The multidisciplinary team selected for the £500,000 contract will undertake Phases 3 and 4 of the RIBA project to upgrade and extend the existing Seallam Centre, the Hebrides People’s Visitor Center in Northton which focuses on local history and genealogy.
The £4.5m project will provide a new visitor center with an annex building housing a café, library and leisure space with new interactive exhibition spaces for Harris and St Kilda. A 12-bed student housing block will also be constructed to enable student research and study centered around the Gaelic language.
According to the brief: ‘The People’s Hebrides Visitor Center is a one-of-a-kind project located on the Isle of Harris, Upper Hebrides, that celebrates the culture and heritage of the people through genealogical record, storytelling, and history.
It is community owned – Northton Heritage Trust, a philanthropic community to benefit the community who are now planning an exciting future to project as a premier visitor and educational destination celebrating the rich history of this remote island archipelago.
The current exhibition and exhibition center was built more than 20 years ago and now requires development to meet the demands of the local and tourist markets. The enhanced facility requires handling much more site visitors with an expectation of 10,000 – 15,000 once the new exhibits are complete.
“In addition to developing the buildings and landscaping of the surrounding site, the galleries will be re-designed to suit the bespoke areas of Harris Isle and St Kilda.”
The Seallam, Hebrides People’s Visitor Center was established in 2000 as the main visitor center and genealogy center for Harris Island. Located in Northton at the southern tip of the island, the building currently houses exhibits dealing with the history and natural environment of the Hebrides.
The latter project will provide an ‘impressive’ new visitor center with extended car park. It will also upgrade the Old Schoolhouse where the Genealogy Center is located and will create a series of outdoor learning exhibits celebrating the local wildlife of the surrounding area.
Bids for the contract will be evaluated 70 percent on quality and 30 percent on cost. General Liability Insurance of £500,000, Employer’s Liability Insurance of £500,000 and Occupational Indemnity Insurance of £500,000 are required.
Contest details
Project Title Seallam, Hebrides Visitor Centre
client Northton Heritage Trust
Contract Value £500,000
Deadline for the first round 2 p.m., Jan. 30
restrictions Bidders must have an annual turnover of at least £500,000 within the last three years. Bidders will be asked to provide examples of work carried out in the last five years that demonstrate that they have the relevant experience to carry out the work.
more information https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034919-2022?origin=SearchResults&p=1