Gladstone job involves new building and remodelling grade I library
Caruso St John, the AOC and Hopkins have been shortlisted to design a new building at a grade I-listed Welsh landmark.
They are up against Scottish conservation practice Simpson & Brown.
They each receive an honorarium of 拢4,000 and go on to stage two, an invitation to tender.
The anonymised RIBA-organised competition is looking to find an architect to design a new building and re-develop the 19th-century Gladstone鈥檚 Library.
The institution, in Flintshire, is the UK鈥檚 only prime ministerial library and is unique in being a residential library.
It was established by William Gladstone, who was prime minister four times, in 1895 to promote his values and give poor people access to his collection of books.
After his death a purpose-designed home for 250,000 books and documents was built. The building and landscape are now grade I listed.
Its warden and director Peter Francis said Gladstone鈥檚 Library had been a victim of its own success, with 20,000 visitors a year.
The new building will provide facilities to expand it into the 鈥渕ost significant tourist destination in north-east Wales鈥� with improved facilities for lectures, courses and other events and an exhibition on Gladstone鈥檚 legacy.
The project will also remodel and repair the listed building.
Francis said: 鈥淔rom a surprisingly large number of applicants we are excited by the proven standard, ability and range of the shortlisted architects. They represent the best of British design. We are confident that we will be able to produce a building of outstanding merit.鈥�
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