The British Council is seeking expressions of interest for partners for Synthesis of the Arts – Architecture virtual experience, a project aligned to our global programme Culture Responds to Global Challenges, that focuses on addressing local needs in the valuing, visibility and preservation of a meaningful and important Venezuelan heritage site that has a deep value for culture and education at local and global level.
It is a three-year project aimed at increased awareness of the importance, knowledge and preservation of the University City of Caracas, UNESCO World Heritage site through digital means to make it widely accessible to national and international audiences.
Background:
The Caracas University City is the most outstanding work from Arch. Carlos Raul Villanueva (Born in London, with Venezuelan origin), who managed to develop this impressive work of great urban, architectural, artistic and landscape relevance in Venezuela. This extraordinary complex declared World Heritage of Humanity in 2000, because its important contributions to architecture, urbanism and to the synthesis of the arts. The Caracas University City has been object of study at national and international level and registered in several publications, exhibitions and research works. Despite this, there are not so many people who manage to visit it or get to know it in depth. UNESCO’s declaration includes 87 buildings of different schools and 108 pieces of art. The Botanical Garden, included as a component of the World Heritage declaration since 1999, treasures the largest palm collection of Latin America.
Many of the books, architecture, and art guides or even documentaries that have been produced about the work manage to register, catalogue, and present all its values, but in a fragmented or partial way (architecture and art pieces by its own). That is why this project, aims to produce a digital animation of the experience of visiting this heritage site: its covered corridors, covered squares, modern buildings, works of art, collection of plant species and conditions of use or activities, which will allow to understand the value of this extraordinary complex in a comprehensive way. This to understand the concept of ‘Synthesis of the Arts’ that earned it its world distinction.
Overall objective:
Increase awareness of the importance, knowledge and preservation of the University City of Caracas, UNESCO World Heritage site through digital means to make it widely accessible to the national and international audiences.
Specific objectives:
• Develop a diagnostic analysis of the current situation of the CUC Complex to determine the potential of a digital awareness strategy considering priority actions to respond to the challenges of conservation and preservation of this valuable heritage complex.
• Offer advice on archiving and cataloguing to update the register of the elements that compose this heritage site.
• Propose the guidelines of what could be an Avant Garde architecture virtual experience to create awareness of the CUC complex and amplify the knowledge of the concept of "Synthesis of the Arts" wider visible.
Specifications
The project intends to define ways to present digital information about the Caracas University City to promote the preservation of this heritage site, its architectural and urban values, artistic heritage and the general landscape of the campus in terms of its open green spaces. This first phase of the project will take place from January to August 2023.
The work should include the following deliverables
• Written report which:
• Develops an analysis of the current situation of the CUC complex and determines the potential of a digital awareness strategy considering priority actions for the dissemination of the importance of the complex.
• Proposes the guidelines of what could be the virtual experience to create awareness of the CUC complex and the dissemination of the concept of “Synthesis of the Arts” identifying the most suitable virtual model
• Offers advice on mapping, archiving and cataloguing to update local processes and best practices.
• Participation in two online sessions with local professionals to gain insights from the local perspectives and related topics.
• Attend regular meetings with the British Council and local partner teams via Microsoft Teams and/or Zoom for content development.
• Manage a 15,000 GBP budget which covers the totality of the consultancy work
The UK supplier will be working alongside the British Council in Venezuela and the local partner to develop the content of the programme aligned to the objectives previously described.
Please take note of the following key dates:
| Activity | Date / time |
| RFP Issued to bidding suppliers | December 12th, 2022 |
| Deadline for clarification questions (Clarification Deadline) | February 22nd, 2023 |
| Deadline for submission of RFP responses by potential suppliers (Response Deadline) | March 02nd, 2023 |
| Final Decision | March 8th, 2023 |
| Contract start date | March 2023 |
Submission
We invite expressions of interest from both public and independent sectors:
• Institutions, organisations interested in working with architecture, visual arts/heritage.
• Independent practitioners, academics, experts in the arts/heritage sector
• Organisations, specialists in digitising visual arts/architecture collection/space. Expertise on conceptualization and digital content production.
Please provide:
• Motivation letter: Expressing why are you interested in being part of this project. Define how this project would fit in relation to your current practice and the broader context of your work, research, and interests.
• CV or Portfolio of supplier: Describe your background. Please include all relevant contact information and website, if applicable.
• Presentation of proposal: meeting the requirements stated above
• Proof of experience: working remotely on architecture/ visual arts / heritage projects.
• Commercial. Please complete Annex 3 (Pricing Approach)
• Supporting material: up to ten pieces of additional support material, including digital images, videos, audio clips or links hosted online with a corresponding numbered image list. Submissions should not exceed 10MB in size.
Please send your proposal to alexandra.ladoruiz@britishcouncil.org before 2nd March, 2023. We might contact you for additional information and/or for an interview. We will endeavour to get back to you with the result by 8 March, 2023.
If you have any inquiries, please contact us to through this email: Auramarina.lazarde@britishcouncil.org.ve before 22 February 2023.