Design old GSP area and win €130,000

THE TOWN Planning Department has launched a competition to design Nicosia’s old GSP stadium area.

The competition is open to all European architects and offers cash prizes of €130,000 for the winning design, €100,000 for second place and €70,000 for third, in order to attract entries from higher profile architects.

There will also be four runners up prizes of €20,000 each.

Several features that are to be included in the 13,500m² area have already been decided following a referendum of Nicosia residents in 2008.

These include an underground car park for some 1,650 cars, a large green area and a small number of shops and cafes to service visitors to the park.

Nicosia mayor Eleni Mavrou said yesterday: “The main idea is to create a square, park, small area of services and a large underground car park. It will be compatible with what we have been doing in the area.”

One of the competition’s organisers told added that the final product could also include recreational facilities, such as a squash court, tennis court or bowling green.

Entries will be accepted up until October 10 this year, and judges are expected to have decided on the winner by the end of November or December.

After that, the winning architect will produce a full plan before the tendering process begins.

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