change, then a full design brief would be compiled and the project would go to an international design competition." Architectural assistant Elaine Lourdes who led the production of the graphics said: "Our aim is to get people thinking about what could be so that they support the City Square project and get involved in shaping what is in it. We think it is important that people share their own views on how the design should progress. "As we have studied amazing examples of urban design from around the world, we want to see something exciting happen in such a strategic city centre location. The proposal has the potential to drastically improve the pedestrian experience of the city and raise the profile of Aberdeen internationally." "Our eight designs meet the criteria of a civic space with at least 2.5 acres of gardens, an all-weather concourse underneath street level and a contemporary arts centre. All show walk-on, walk off access from all four sides and sympathetic use of the existing topography with hard and soft landscaping." Architectural assistant and design enthusiast Linzhi Lau said: "The potential for a stunning contemporary arts centre in the cultural hub of Aberdeen is very encouraging for the city's art scene. "We don't want this project to fail because people were unenthused by the conceptual drawings, so we have invested our time in illustrating various provocative ideas that we hope will motivate more people to participate and vote yes so that the project can proceed to the design competition stage." Please note that this is not an ACSEF initiative. This group approached ACSEF to obtain the criteria and for assistance in promoting the designs to the public via the media.