THE Manchester office of architects BDP has clinched a £13m contract to design seven new universities in Libya.

The team led by Manchester chairman David Cash specialises in the planning and design of high education institutions, will lead the prestigious scheme which has a total value of £450m.

BDP won the contract from ODAC - the Organisation for the Development of Administrative Centres an agency of the Libyan Government - almost by chance.

David Cash explains: "We were asked to go to Libya and present on a completely different project, and as part of our pitch we mentioned our skills and work with universities.

"Some people involved in this scheme were at the meeting, so here we are."

Mr Cash has made 10 trips in recent months to the North African country.

"Libya is opening up to western investment and I think it's really important that Manchester has a lead in an international market place which is really going to go places in the next few years.

Says Mr Cash: "The project is posing new challenges - for example, we've never designed buildings for this type of climate. The Awbari University is one of the Saharan locations and experiences mid 40s temperatures in summer, freezing weather in winter and just 1mm of rainfall. These conditions of course help determine our range of approaches.

"It's a fascinating project and a great coup for the BDP Manchester office - it will keep the Libya team here busy until at least 2010."

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