LIMASSOL’S Technological University, TEPAK, yesterday signed a five-year contract with Manchester-based British Design Partnership (BDP) to design the university’s masterplan.
The €750,000-worth contract also stipulates that BDP, in partnership with P.Papadopoulos and Associates Ltd, will prepare an environmental and traffic study by 2009.
“Over the next ten years, the university will spread over approximately 100,000m² in the city centre (Development Pole A) and in the area of the Old Hospital (Development Pole B). The total cost of building construction will reach €200 million,” said Zenonas Achillides, Director of TEPAK’s Property Management Service.
“This is a very exciting and challenging opportunity for us. Our aim is to create places for people – not only the student community but also the town’s residents in general. Ultimately, we will create a new city quarter,” said David Cash, BDP’s International Development Manager.
Founded in 1951, BDP is Europe’s largest design consultancy, with an extensive portfolio of work in university campuses in the UK and abroad. The company has also been commissioned with designing the masterplans for the University of Glasgow, the University of East London, Sunderland University and York University. It is also working on the masterplans of ten universities in Libya.
TEPAK’s campus development will be implemented in two phases. The first phase, running from 2007 to 2013, will see the renovation of historic buildings in the centre of town, including public buildings such as the old Post-Office, the Courts and Land Registry office.
The second phase will run from 2013 to 2017 and will see the development of the second campus pole, in the area of Limassol Police headquarters, and the old Limassol Hospital. Both of these buildings will be evacuated and transformed into part of the campus.
One of the main tasks facing BDP will be to choose which university department should go in which building. An international architectural contest will then take place to select the architects of the campus’ new buildings.
TEPAK was founded in 2003 and received its first students in September 2007. Four of its five academic departments are currently based in Limassol, while the School of Nursing currently operating in Nicosia will be relocated to Limassol over the next three years.
The university’s strategic plan foresees that by 2020 the number of students will reach 7,000-8,000, with 5-7 Schools and 21-28 departments.
