PLANS TO construct the ambitious Caribbean Culture Centre at the University of Technology (UTech) moved a step closer to being realised after Wednesday's unveiling of the architectural designs for the new US$8 million ($480 million) building at a function at UTech's Centre for the Arts facility.
The designs to be used to construct the building were chosen through a competition adjudicated by a panel of judges chaired by Vayden McMorris.
The winning design was conceptualised by Mark Taylor and Susan Brewster-Taylor, a husband-and-wife team of architects who established their own firm, Taylor Architects, two years ago.
"We had no expectations we would have won, we lecture part-time at the School of Architecture, and this design was a labour of love, and of special interest to us," Mr. Taylor said.
SITE AND SETTING
"We only got fully into it a few months ago, and we felt it was important to participate, and come up with something we thought would be appropriate for site and setting, and it turned out we were the ones chosen," he continued.
The function was attended by Dr. Rae Davis, president of the university, Hector Wheeler, corporate communications manager, and Pat Ramsay, director of Arts and Culture of the UTech Centre for the Arts.
Latoya Hall of the UTech Art and Theatre Ensemble thrilled the audience with a rendition of the Michael Jackson hit, 'Heal the World'.
Asked why the Caribbean Culture Centre had such a high price tag, Ms. Ramsay responded: "We just want to make sure that we have enough money because of the state-of-the-art technology involved and the state of the dollar. This facility will be the first of its kind, a concert hall with proper acoustics, and it will be income-generating as well as the centre will be competing in the marketplace for the opportunity to host certain entertainment events of a large scale."
"There are already a number of things in the pipeline in terms of fund-raising, and people are motivated about the project and what it will do for Jamaica," Ms. Ramsay explained.
