Vote for the UK’s intelligent city of longevity in global awards

The project ‘Newcastle Intelligent City of Longevity: Home to The Catalyst’ has been shortlisted in the MIPIM Awards 2021 alongside 50 other leading real estate projects from 21 countries across the world.

 Winners will be chosen by a panel of experts led by Méka Brunel, CEO of Gecina and by the number votes from those registered to attend MIPIM 2021, either in person or online. Celebrating the best in the industry, the awards will take place next week in Cannes on Wednesday 8 September, where the winners will be announced.

Hundreds of entries were received from almost 40 countries across the world and this entry led by the National Innovation Centre for Ageing who are based in The Catalyst on Newcastle Helix, has been shortlisted in the ‘Best Urban Project’ category alongside three other real estate projects from Singapore, Japan, and France.

The MIPIM Awards 2021 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.  Newcastle’s Intelligent City of Longevity is one of only three UK projects that have made this shortlist.

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 intelligent” building in its design and architecture, the entire space provides a hub for scientific research and innovation and brings together business and the public to support the research and development of new ageing, data and health related products and services.

The Catalyst has brought together a diverse group of stakeholders and citizens of all ages and backgrounds to work together to co-develop and design products and services that are urgently needed to support healthy ageing. It is a ‘living lab’ for research into healthy ageing and a place to transform ideas into business opportunities. This multi award-winning building has not only been recognised for its design and sustainability features, but its ability to catalyse an eco-system of innovation, that supports the city and its partners to create a more liveable city.

The Catalyst is a place where innovators, trailblazers and partners can come together.

It sparks innovation by bringing academic and commercial expertise under one roof, to address important global issues, developing innovative ideas and solutions to be designed, developed, and tested with academics, partners, and citizens.

Lynne Corner, co-founder and Director of VOICE and COO at the UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) said: “Newcastle is at the heart of innovations in healthy ageing. While this project flows from the National Innovation Centre for Ageing but involves everyone in our city. This award shortlist is not just testament to the quality and design of The Catalyst building and its sustainability credentials, it’s the fact that it surrounded by a whole eco-system of researchers, innovators and businesses who are supporting us to build on our international identity as an intelligent city of longevity. To represented as one of the most outstanding projects in the real estate industry in the world, will support us to further cement this position.

“We compete for investment on a global stage and recognition like this will play an instrumental role in putting our city in front of influential investors and decision makers.   Health really is the new wealth and projects like this will benefit generations for years to come – playing a critical role in supporting our city deliver its social and economic ambitions.”

If you are registered for MIPIM you will need to submit your vote online or onsite before 7 September 2021 at 19:00 (CEST). The winners will be announced at the MIPIM Awards Ceremony held on Wednesday 8 September 2021 at 15.00 CEST at the Palais des Festivals, Cannes.  To find out more about the awards and to view full shortlist visit – https://mipimawards.com/mipimawards2021/en/page/shortlist