The Hive has got the whole world buzzing (From Worcester News)

The Hive has got the whole world buzzing

11:50pm Tuesday 24th July 2012 in News By Tarik Al Rasheed

WORCESTER’S iconic new super library The Hive is attracting plenty of global attention.

The £60 million building may have divided opinions with its striking golden roof, but it has impressed architectural experts enough to be shortlisted for the prestigious World Architecture Festival Awards.

The Hive, a joint project between Worcestershire County Council and the University of Worcester , has already proved a big hit since it was officially opened by the Queen and Prince Philip earlier this month, winning rave reviews and welcoming a remarkable 41,100 visitors in its first two-and-a-half weeks. The people behind the ambitious building are thrilled with its nomination in the culture category of the awards, where it will be up against stiff competition from the likes of the new Wuxi Grand Theatre in China, and the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, Australia.

Adrian Hardman, leader of the county council, said: “We are very excited to be shortlisted for this award and to be recognised nationally for the Hive’s design and construction.

“It has also recently been awarded a BREEAM outstanding rating, which is the highest environmental standard for best practice in sustainable design from the UK Building Research Establishment, and now with this shortlisting in the World Architectural Festival we could not have hoped for a better response and recognition for this truly fantastic community building.”

Andy Couling, partner at Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, which has offices in Bath and London, said: “The World Architecture Festival is a truly global event and we are delighted that the Hive has been recognised as a ground- breaking project in this way.” The Hive and other nominations will now go on show during the festival at the Marina Bay Sands resort, in Singapore, from October 3-5, where an expert panel will decide the winners.

The Hive is the first joint public and university library in Europe and also houses one of the biggest children’s libraries in the country, an archive and archaeology service and the Worcestershire Hub services.