Lloret de Mar Town Council has published the terms and conditions of the ideas competition for the selection of proposals of the Future Master Plan for the remodelling of the urban axis that includes Avinguda del Rieral, Avinguda de Just Marlès, the seafront promenade and Avinguda de Pau Casals (the main thoroughfare of the town). The goal is to decide on the proposal that best serves as an urban panning framework or scheme. A study will be conducted to evaluate the viability of the proposal.
The ideas competition will be assigned a specialised jury made up of a team of professionals from different disciplines: a leading architect in the field of urban planning, designated by the Architects’ Association of Catalonia (COAC); a prestigious Road, Canal and Port Engineer designated by the Engineers’ Association of Catalonia; an environmentalist specialised in urban and territorial planning, designated by the Environmentalists’ Association of Catalonia; an economist specialised in urban economics; a member designated by the Spanish Association of Urban Planning Technicians; the municipal architect and engineer; the Director General for Tourism of Catalonia; the President of the Tourism Business Table of Lloret de Mar; the secretary; and the Mayor of Lloret de Mar, who will preside over the jury.
The ideas competition consists of two phases: the selection phase and the awarding phase. In the selection phase, proposals may be submitted by any bidder who fulfils the clauses listed in the terms and conditions. The ten bidders who pass the selection phase will be invited to take part in the awarding phase. The interested parties will have 15 calendar days to submit a proposal in the selection phase, starting from the date of the publication of the corresponding announcement in the contracting profile.
The awarding phase consists of two sub-phases: a preliminary phase in which the ten previously selected proposals will participate, presenting their respective proposals (on eight sheets of DIN A3 paper at the most) within 45 calendar days, and a second phase in which the three finalists will participate, developing the project of their respective ideas within 75 days starting from the date of publication of the corresponding announcement in the contracting profile.
The total award budget amounts to €80,000, not including VAT, which will be distributed as follows: a first prize of €15,000, along with €5,000 for each of the project’s four areas (€35,000 in total). The remaining €45,000 will be split equally between the three finalists (€15,000 each).
According to the Mayor of Lloret de Mar, Jaume Dulsat, “This is an iconic spot of Lloret de Mar and an important tourist attraction. As such, we’re looking for a project that conveys the image and urban quality that this spot deserves in order for residents and visitors alike to be able to enjoy it even more.”
The renewal of this urban axis is one of the projects included in the 2015-2020 Operational Plan for the Renewal of the Lloret de Mar Tourist Destination, implemented by Lloret de Mar Town Council, the Government of Catalonia and the Tourism Business Table of Lloret de Mar. In 2016, Lloret de Mar Town Council organised an international urban planning seminar entitled “Rethink Lloret”, which was attended by several international experts in urban planning and architecture who belong to the Habitat Professionals Forum (HPF) (associated with the United Nations), and five students of the sector. In its recommendations, the seminar highlighted the potential of Lloret de Mar and concluded that the main thoroughfare that crosses the town should be given the form of a rambla or promenade, fostering pedestrian and cycle traffic. It also recommended the creation of a large avenue connecting the new commercial areas to the entrance to the town. The experts emphasised the need to create an outstanding urban site, improving its model of use for residents and visitors, and incorporating leisure and relaxation zones with shady trees. They also highlighted the need to integrate the remodelled area within the townscape and to consider the large number of visitors who flock to Lloret during much of the year. It is therefore necessary to adopt criteria that take into account durability, energy-saving measures and maintenance.
The participants in this ideas competition will be provided with the following documentation in order to submit their proposals: the aforementioned set of conclusions, the Operational Plan for the Renewal of the Lloret de Mar Tourist Destination, the project for the remodelling and improvement of Plaça de Pere Torrent, the Ciutat de la Llum (City of Light) project, and the project for restoring the seafront of Lloret de Mar.
