Project Scope & Objectives

The Request for Proposals - Queen's Landing, Halifax Waterfront, is issued at a time when there exists a confluence of events, the timing of which creates a unique opportunity:

The Waterfront Development Corporation has played an active role, particularly in the last decade, in securing for Nova Scotia a framework for the future development of the Halifax waterfront. These efforts have resulted in numerous successes including several projects on what may have once been considered secondary development sites. Now the timing of future development clearly turns towards the center-point of the Halifax waterfront - the proposed project site. This site, by its nature and position in the City, must represent a project of architectural distinction.

At the same time, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic continues to be one of the most successful points in the Province's museum system. Long the steward of the Province's marine heritage little has changed in the complex since its conception. The current business plan of the Museum calls for the expansion of this central facility to continue its work in the representation of marine heritage in a relevant and innovative way, with the potential to expand both in size and audience with a more diverse programming in additional fields.

Another story also waits to be told, that of Canada's naval history. Through the efforts of many, there remains a desire to see the birth of a center for Canadian Naval Heritage. The needs of this potential center remain unfulfilled and in search of a home. This, at a time when the HMCS Sackville, Canada's Naval Memorial, reaches a cross-road in its maintenance and placement on the waterfront. The location of the Province of Nova Scotia's visitor information center also reaches a point of decision-making. The VIC lease draws near and the restrictions of its current waterfront location continue to challenge the Province's efforts at realizing its vision.

Finally, the Province of Nova Scotia has recommitted itself to the value of tourism by establishing its "Vision for tourism" and by identifying the need to develop three to four key heritage and cultural sites as "star generators". These separate individual events and needs have sown the seeds of a tremendous opportunity to draw together a group of requirements into a mutually beneficial heritage and cultural attraction on the Halifax waterfront. These separate and distinct needs must be individually met, but also have the potential to form a larger common sense of place, imbued with the history of the site and its surroundings.

Our understanding of the scope and objectives of this Request for Proposals - Feasibility Stage is as follows: to realize a potential vision or concept for this attraction, to draw the needs and requirements of these parts together, to find common points of synergy, to test the market and feasibility of this plan, and to apply a business case and further implementation program.

We have broadly viewed the scope as three interrelated objectives. First, there is the requirement to establish a common vision for this cultural and heritage attraction, a sense of the experience that one would receive there, and the common interpretive elements and new programming encapsulated in the area. This involves concepts for the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, both within marine heritage and potentially beyond. It is intended that this scope may include the Canadian Naval Heritage Center, in some way. Ultimately a vision of the project in which all the required components interrelate is a key objective.

Secondly, there is the need to employ an urban design perspective on this critical site. For this concept a site master plan with various options must be created. It will be necessary to prescribe how and where each of the components will be located, how will they relate? And what ultimately can be done with the site. The scope includes the visual representation of a number of options for the planning of the area; which would identify the needs of the MMA, HMCS Sackville, VIC, Naval Heritage, and apply potential private sector uses.

Finally, there is the clear objective to test the marketability of this concept. Is this project feasible? The scope includes determining whether the project will secure the sustainability of the MMA, and produce significant tourism generation. It will be necessary to evaluate the impact this project would have within the Province and on the Halifax waterfront. Based on these results it will follow that there may be a business case and implementation plan for the continuation of this concept, if feasible. This implementation plan would need to provide a framework for the further design and how it would achieve an architecturally distinct project.

Ultimately, it is the overriding goal to create a plan for a heritage attraction, which would incorporate the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic as a centerpiece of the waterfront. Our understanding of the scope and objectives is further refined in the detailed Work Plan included within the proposal.

From this scope and our understanding of it, we have approached the plan and gathered a team, with certain philosophies:

Public Component First - While this project may involve any number of potential private sector uses, it is first and foremost the expansion and fulfillment of various public uses and spaces. We have established as part of our work plan the allocation and prioritization of the concept, development and planning, with this in mind. The experience and interpretive elements of the public spaces and uses will be the impetus behind the overall concept.
Relevant, Diverse and Innovative - Our work must reflect the values and experiences of Nova Scotians. We believe that, at all times, we must ensure that what we are creating is relevant and meaningful in a broad sense, reflecting the diverse nature of the Province. In establishing this message we will strive to be innovative in our thinking, to engage people in new ways.
Demand-Generating Star Attraction At its essence, the project seeks to achieve the status of a demand- generating "star attraction" within Nova Scotia. As a philosophy we have set this as the benchmark that will serve to guide the work on the overall concept.
Private - Public Synergies - The validity of pulling various components together to form one attraction is only found if those parts can work in synergy. If there are no complimentary elements to the plan the rationale behind the concept is not justified. We will pursue the program with the view to establishing wherever reasonable, synergies between all aspects of the attraction.
Architecture and Planning - We have approached the project with the view that our goal in this phase is to determine what is possible rather than design all the elements of the possible. The architecture that will result from our urban planning and design will be based on the final uses, scale and order of the site. To choose an architectural design team before the uses, concept or scale is determined seems out of step. As such we have brought together feasibility architects aligned with best determining what is possible. Eventually, a design review, architectural submission process, or some form of design association, may be possible with the Public Participants, once a concept is confirmed. Flexible Demand - The development of prominent urban projects is necessarily a lengthy process. It is our belief that the private sector proponents of any project must be capable of being flexible to the demand and potential uses of the site.

Stakeholder Consultation - Proper public and stakeholder consultation is a time-consuming process and one seldom embraced as part of site-specific planning program. Ultimately however, without an active consultation process from the very beginning, a plan is prone to the breadth of vision and experience that just the team can bring, and is only responsive to the public in a secondary sense. Stakeholder consultation is a primary driver, in the development of our plan and concept.

We believe this sense of direction can effectively guide our work and assist us in completing the tasks with an achievable plan.