A MULTI-MILLION pound facility to produce the next generation of Mary Quants, Damien Hirsts and Tracey Emins is to be created at Goldsmiths College.

The three-phase arts complex, expected to cost approximately £20m, will provide state-of-the-art facilities for art students and teachers.

Goldsmiths' long-list of successful students includes brit-poppers Blur, Sex Pistols' manager Malcolm McLaren and Velvet Underground guitarist John Cale.

Occupying 11,000sqm of land and costing £5.5m, in the first phase alone, the complex will allow for an additional 230 students.

Located at the junction of New Cross Road and St James's, work on the Centre for Cognition, Computation and Culture is due to start once an architect has been chosen.

Cash has been secured for phase one, which will provide a cross-departmental centre looking at how we remember, think and act, and the college is seeking funding for the other two.

Phase two, the Gateway Building, will incorporate teaching, research and Creative Lewisham space.

Phase three, the Link Building, will primarily house teaching space and will also provide a link between the other two buildings.

Goldsmiths warden Professor Ben Pimlott said: "This is a key event, building on our reputation as the UK's leading university of creativity and innovation.

"It is about extending our global reach while linking more firmly to the community."

A shortlist of six architectural firms, picked out of 45 applications, will be able to tender for the design and development includes Allies and Morrison, Dominique Perrault and the Office for Metropolitan Architecture.

A panel of 11 consultants, including leading architect Lord Rogers of Riverside and former student, Turner Prize winner and sculptor Antony Gormley, are assisting with the choice.

The final choice of architect will be made on January 23, and work on phase one is due to be completed by September 2003.

December 10, 2001 18:12

Andy Laithwaite