Newcastle: Intelligent city of longevity shortlisted in global real estate awards

1 July 2021

Hundreds of entries were received from almost 40 countries across the world and the initiative ‘Newcastle Intelligent City of Longevity: Home to The Catalyst’ was shortlisted alongside three other leading real estate projects from Singapore, Japan, and France. The judging was chaired by Méka Brunel, CEO of Gecina France, meeting virtually with a panel to review entries and shortlist four finalists per category.

The MIPIM Awards 2021 judges have shortlisted 50 finalists in total and represent the most outstanding projects of the real estate industry in the world – celebrating ground-breaking innovation, architecture, environmental qualities, integration, and impact on the community.

Ageing intelligence, sparking innovation

The award-winning and BREEAM outstanding building, The Catalyst is based on Newcastle Helix, a 24-acre vibrant innovation quarter in the heart of Newcastle. As an “ageing intelligence” building in its design and architecture, the entire space provides a hub for science and sparking innovation – bringing together expertise from business, research, data and AI and the public to co design, develop and test a wide range of products and services that smartly address healthy longevity and through life wellbeing. The Catalyst is at the heart of the Newcastle Helix innovation ecosystem.

Lynne Corner, co-founder and Director of VOICE and COO at the UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) said:

“Newcastle is an international hub for addressing the global challenge of healthy longevity. This initiative flows from the National Innovation Centre for Ageing but involves collaboration with citizens, businesses and organisations from across the city. The MIPIM award shortlist is testament to the quality and design of The Catalyst building and its sustainability credentials, but also celebrates the whole eco-system of businesses, researchers, and innovators who are working closely together to build Newcastle as an Intelligent City of Longevity, together addressing inequalities, delivering benefit for current residents and sustainable healthy lives for future generations.

“We compete for investment on a global stage and recognition like this has an instrumental role in putting our city in front of influential investors and decision makers, critical in supporting Newcastle deliver its social and economic ambitions. To be represented as one of the most outstanding projects in the real estate industry in the world, is just fantastic.”

The winners will be announced at the MIPIM Awards Ceremony to be held on Day 2 of MIPIM, on Wednesday 8 September 2021 at 15.00 at the Palais des Festivals, Cannes.

Find out more about the awards and see the full shortlist online.

All projects will be open to a public vote two weeks before the event.

Originally Posted: Newcastle Helix