Architecture Competitions Yearbook 2021 - N°03 [3]

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Architecture is a Competition

Editorial

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t is my great pleasure to be holding this year’s issue of the Architecture Competitions Yearbook. The publication, which until recently was still trying to define itself and was looking for a spot in the architectural world, is just beginning to take on a regular form and mark its place among other industry publications. Reading the incoming feedback on the ACY2020 issue and the positive comments on the newly added section ‘How we won that competition?’ brought a great deal of satisfaction. This particular section seemed to have attracted most of the focus and I hope that it will become a core part of our periodical as a great source of knowledge and the opportunity to get to know the authors’ work from the backstage. Following this pitch, in this issue we have decided to ask the same question to architects with many years of experience, working or running charismatic, rapidly developing studios, winning recognition and awards in international architectural competitions. I found it interesting to look behind the scenes of their work, in search of clues and suggestions in the stories described, which will not only resonate with us, but also allow us to develop our design skills. We thought it would be interesting to confront the academic world and the professional world. This is the case of the 10 winning articles that are the base of this edition – our guests were asked to shed some light and guide us through their original design process, which they are constantly improving. It is an endless process but it has already brought them measurable results. In these texts you will find a lot of tips, advice and suggestions, which I trust will help you take your designs to the next level. As usual, with this edition we close the year 2021 and we look forward to the next 12 months with hope. The world in which we will come to live is forming and reshaping itself right in front of our eyes. It will certainly be different but will it be better? One would like to hope to say yes... but somehow this answer does not come easily. But what we can remember is that we have influence on our thoughts, decisions and actions. Let the architecture and the designs that will follow them be an expression of this better world – not imposed from above, but designed from below, based on our experiences, desires and dreams. Marcin Husarz Architect & Founder of Competitions.archi

Contents

08 — 21

Architecture and technology

22 — 31

Conceptual Journey – from idea to execution

32 — 39

The meaning of design intention

40 — 63

Bauhaus Campus 2021 1st prize – Bauhaus Campus 2021 | 41 2nd prize – Bauhaus Campus 2021 | 48

144 — 163

1st prize – The Tectonic Soul of the Ruin | 145 2nd prize – The Door Closed Forever | 148 3rd prize – Chisea Diruta – Risveglia | 152 Special Mentions, Honorable Mentions | 156 How we won that competition? | 158 164 — 183

Start For Talents Competition – #OSLOCALL 1st prize – Cultural Centre for Norwegian Waterfront | 165

3rd prize – Bauhaus Campus 2021 | 52

2nd prize – Fortress of Culture | 168

Honorable Mentions | 56

64 — 81

Reuse – The Roman Ruin – Italy Piscina Mirabilis

How we won that competition? | 58

3rd prize – RatljÓst | 172

The Kaira Looro Competition – Women’s House

How we won that competition? | 178

Honorable Mentions | 176

1st prize – Women’s House | 65 2nd prize – Women’s House | 68

184 — 205

OpenGap.net – Inspiration Hostel Competition 2020

3rd prize – Women’s House | 72

1st prize – Terraced Vineyards Hostel | 185

Special Mentions, Honorable Mentions | 76

2nd prize – Quatre Courts | 190

How we won that competition? | 78

3rd prize – Hostel on a Mediterranean coast | 194 Honorable Mentions | 198 How we won that competition? | 200

82 — 105 FITT – Future Headquarter 1st prize – Future Headquarter | 83 2nd prize – Flowing Trough Times | 88 — Founder & Publisher & editor-in-chief Marcin Husarz [email protected] — Contributors Katarzyna Lech Ania Rola Kamil Grajda Marta Szmidt

Terraviva Competitions – The Living Museum

3rd prize – Future Headquarter | 94

1st prize – A Night at the Museum | 207

Gold Mentions, Honorable Mentions | 98

2nd prize – Almost Commemorative | 210

How we won that competition? | 100

3rd prize – Becoming Landscape | 214 Golden Mentions, Honorable Mentions | 216

106 — 127

How we won that competition? | 218

Bee Breeders – Iceland Cave Tower 1st prize – Rising from Grjótagjá | 107 2nd prize – The Moving Surfaces | 112

— For advertising on ACY [email protected] — graphic design & dtp Wojtek Świerdzewski — print Printing House KiD s.c.

206 — 221

222 — 239

ArchStorming – Senegal Elementary School

3rd prize – Hófsemi | 114

1st prize – Elementary School | 223

BB Green Awards – SKERA Visitor Centre | 114

2nd prize – The River School | 226

Honorable Mentions | 120

3rd prize – Tyoha School | 228

How we won that competition? | 122

Special Mentions, Honorable Mentions | 232 How we won that competition? | 234

128 — 142

eVolo: Skyscraper Competition 2021

— cover Davide Piva

1st prize – Living Skyscraper For New York City | 129

— www.yearbook.archi

3rd prize – Hmong Skyscraper... | 134

We do NOT own any rights to the projects shown in the book. All projects were sent to us by the competition organizers giving “Competitions.archi” permission to distribute the content online or on print.

How we won that competition? | 140

2nd prize – Lluvioso Skyscraper Collects Rainwater... | 132 Honorable Mentions | 136

Competitions

Competitions

Bauhaus Campus 2021

Re-use The Roman Ruin – Piscina Mirabilis

The Kaira Looro Competition

Start For Talents Competition

144 Inspiration Hostel Competition 2020

40 FITT Future Headquarter

The Living Museum

64

164

Iceland Cave Tower

Senegal Elementary School

106 Skyscraper Competition 2021

82

128

184

206

222

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Architecture and technology Mariana Cabugiera’s step-by-step process through the Hyperloop Desert Campus Competition (including tasks to avoid), combining science with architecture, and her leadership of the multi-national team during the pandemic.

The Hyperloop Technology has been a topic widely merchandised in the last year by Elon Musk and his Team. It is a controversial method of transportation with still so much to be refined and with its necessity for today’s society still to be clarified. It is currently at the epicentre of controversy, and it was for this reason that the Lab Campus Competition caught my interest. As an architect, how can you contribute to improving this technology, minimizing the negative impact of the new infrastructure needed to study it, learn and build it?

The Competition set by YAC for the Hyperloop Campus required a Landmark Building that would stand-out from its context and simultaneously blend with the surrounding landscape of the Nevada Desert. The Campus could not be a ‘’mere building’’, it had to represent science and progress simultaneously celebrating the culture of the place. Programmatically the Campus was split by three Units with different degrees of privacy. Unit 1: Main Hall, Public Museum, Public Arena, Restaurant and Public Tour. Unit two: Classrooms and Laboratories. Unit 3: Offices, 50sqm apartments and a Wealth Centre with a spa. Square meter wise, Unit one was clearly the most dominant in the Campus, followed up by the Laboratories in which a real-scale prototype of the Hyperloop would be developed.

When starting a competition, with friends or colleagues, it is important to have a smart strategy behind the group members.

The Competition was officially announced in March 2020 and the deadline was set for September 2020. The Panel of Judges consisted of Ben Van Berkel (Unstudio), Winy Maas (MVRDV), Paolo Cresci (ARUP), Kazuyo Sejima (SANAA), Fedele Canosa (MECANOO), Lina Choi (Oualalou + Choi), Chad Oppenheim (Oppenheim Arch), Italo Rota (Studio Italo Rota), Hasan Calislar (Erginouglu & Calislar Architects) and Nicola Scaranaro (Foster + Partners). Forming of the team The competition was announced in early March 2020 but it caught our attention later around June. As the first pandemic lockdown had settled, I was working remotely in London for Zaha Hadid Architects, my friend Begum Aydinouglu was starting her own small practice in Istanbul and another friend of ours, Juan Carlos

The Hyperloop is also not just at the centre of controversy, it is also at the peak of the current transportation technology and innovation. I have worked in many transportation competition projects for Zaha Hadid Architects – 5 airports, 2 train stations – and this is not our regular transportation Hub – the Hyperloop is the High-end of Transportation, and that presented an exciting challenge to board in. Competition background – The Hyperloop Desert Campus Competition In the heart of the Nevada desert, a few kilometres away from Las Vegas, the first test centre of Hyperloop - the futuristic means of transport that will connect cities and nations at a much-higher speed than planes - has been created – YAC original Brief. The Hyperloop Desert Campus emerged as an answer to the increased demand of laboratory spaces that could conduct advanced studies of the Hyperloop Technology. It results from the need of a high-end study centre that is isolated from the urban scenario and able to grow in the desert limitless space. The Campus was projected to gather the brightest minds in the planet: designers, engineers, visionaries, together with ambitious students. Such a community of scientists would temporarily live and collaborate in this campus for one simple purpose: the evolution of the Hyperloop Transportation Network. The architects will be asked to shape the most recent dreams of innovation and speed through an iconic building located in one of the most majestic and suggestive contexts on the planet, The Nevada Desert – YAC original Brief. 8

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Naranjo was running his new own practice as well in Bogota, Columbia. We had been colleagues and became friends while working together in a post-graduation course in London called Design Research Laboratory, three years before the competition, and went our own ways after the course had ended. I was the only one of us who stayed in London and joined ZHA, nevertheless we remained close friends and, most importantly, we had a very similar approach to architecture, design and technology. When starting a competition, with friends or colleagues, it is important to have a smart strategy behind the group members. I, Juan and Begum have worked together and we know how talented each of us are, but we are also aware that each of us is really good at completely different and complementary tasks. The criteria to start a strong and well-balanced team is one of the key-points when you are participating in a competition. Avoid pulling over your fun, yet lazy, friend. The competition challenge was proposed to us by Juan, who had his own architecture practice on hold due to the pandemic, in June 2020. Begum was in the same working situation in Turkey and for me, from the moment I settled a routine while working remotely, it had become quite clear that this presented a great time to work beyond office projects, on personal projects, teaching, having hobbies and to get involved in other activities. So we accepted this challenge of working digitally together and developed a project together for this very compelling brief.

The criteria to start a strong and wellbalanced team is one of the key-points

We joined the competition quite late, two months and a half before the submission. I am personally used to quick competitions – it has been my job at Zaha Hadid Architects for the last 4 years to create buildings for quick-pace projects – so there was a big excitement to design something new for the Hyperloop Competition in 2 months. Our process When you start a competition the first step is typically to read and understand the brief, a task that must first be done individually. This phase is followed by what we call the kick-off meeting in which each of us presents their own approach to this brief – challenges and strategies.

The first kick-off meeting is as important as the next ones. It seems to be a relaxed, light meeting but you should put a big amount of work into it.

There were a series of programmatic requests which became quite significant when designing the campus: the tour would have to circulate through all public spaces and have at least a visual connection with all the remaining spaces, the restaurant would have to have a visual connection to the labs and the hyperloop prototype as well. For me these requirements were suggesting a fluid visual and physical transition between spaces and, suggesting a looping circulation inside this campus. Beside the programmatic component of a brief there are also other spatial expectations. The Hyperloop Desert Campus was expected to seamlessly combine the technological look and feel of the Hyperloop Speed Train and the earthy/rocky The

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first kick-off meeting is as important as the next ones. It seems to be a relaxed, light meeting but you should put a big amount of work into it. Section, facade Interview ACY∙2021 11 look and feel that is part of Nevada’s Desert identity. It is quite common and very interesting for an architectural brief to ask for a landmark and yet to expect you to blend with the context. It is an expectation that I am confronted with in most of ZHA client’s briefs. What reads like a contradiction becomes the most interesting challenge when designing something new in architecture – to be iconic, to standout, and yet blend a new-built with the current city culture. The first kick-off meeting is as important as the next ones. It seems to be a relaxed, light meeting but you should put a big amount of work into it. It is the first time you start organising ideas, expressing your thoughts and understanding your teammates’ approach as well. As a designer in architecture my first approach to a competition is to gather all images that come to mind while I am reading the brief. Images of intentions or just quick, very abstract sketches. I appreciate the very initial visual instincts you have while reading a brief, so storing them in the beginning is usually very important. For the kick-off team meeting I compiled a ‘’mood board’‘ with these images and sketches that reflect spatial and programmatic intentions. They can vary from very conceptual ideas to case studies of built projects with the same programme or the same spatial qualities. This is not an artistic ‘’mood-board’’, it does not serve as an inspiration to design, but represents clear strategies to address the program, design, typologies and uniqueness of this brief. From the kick-of meeting we agreed to approach the brief with 2 different strategies. This is the first lesson that I have learnt from working for all these years in competition for ZHA: spend enough time developing at least two different approaches to the brief. These 2 strategies don’t have to be opposites, they should be developed simultaneously, and should compete in quality, so in the end you decide as a team which one is better and which arguments are stronger to move forward.

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Spend enough time developing at least two different approaches to the brief. These two strategies don’t have to be opposites, they should be developed simultaneously, and should compete in quality, so in the end you decide as a team which one is better and which arguments are stronger to move forward.

After the kick-off meeting the first phase of the competition started. In this phase everyone was expected to draft a spatial intention for the project but it is mainly the designer of the team’s job to create new spaces and typologies, to model them and to present them to the team. The first phase is fully on the designer’s shoulder, but as the project moves forward this work-load gets equally distributed. It is quite important to remember that in competitions out of office there are no hierarchies, you should respect all of your team member’s opinions equally, the design of the building should be consensual. When you look at my initial sketches in red the main principles take different shapes but remain present across all studies: the idea of building in the desert that is sustainable and independent recalls an oasis in the desert. Oasis is typically a circular patch of water with lush greenery around, that co-live in a micro environment. I decided to take the oasis concept on board for the design creation. This circular configuration led us to research into circular campuses, like the Google Campus, which is levitating over a massive pool of vegetation. According to the Hyperloop Campus’s Brief the programmatic division and public spheres were split in 3 units, therefore this led me to create three different oases. In the end, the requirement of spatial fluidity – physical and visual – combined with this public tour that should run across all units, created the idea of a building that is looping around three very unique green courtyards, levitating over-ground or softly framing them. Since the beginning this became the main design strategy behind our project. Moving forward, these concepts took very different shapes in very different design schemes. All these 3D studies and the final project were fully modelled in Autodesk Maya – the software we use at ZHA to design – and simultaneously exported to Rhino for sqm check, scale and solar analysis. From Rhino we also exported simple boxes that represented each unit sqm to serve as rough guidelines when designing the spaces in Maya. This design phase, exploring completely different

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options, should take around 2 weeks. As one option becomes clearer, the design work should be focused on producing different options with a similar approach. The team was meeting every week, over zoom, juggling Colombia time zone, London time zone and Turkish time zone. With daily messages of ideas and thoughts, this fully digital team-work proved to work quite well. For the first 4 weeks we battled with 2 different sketches that I had developed, and although I was clearly convinced by a specific one, the rest of the team wasn’t. This is again an important part of any competition – it is very common to disagree and it should be normalised in the team without being taken personally. When the team disagrees with your work, you either put in extra work-effort to convince your partners and improve the design option you like better, or you are intrigued enough to develop a sketch that is not your preferred one but it has valid and strong points made by them. It is something that I am confronted with every day at work and I usually do both: I work to convince the team but also like to test other ideas. Therefore, I put in double work on these two concepts. The first option was the first design sketch to be recognised by the team as worth moving forward with. Despite it being my preferred option, in the end it was discarded and replaced by mutual agreement. This option had in its core the looping concept around 3 very distinguished courtyards – the green oasis. It proposed an experience of the building from top to bottom – as you would start from an escalator on the ground reaching the top floor first and looping your way down to the building. The three courtyards gathered the 3 programmatic units.

It is very common to disagree and it should be normalised in the team without being taken personally.

The shape, typology and design of our Hyperloop Campus was now agreed and ready to move forward to plans, section, interiors and detailed design. From the moment after the design is ‘’signed-off’’ by the team it is the designer’s responsibility to decompose the building by its architectural components – roof, floor, walls, exterior envelope, interior envelope, landscape - to export it (in our case from Maya to Rhino) and share it with the rest of the team members so the teamwork can begin. Once the second phase starts, we begin daily coordination – emails, messages, zoom meetings - with the planning members (2d) and the designers (3d). This is the trickiest part of the process, since all of us have to be coordinated. Plans need to be coordinated with 3d and 3d members need to work with the plans. The design should continue to be refined and to move forward to interiors, structure, cores, ‘’meps’’, façade systems. For this to happen the person doing plans and dealing with accurate measures and areas has to feed the designer with these spaces roughly refined and expect to receive them designed later on by the designer. The meetings for the competition were kept weekly but were taking a lot more time, 3 to 4 hours, since every member was working quite a lot and producing very relevant work. We had incredible help from some of the office employees of Juan’s Office – Left Angle Partnership – especially when it came to 2d drawings. All work produced weekly was subject to opinions during the team meeting, and even though we were a team of just 3 people – the process started to be quite intense. It is traditionally the longest phase – there is a lot of back and forth.

As a team we have identified the following pros and cons: • Pros: It was smaller in scale, bold in form, solid and concise. The loop was single and non-ambiguous which made the character of each courtyard stronger and unique • Cons: It was too alienated from its surroundings, the small scale didn’t reflect a Campus scale, it was short in square meters – as per brief. For these reasons we split the programmatic units in 4, I started designing a 4-courtyard building with 2 symmetric and convergent loops, travelling around the spaces and culminating on the top floors of the building in straight lines – where the restaurant and observatory are. In this option, unlike the other option, the building was not described only by a single loop. The design included more flat areas and straight elements that where strongly part of its shape as means to connect to the future network for the Hyperloop that will run above ground. Option one was discarded but it still remains my special one. I will hopefully recycle it for a future project. In the end, I caught myself putting some extra time designing this second idea, so it was clear, I was more excited about it. The Hyperloop expanded from three courtyards to four, which made it grow in scale to a campuslike typology. We adopted the idea of a highway clover as the concept for looping buildings with a fluid circulation. The idea of having this loop levitating around the green oasis was kept, but instead of three programmatic units, we created a fourth loop for a special unit: the public open-air arena.

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Again, it is quite important to remind yourselves that all opinions are valid and that there is no hierarchy. You should respectfully review everyone’s opinions and even ask for them, so all members are engaging with this project, which will also work in your favour later on. As the exterior envelope of the building gets refined, from the design point of view, it becomes quite important to select the most important interior spaces for further detail. This is a crucial part of any competition. The realisation that the project is not going to be built tomorrow or in the next year makes it very clear that you should NEVER detail all spaces of your project. As controversial as it may seem, and some of us really have the impulse to solve a building in its totality, it is a big mistake to spend time designing and modelling spaces that will never be seen. Your jury will only see the spaces that you show on your renders and visuals, all the other remaining spaces will forever stay in the dark. Therefore I really urge you to take your time selecting the most important spaces that solve the brief and explain your building and from that point on focus your work and time only designing these. For the Hyperloop the spaces that were crucial from a programmatic point of view were: The Main Hall – as it is your starting point to your journey in the project; The Hyperloop Prototype Lab, with the visual connection to the Restaurant and the Museum. From a spatial point of view the spaces that explain the concept of the building better were: of course the Oasis Courtyards, the integration with the context from a human perspective, the integration with the context from an abstract perspective and the looping perception of the spaces and circulation. The design effort was allocated to these spaces only.

As the exterior envelope of the building gets refined, from the design point of view, it becomes quite important to select the most important interior spaces for further detail.

In the plan all spaces need to show capacity to arrange the functionality basics – from the back of house spaces, to bathrooms, to furniture arrangements. Yet, there is no need to have this in 3d, as that makes your file unnecessarily difficult to work with. From a workflow point of view I started creating different Maya files for each main interior space, as it is less demanding for your computer and it helps you organise your work. Each team meeting had a theme as well so each space progressed simultaneously – for example while I was modelling the offices and connection to labs, the planners were arranging this space in 2D with accuracy with a constant feedback loop between our files. This is the exact same process for a competition in an office.

Your jury will only see the spaces that you show on your renders and visuals

Not all design features have to be represented in your 2d drawings for a competition as well. Not all features that are modelled in 3d have to be in your 2d, since, and again, these drawings are not for construction, only the major design features should be included in. The 2D competition drawings are in a way diagrammatic and usually are requested in small scale – 1:500 and one plan probably in 1:200. This scale omits many details that you have designed in 3d. In a competition project, to reduce the time wasted in this back and forth process, the team should identify the main design features to be drawn in 2d. This takes me to the last part of phase 2. It is the part when designers and planners ‘’divorce’’ and can work with more autonomy. In this phase the plans don’t need to match to perfection with the 3d, and while this can be viewed as controversial, remember we are not producing construction drawings so everything should simply

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express the project’s intention. When phase 2 is closer to the end plans need to run faster and design as well. Constant back and forth slows down the project and tires the design. Only if there is a relevant change of geometry the plans should stop their progress and include what the design is doing and vice-versa. Phase 2 ends with frozen overall design and frozen spatial planning. Phase 3 starts. In the Hyperloop Project we scheduled all 3 phases in a quite detailed way in Excel, so we could keep the rhythm and be on time. It is fundamental to start your project with a detailed schedule and in your schedule include at least a week as margin for delays. We started the project with only 2 months and a half to submit, while I was working full time for ZHA which allowed me to only work for the Hyperloop Competition on weekends and after office hours, so we were on a tight schedule. For Phase 3 we planned 4 weeks and we had only 2 left in the end. Personally I consider this phase to be slightly more crucial than the other ones, it is the Post-Production Phase. This phase can be the make or break phase of your project, it is how you communicate your Project that truly shows your work to the Jury. There are 3 different elements to consider for this phase: the 2d drawing package with plans developed for the right printing scale, sections and small details; visuals and renders of your 3d; and Diagrams – in 2d and 3d. Typically the diagrams are left to be done last, so we split the 2d and 3d work amongst ourselves and joined forces for the diagrams in the last week. Design wise there is still a lot to be designed but this time you should restrict yourself to the cameras that you are going to render from. That is why my “step one’’ for the post production phase is typically to select the main cameras for each space and pick – with my colleagues as well – the most important shot of the whole project, what I call ‘’the money shot’’. This render is the cover image, so it should show your project in the best way. Regardless if it is abstract or very realistic, it has to resume the qualities and intentions of your project in one image. Apart from the ‘’the money shot’’ – which was set obviously in one of the Oasis Courtyards - we decided on 4 exterior cameras and 2 interior ones. It was also decided from the beginning to outsource our renders.

This phase can be the make or break phase of your project, it is how you communicate your Project that truly shows your work to the Jury.

Metrica Visuals. We sent separate Maya files, which I also recommend if you are outsourcing renders and have heavy interiors – one space per file and a main file for exterior views with landscape. For this project I got carried away with the hyperloop lab little prototype and made the typical mistake of spending too much time detailing and designing something that will never be seen. It was nevertheless quite exciting to design and speculate the seating arrangement and futurist design of the Hyperloop capsules. You can see it very blurred on the background of one of the interior renders. It was an obvious example of time spent with passionate design work and total alienation of time. You can’t always be efficient and sometimes it gives you pleasure to get carried away by details never to be seen, nevertheless, when doing a competition, try to avoid them as much as you can. In these 2 post-production weeks there is intense communication work to be done with your rendering company. Besides sending them a mood board for each space prior to their first render test, you should expect previews of each render every two days to do as many corrections as you can to these images. These companies are professional but they cannot guess what your building principles are, the brief intentions or your personal aesthetics. So in competitions - done in the office or out of office - the communication with the rendering company is expected to be regular and with a lot of patience from both parties. The money shot render of the Oasis Courtyard was the image that required more attention and back and forth work, since it was the main image, there was no holding back on corrections. It ended up being my favourite image of the whole project. It really represents the satisfaction that I had when creating this Project. Meanwhile there are a lot of diagrams that require rendering. We did most of the in-house rendering work in Keyshot which is a very intuitive software for rendering and gives you a very professional conceptual look. The Arctic view in Rhino also goes a long way when it comes to producing Diagrams. If you change the Arctic settings to also render materials the image gets even better with no need to do a lot of colouring in Photoshop or illustrate. From the Artic view I also recommend you to avoid taking screenshots and to use the tool ViewCapturetoFile – set the scale for 2 or 3 and your image will have the quality of a good-size render.

Outsourcing renders is always a big question mark when you are doing a competition. Although we have enough competencies to render the project with decent quality in house, the reality is, unless you are an archi-visualizer, your ‘’homemade’’ renders will never be as good as professional ones and it also becomes a time-saver for your working schedule. It is an optional investment to pay for renders. Regardless if you win or not, in these current days your project will have a wider public exposure than before. As outsourcing renders become more and more common, their prices are also increasingly cheaper. LinkedIn is a good platform to find them. We worked with Metrica Visuals from Bogota quite successfully. After all spaces were designed in detail for each camera – and this work includes all the small elements that make a big difference on a good render (pavement, light lines, furniture, balustrades, greenery, doors, etc) the 3d models were exported to Desert Campus – interior 18

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In current days I consider it fundamental that you present a chapter for sustainability when creating a new building. You can include any site analysis – solar, wind, proximity with the environment, glass reflection and heat – and present the strategies that you took on board to soften the impact of your building on the environment. For the Hyperloop Campus we focused on the principle of ‘’resiliency’’ which describes an autonomous building, able to adapt to its environment – a quality that is fundamental when building in a desert that reaches high temperatures during the day and very low at night. In this chapter we also included diagrams that explain our façade system of louvers with a specific inclination when facing a specific solar orientation. Solar panels were also integrated in our massive landscape design and a system for water collection that loops from one courtyard to the next one was also part of the green-building strategy.

In current days I consider it fundamental that you present a chapter for sustainability when creating a new building.

It is very important to keep the efficiency while producing the final content and to confirm that you produce all the mandatory deliverables first. We started planning our A0 from the beginning of the post-production phase, leaving a place-holder for the mandatory deliverables and organising all the renders, so we were aware that the space remained for additional diagrams. This final panel should be compiled by one person only with an overall vision for arrangement and aesthetics, I recommend you to look for Competitions panels on Pinterest for guidance. The panel was done in InDesign which I highly recommend for compiling wide size panels with heavy images. As the final images were finished they were being added to their respective placeholder in the panel, with no unexpected problems with size and scale. In parallel, the planning team was compiling a heavy booklet of 2d deliverables, with plans ranging from 1:1000, to 1:500 and 1:200, and 1:500 sections.

or a jury to prefer a project over others. It shouldn’t downgrade the quality of your project. I usually say that the ‘’Un-built’’ library of Zaha Hadid Architects is a Design Sanctuary, it has the best buildings that the world will never see. They never made it to day-light but nothing goes to waste and some of these lost projects inspire the next ones. Future challenges This is currently the best time for you to engage in Architecture and Design Competitions. We were never so digitally connected and working remotely has proven to work quite efficiently within teams. I urge any student to gather a team of hard working and passionate colleagues and to look for a healthy competition to participate in. It is also very beneficial for an office, even if you are just starting, to spend some time developing projects that are not only commissions. It encourages the office to brainstorm ideas, push the boundaries of design and address bigger, usually international, challenges. It also places the office in International Design platforms. There are constantly new websites announcing and publishing competition projects, for built and unbuilt projects. It has never been this easy, so I encourage you to give them a try.

We were never so digitally connected and working remotely has proven to work quite efficiently within teams.

Mariana Cabugueira

Finally, there is one very important element of the project that is often forgotten but I consider to be fundamental in any great project: the logo. If your brief states a landmark and you want your building to be a memorable Icon, it is the cherry on the cake to have one simple, abstract image that represents and resumes your project in a couple of lines, making your building distinguishable, memorable and clear. At ZHA we spend enough time developing and refining these icons. You can tell when looking at them what the main principles to create this project were. The clearer your concept is, the cleaner should be your Icon. For the Hyperloop the concept was quite clear: four loops on a cross, representing the Oasis and the Hyperloop Mega Speed Network. This is the principle that made the Logo, and we made sure to have it repeated enough at the top or bottom of all pages.

Architect and urban designer from Portugal, recently working as a Senior Architectural Designer at Zaha Hadid Architects, teaching at the Architectural Association in London and doing live workshops and webinars with students from all around the World. Graduated from the School of Architecture in Lisbon and the Politecnico di Milano, she moved to London to explore design and technology through the postgraduate course: Design Research Laboratory (DRL) at the Architectural Association School (AA). Her research interests gravitate around parametric design, generative design, digital design and the evolution of architecture through the use of technological means, such as robotic fabrication. Her final project proposes a cluster of towers, radically different but biologically similar, in the centre of London. Mariana joined Zaha Hadid Architects after graduating from the AA School in 2017. She is part of the Competition Cluster ever since, responsible for the high-end design projects of the office. She was part of the design team of winning projects such us: Navi Mumbai Airport, Western Sydney Airport, Exhibition Centre Beijing, and most recently the Tower C in Shenzhen

The last 2 to 3 days of any competition are inevitably quite hectic. The Hyperloop one was no exception. We were working full time over the weekends to make it to the deadline. Because we were in very different time zones the work never stopped, and we picked on each other’s tasks every day, which created a very exciting pace for this competition. The submission was completed at 7am Bogota time. We were exhausted but very excited for the journey we had. In the end we were made finalists. The winners had very different principles which made us believe that the judge had a different criteria than we had while creating it – all projects were highly conceptual and less realistic. This is ok.There are many unexpected criteria for a client Hyperloop 20

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Conceptual Journey – from idea to execution Bartek Winnincki on his architectural jump from Europe to Asia, living (and designing) in interesting times and an eye-opening design process that he has experienced during the Shanghai Library East competition.

My adventure with Schmidt Hammer Lassen has been going on for over 6 years. Six eventful years in which I managed to take part in over 25+ projects, won 7 of them and 4 of which are now in the construction phase. However, how did I get here? Why SHL? First things first.

Portfolio Set sent to SHL and message received from Chris Hardie – design principle from SHL, 2016 simplicity of the message directed me to SHL which at that time was and still is one of the few Scandinavian companies with its headquarters in Shanghai at that time. The mere preparation of the portfolio took me about 2 months, everything had to be refined down to the smallest detail. I knew I had to surprise them with something, so I decided to send the entire package directly to the hands of the office director. Well, that was a match.

After numerous internships in reputable offices in Europe, mainly in the Netherlands and Denmark, in 2012 I decided to make a complete change - I left well-organized Europe and tried my strength on the Asian soil that was completely unknown to me. I will not lie that the raging economic crisis helped me to make this decision. China has been my home for over 9 years now and I have spent practically half of my professional career in this country living in Beijing first and Shanghai since 2014. Getting out of your own comfort zone and moving your life interests to a completely different culture is initially difficult, and it probably is not for everyone. However, you have to try to find out. In my case, I made such an attempt during a vacation in China, when I decided that a similar chance for adventure may not repeat itself and I stayed. Throwing yourself in at the deep end is sometimes the best way to learn to swim. First impression – scale shock. Never before have I experienced such a great leap between what I knew in Europe and what I was doing at that moment. The beginning was definitely not easy, but as time went on, I became more familiar with the local culture, the specificity of the market and the design processes taking place. That was the time to set on a journey to find a perfect place. I spent the first years of my career in China in large architectural corporations, focusing mainly on commercial and office projects. This is probably the widest branch of the market, which will always, no matter what the moment, keep crowds of architects busy. However, my interests have always oscillated around projects of public importance, such as libraries, theaters or museums, where I could focus on a human and his relationship with the architectural space, such as the urban space, which is key and superior. The natural direction of the search for an office was determined by my previous work experience in Copenhagen. The Danish approach to design, the awareness and consistency of the form as well as the

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Competition background – Shanghai Library East First competition – Shanghai Library East and first prize! Shock, excitement and an incredible joy because I had just joined the office and have instantly achieved such an immediate success. Surely, it has been a competition that I will never forget for many reasons. Firstly, it was my first project implemented in China of such scale and rank. Secondly, the design process that I experienced fully opened my eyes that the clarity of the message and design simplicity is the most powerful weapon in the arsenal of a good designer, which I really wanted to become by joining the Shanghai studio.

Getting out of your own comfort zone and moving your life interests to a completely different culture is initially difficult, and it probably is not for everyone.

The clarity of the message and design simplicity is the most powerful weapon in the arsenal of a good designer

Shanghai Library East, competition sketch

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Almost 3 months of strenuous work, hours spent in the model room and in front of the computer and White Diamond is set to open to a wider audience in early 2022. Winning such a prestigious competition gave an amazing boost to the entire office. And just as Copenhagen has its Black Diamond (SHL project), an icon of modern approach to designing multifunctional libraries would appear on the other side of the globe. Here, I must mention that a contemporary library is not only a storeroom for books with places to study them, but a multi-functional cultural, exhibition and artistic space, a modern agora, which is to revive the urban tissue and open horizons to the world for the city and its inhabitants. Especially in the age of the Internet, where practically everything can be found online, creating a place to meet and exchange thoughts is even more important. And this library is like that! Located in the Pudong district, the area of the city known for its iconic skyline is a block with a total area of 115,000 sqm, which includes an auditorium for 1,200 people, exhibition spaces, a studio cinema and a separate library for children. The library boasts an impressive book volume of approximately 1.5 million copies. The relationship between human and architecture was a priority during the design process. Another important factor that we paid particular attention to was the aspect of nature. Nature always plays a very important role in all our projects. It is thanks to Nature that a person can rest mentally, regain strength and focus. The fact that the library is located in the largest Shanghai park has created a unique relationship between the reader and the surrounding environment. There is probably nothing more soothing than enjoying literature in nature - this is the effect we wanted to achieve. Nature is practically knocking on the library’s door and by deliberately extending the existing park, the green “covers” the lower pavilions over which the pure, white form of the building stands.

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A simple architectural language conveying the clarity of ideas is the domain of our office, we do not exaggerate, we always strive to be honest in our message and it was no different in this case. The client appreciated our way of operating and mutual understanding resulted in a strong bond between experts. We drew knowledge from the best minds in the library profession and the client felt that he was presented with architecture with a capital A.

A small team allows you to be more effective in terms of organization and budget.

Our process Each subsequent project after the completion of the competition for the Shanghai Library East and each new design task proved to me that the path to the final result is always similar. Going through checkpoints helps to systematize the process and clearly explains the steps behind. Nothing is accidental and every move you make has its justification. “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”– Albert Einstein. We create such architecture in our 80-person strong studio. Our office is relatively young, we have a lot of people who just graduated from renowned universities all over the world, where group work and an interdisciplinary way of thinking is the accepted norm. The motivation with which people approach projects, reminds me a bit of working on competitions when I was a student myself. Passion and the desire to be the best, all in an atmosphere of endless discussions and brainstorms. Everything starts with the initial analysis of a given topic, this is what we call the GO IN phase. In this phase, the most important thing is the discussion and a deep understanding of the problem. Usually, the team that starts the competition is small, consisting of an architect leading the project, one or two mid-level architects and architecture students who are interning with us. The number of people in each team varies and in the later stages of the project, team members with a more technical profile are added to coordinate aspects that are of technological or constructional nature. Also, a small team allows you to be more effective in terms of organization and budget.

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Analysis and research are crucial. We do it carefully to discover the least obvious sides of the project. There are no stupid questions or crazy directions for us, we test and explore every, even the least obvious, path, which discovered at the very beginning saves a lot of time in the further stages of the project. That’s why at this stage we basically flatten the office hierarchy and the voice of each person on the team is of equal importance. This creates a more creative space for action where everyone feels equally responsible for the end result. The physical model is an indispensable element of our work, at this stage it serves primarily to understand the scale of the existing context, in later stages it becomes a “mother model” on which we test multiple options. From the technical side, we operate on pre-prepared file templates and components, which we collect practically with every new project. Already at an early stage we try to think like a future user. What problems accompany him? How will it adapt to the new function? How will the place where we design look in 5, 10 or 20 years? The specificity of the place is a key aspect. We try to answer local problems and anchor ideas in local culture. Such a structured stage of the analysis naturally leads us to the next phase of the cycle in which we explore the possibilities and potential scenarios.

At this stage we basically flatten the office hierarchy and the voice of each person on the team is of equal importance. This creates a more creative space for action where everyone feels equally responsible for the end result.

Model process, Nino Library volume studies

GO WIDE opens up a range of possibilities that meet all the requirements of the brief and our own architectural ambitions. It is in this phase we discuss multiple possibilities and concepts that can challenge the limits of the brief and functions.

Studio model ibrary, 2021

The main toolbox we use consists of sketch, model and diagram. The creative process is completely non-existent for us without these three ingredients. The sketch is the fastest, most abstract and at the same time the most honest reflection of our design ambitions and it’s on its basis we try to visualize the future shape of the project. It is a kind of synthesis or essence of what we are striving for. A natural transition from the sketch stage is to check the ideas set out in the model – both physical and digital. It is at this stage that we stop to evaluate what is in front of our eyes for a longer time, because many times what looks good in 3D is not reflected in the physical model, be it the overall character or the scale. We often build the physical model in many scales to be absolutely sure that our direction is correct. Often, we create many programs and formal options, taking one step ahead and two steps back, knowing this is part of the process. To err is human, so making a mistake is worthwhile to achieve a bigger goal. Each option of the physical model is photographed so that we can always revert back to it. When we finish the sketching stage of the first model, we proceed to attempt to diagrammatize the steps taken. A simple diagram is to explain in a clear and efficient way what components determine the final form of the project.

Process diagram, Shenzen Waste Energy Plant

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Such a set of materials is a base to create presentation sketchbooks, which we present and discuss during weekly project update meetings of design principles. Each of the sketchbooks is automatically uploaded onto our internal platform which is accessed by our American and European teams. This allows for almost direct exchange of thoughts and notes, which is important at every stage of the project. The transparency of the activity is one of our strong points and we want other offices to see our design process as well as we are open to constructive criticism. The GO WIDE phase is the longest of all phases in the cycle. The goal is to cut down to one to three main options and develop them in the next phase. The end of this phase is a kind of Point of No Return, which means that we don’t experiment anymore and instead bring all the focus on development of selected directions.

At this stage, the design team is supplemented with new members who are able to analyze and point out all technical problems.

Thinking process, Cheng Shifa Adt Museum, competition scheme

Competition study models, Kunming Botanical Museum

The main goal of the GO DEEP phase is pushing the chosen option(s) to the limit, so that the team can move to the production mode. At this stage, the design team is supplemented with new members who are able to analyze and point out all technical problems. Compliance with local and national codes is carefully reviewed taking into account potential structural or technological problems. For that, we reach out for the advice of external companies and consultants who are experts in their fields. Results of their analysis and discussion confirms whether the project is rational and feasible. At the same time, we develop plans, cross-sections and test various façade variants. Often, this is the moment in which we start to focus on interior design developing the main spaces of the project. By creating mood boards, we choose the best matching color palettes that emphasize the body and seamlessly merge with the interior. Sustainability is an incredibly important aspect of the design. We aim to incorporate ecological trends in modern design into our ideas. The Chinese government plans to become a carbon-neutral economy by 2030, that’s why at our studio we want to adapt to the upcoming changes and build wisely with the future in mind. Approaching the topic from many angles helps to clarify the main variant on which we finally focus and develop in the production phase. Here comes another Point of No Return, where the final, best direction is developed in detail.

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GO HIGH also known as the final production phase. This is the last leg during which we work on high quality visual materials that can communicate the idea and the project to its best. The key thing is consistency, we care for every little detail and make sure all elements will match graphically. We outline the final plans, crosssections or diagrams that would go into the final booklet or multimedia. For the final renderings, we choose external companies that are able to present the character of our architecture in the best possible way. We carefully select companies with whom we work, that are usually on the market for years, we know exactly what we can expect and how much time we need to get high quality images. We usually use a mix of local and foreign companies. Leveraging previously determined templates, we are able to carve the final shape of the final presentation quite quickly. A project can be compared to a good action movie, it must have its pace – we do not want to show everything right away, but rather create momentum and uncover our story step by step. That’s why very often the plans are interwoven with renderings or diagrams. This creates a more colorful and accurate image from the viewer perspective and spontaneously tells the story of the project. To add the final touch to the project, we create a project logo, a kind of emblem that will be memorable and is its representation. Collected materials go into the Final Booklet, which is delivered to the customer in the form of a report. One copy always stays in our office and joins our project library. This is an incredibly useful tool to which we come back while working on other themes. These 4 steps are the essence of our design process. Circle of innovation is constantly enriched and improved to be a source and base for new colleagues joining our office. We aim to follow modern trends and keep up with them, that’s why we created an office design group inside which meets on a monthly basis and discusses how we can improve our methods of operation and elevate them to the next level. Time is a currency that cannot be bought, hence establishing good productivity and efficiency habits allows our colleagues to fully deliver their duties at regular allotted time.

Not everyone needs to own their own studio.

We aim to incorporate ecological trends in modern design into our ideas.

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Future challenges What will the future bring? I have no idea, however, the old Chinese proverb “may you live in interesting times” is probably already coming true in some ways. The epidemic turned the world upside down, so it’s hard to predict what the next month will look like, let alone the next year. China handled the pandemic quite well and the remote work didn’t last long here - probably around one or two months. We quickly returned to (new) normal, which did not affect our morale very much, hence the plans in our Shanghai office are very optimistic. At the moment, we have positioned ourselves on a fairly safe ground, where we intertwine direct commissions with invites for competitions. It gives us the possibility to both experiment and improve the already well-developed design processes. We have the privilege that after so many years of exposure to the Chinese market, we are quite a recognizable brand and customers know and recognize our style. They understand Scandinavian minimalism and the timelessness of our designs.

Collected materials go into the Final Booklet, which is delivered to the customer in the form of a report. One copy always stays in our office and joins our project library. This is an incredibly useful tool to which we come back while working on other themes.

The element we would like to work on and focus our attention on is sustainable design and the application of ecological solutions in more of our projects. The question is not if but more about when the stakeholders on the Chinese market will prioritize sustainability and customers will treat it as the norm when it comes to all newly-designed architecture. As I mentioned before, changes in China are taking place very quickly, so our actions must be planned in advance. Hence, we begin to upgrade our design process to adequately respond to the contemporary ecological problems and market requirements. The next year will be very special for us, because some of our projects, on which we have been working the last few years, will finally open their doors to visitors. Shanghai Library East, Suzhou Science Museum and Shenzhen Waste Energy plant are just a few projects from our portfolio. We are proud that we can pursue our broad ambitions and do it in the way we have imagined. Passion and consistency in reaching a previously set goal is the overriding aspect that guides us and we want to cultivate it at all times. Our office is constantly developing, hence we are always looking for raw talents for our studio, open minds absorbing knowledge. We believe that we are a platform for the exchange of views on the widely understood creation of space. We always try to find extraordinary characters who, regardless of their interests, want to broaden their horizons. Young architects and students who come to our office each year represent a very high work culture and are prepared to an amazing degree for professional work. I mean both software skills and the way of thinking. I am proud of the fact that they see our studio as the place to develop their professional career.

Office Library, competition books

Bartek Winnicki

Born in Silesia – an industrial region of Poland and raised in a miners’ family which shaped his hard-working personality. Bart’s educational and professional experience gained in Poland, Denmark, Netherlands, and China is deeply rooted in urbanism, architecture, interiors, and graphic design. His design trajectory always strives to balance both the experimental and the visionary with simplicity and pragmatism. Interests encompass the entire creative process starting with the very first idea, through the conception and realization phases, all the way to the final attention to detail. Big science fiction fan in every aspect either is movie, music, or technology. DJ after hours. Surfer in summer, snowboarder in winter. West Energy Plant, construction photo

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The meaning of design intention Yerin Kang, the founder of S.o.A, walks us through the 3-phase process used during the Metropolitan Small Manufacturers’ Support Center Design Competition, highlighting the importance of revealing the architecture’s attitude towards the city.

Our process We spend a lot of time understanding the background of the competition in the early stage. To this end, we analyze the competition guidelines and research on its social background. We try to figure out what socio-economic context we are dealing with and what role this building will play in this urban society. We break down our process into pre-design, design and execution phases. Pre-design phase: Understanding competition guidelines We read the competition guidelines carefully. In particular, we discuss what the purpose of this competition is. It also constitutes a hierarchy of several guidelines for the competition. We discuss which item can have an absolute influence on our design and what guidelines should be considered first. Metropolitan Small Manufacturers’ Support Center Design Competition (MMSC)’s case: The most important thing in this design guideline was how to define a ‘manufacturers’ support center’. Research on the socio-economic background of the competition Especially in the case of public building competitions, the direction of city policy is often the background of the competition. We try to find out what kind of background city policy stands behind this competition. We study architectural types created under the same urban policy. MMSC’s case: In this competition it was the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s support plan for urban manufacturing. The goal of this policy would become the goal of the design. Seoul’s shoe-making industry is concentrated in clusters of small sweatshops in the Seongsu-dong area, which is the site neighborhood. There is a spatial distribution of labor within the area: some are specialized in patterns, others in sewing, finishing, and sample making, etc. However, what is absent in the area is planning and designing. Only OEM manufacturing exists. Thus factoryowned original brands are also non-existent.

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Vertical walkway connected to the city

Decision making for design: • To build a space structure where small manufacturers can create their own brands. • We decided that the architecture itself should be able to reveal the brand identity. From the beginning, we tried to deviate from the typical building form. Analysis : asking questions and making design strategies A few questions are created through analysis, and design strategies and ideas for the building are developed as answers to these questions. Our questions in MMSC: • There were numerous support programs for small factories, but to no avail. What were the problems? • Which type of building can help and support small makers and factories? • How to design not only a building scheme but also a new typology, which is necessary?

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Design strategy in MMSC: • Goal of our project: ‘Seongsu Silo’ to become a support center for small craft men so that they could be their own masters. • Our definition of ‘Support center’: ‘Seongsu-Silo’ was designed to innovate a manufacturing area to enable master shoemakers to brand their hand-made products by integrating designing, manufacturing, marketing, distribution and consumption in one space. • Design strategy: The production and consumption spaces were to be vertically interlinked, creating a compact geography of the commodity chain.

Instead of being immersed in design proposals for a building, we zoom out again and study the real site where this building will be built.

Design phase: The design phase starts with sketching the core content of the proposal. When this sketch is complete, we discuss how to manipulate this sketch into 3-dimensional space. Main idea for brainstorming MMSC’s case : a new type of factory. In order to integrate the processes of planning, designing, making, marketing and consuming, we placed all but the manufacturing area in front of the city. In addition, by arranging parts such as the meeting place and marketing space in a common space rather than inside a small factory,we have increased the importance of the service space. The advantage of this layout was to separate the factory and service area and extend it easily when it is necessary to extend the building.

Front and corridor view

Contextualizing an architecture to the city Instead of being immersed in design proposals for a building, we zoom out again and study the real site where this building will be built. We look for the factors that can help the design of the building and, in order to make our building meaningful in the city, we look at the urban context.

and Vertical Walkway, segmented the face of the building on a human scale on the front road, bringing pedestrians into the building. Visualizing a strategy: volume making to emphasize a manufacturing landscape Various options studies are conducted on how to develop an initial idea into a three-dimensional space. In this case, both model making and 3d modeling are used. In the case of starting from a 3D drawing, it proceeds in the reverse direction. Study of plan or section in 3D modeling or model. At this point, it is important to ensure that this process is not simply a process that crosses dimensions. The design strategy and implications for the way of form making should be articulated. MMSC’s case: In the case of Seongsu Silo, we used “extrude’s strategy”, attempting to extricate ‘front side-service area’ and ‘back side-work area’ separately.

MMSC’s case: The competition site, Seongsu-dong, used to be a factory area where only ‘production’ took place. But it has been transferred to a place where consumptions and culture platforms are added. Roads used for transportation in this area were gradually transferred into customers’ paths. This was an opportunity for manufacturers of handmade shoes to connect with consumers and markets. Design factor from the site research: • Lower part of a building opened to the public - based on this analysis, we proposed the low-rise façade of our building to open to the public area and the city. It was a comprehensive and three-dimensional arrangement of service areas that can complement and reinforce ‘production’. • Front cores - by arranging stairs and elevators at the front and direct access from the street, the city’s pedestrians could easily connect to the building. The core of the deployment was to place space elements on the front road that could result in an active interaction between people in the manufacturing industry’s branding process, such as planning, distribution, marketing, and exchange space. Workplaces and workspaces were planned to be variable, flexible and located at the rear of the site. Service elements, named Maker column, Shoes Silo,

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We did that for the following two reasons: reason 1 - using the design language of ‘silos’. We hoped that the shape of the building would reflect the new floor plan and the traditional landscape of factory areas. The facade resembled a silo, which would act as a spatial branding tool for the factories in it.

Process diagram

reason 2 - to emphasize vertical connection to the city. To extricate each service is also a way to vertically connect architecture with the city. As a new type of factory tower, the Silo brings the production space and consumption space together in a 3-dimensional way, transforming into a compressed space of the geography of the commodity chain.

To extricate each service is also a way to vertically connect architecture with the city. ACY ∙ 2021

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Small craftsmen’s workspaces are placed on each floor within an open plan. Three vertical ancillary spaces were placed in the front to support brand exhibitions, promotional spaces, stores, conference rooms, customized rooms, lecture rooms, etc. In between, the public space allowed the service area space of the front part to be opened to the outside independently. To make the service areas that new factories and support centers need to contain visually stand out, it was emphasized as an independent volume. Designing the characteristics of each area After creating the overall volume and mass of the building, we have a stage of classifying and defining the characteristics of the detailed area. It is based on the meaning of the space program, and tries to secure the meaning in the whole area connected as one. MMSC’s case: The front service silos were designed to look different. Since each service program is different, we wanted to find the geometry needed for it. If all silos were the same volume, it would have created a sense of incongruity in the alley: “Maker’s Column”: A red brick was used to extend the urban landscape of the past, which was commonly used in factories around Seongsu-dong. By interpreting it as a horizontal window about 600 on the floor, it tried to emphasize the walking and shoes of people using the service space. “Shoes Silo”: The front was designed in glass, but the back in brick, allowing it to be recognized as a visually open, independent space. “Vertical Walkway”: The vocabulary of external evacuation stairs commonly found in Seongsu-dong was borrowed, but pedestrians can feel it as a vertical continuous walkway on urban streets. Execution phase Showing the process of renovation and expansion In the case of a design competition, a process diagram is helpful to remodel and extend the existing building like MMSC. This diagram not only shows the order of the design, but also shows the attitude towards remodeling. The title of each stage clearly reveals what is important in remodeling strategy and shows the process of building the content, not just the process of creating a volume. MMSC’s case: The two-story elevation of the preserved building enclosing the service columns defined the service area independently. Between the pillars of the existing building, it was directly connected to the exhibition and multi-purpose space on the ground floor and the B1 floor. This gave consumers easy access to the service area of the upper floor as well as the lower floor of the building. This strategy lowers the psychological boundaries of visitors entering the building. Revealing the attitude of architecture towards the public As such, when a competition site is in the urban area, it is important to reveal the architecture’s attitude toward the city. This is because we are not only designing a stand-alone building, but also designing the relationship between the city and this building. Since this part is difficult to explain, a perspective view from a pedestrian’s point of view is helpful. It is also necessary to refer to the city’s palette of materials and patterns for the selection and arrangement of materials.

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When a competition site is in the urban area, it is important to reveal the architecture’s attitude toward the city. This is because we are not only designing a standalone building, but also designing the relationship between the city and this building.

Entrance of building

MMSC’s case: Lowering psychological boundaries. The construction strategy of the Small Manufacturers’ Support Center is basically expansion. The basic strategy of remodeling was to preserve the time of Seongsu-dong by leaving the 2nd floor façade of the existing building with the 2nd floor and the 1st floor columns, which embraced the newly created area and created a complex experience of entry. In particular, it created the identity of the building by establishing a relationship between the old and the new with a bundle of vertical elements on the front, named “Service Column”. It also served as a piloti or fence, naturally luring urban walking into the building and lowering the psychological boundaries of the entry process. Continuity of industrial landscape. Factory buildings constructed with the minimum requirements for use have their own industrial aesthetics. The material palettes on the streets of Seongsu-dong are filled with common architectural languages based on ‘practical’ and ‘economy’. Most of the existing factories around Sungsu-dong are rahmen structures built by filling concrete frames with bricks, a typical type of construction in the area. Our building proposal used familiar materials to preserve the landscape of the street, but was intended to respect and develop the landscape of the place by changing its use. At this time, the preserved masonry wall of the existing building is also a fence and an open podium that binds the newly added Service Column. Zoom in distinctive design parts In this state, we zoom in on the special parts and emphasize the design details as a perspective view collage or drawing can discover the meaning of design intention.

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MMSC’s case: Multi-purpose space in the lower part of the building. The ground floor was to be extended vertically to the second floor through the upper opening. Space was compartmentalized through a moving wall if necessary to form a flexible multi-purpose space. Floor materials inside and outside were made of the same material continuously and created a space open to the rear through the folding door. One could enter the first floor between the pillars of the existing building and directly access through the preserved stairs to the main office of MMSC on the second floor. The Shoe silo on the first and second floors was directly connected to the outside and an entry hall on the first floor, allowing visitors to enter the building through this space. On the second floor, where the MMSC was located, public space corridors served as mezzanines, and were connected vertically to the first floor.

For early small businesses, growth may increase the required space in a short period of time. Due to the continuous plan independent of the service area, the layout of the work space is easily adjustable. Only corridors could be blocked, and partitions can be positioned to the required area. Flexibility to expand space was provided as small businesses grew.

System and organization of work production space. The balcony located inside the workspace and curtain wall outer walls located on both sides created a pleasant workspace. RC walls were secured to facilitate the installation of workstations and shelves. Service columns in public spaces strengthened the characteristics of public spaces by incorporating decorative bricks used externally into indoor materials. A plan consisting of manufacturing, production space-exchange, network spacedistribution, planning, and marketing space enabled a one-stop service. A casual meeting between small business owners and consumers could take place in a space in the front. The variable planar composition enabled reaction by organically transforming to suit the environment of various events and occupied spaces. In addition, the service space placed towards the road allowed the workspace to be freely extended from side to side. Diagram of strategy

Yerin Kang

Architect based in Seoul. She found design firm SoA in 2011 and has served as an associate professor in practice at the Seoul National University since 2019. She participated in exhibitions like Rome MAXXI Exhibition (2012), Young Architect Award Exhibition (2015) and was in charge of curating Production City of ‘Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism’. Yerin Kang awarded in ‘2015 Young Architects Project’ organized by the Ministry of Culture and Korea Architects Institute (2015), Y.A.P. by MMCA, MOMA and Hyundai Card Co., Ltd. In 2016, she was nominated for the AR Emerging Architecture 2016 Finalists. Contextualization

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1st prize

project name

Bauhaus Campus 2021

Bauhaus Campus 2021

authors

Alejandro Duadro Romina Mangini Uruguay

Between November 2020 and May 2021 arkitekturo challenged architecture students from all around the world to imagine how the Bauhaus Campus would look like if the iconic school from the early 1900 were to re-open its doors a century after it was first established. Over 1700 students from 82 different countries worked on this brief to submit 388 original and unique proposals, all of which can be seen on the competition’s page (www.arkitekturo.com/competition/bauhaus-campus-2021/). The jury, which included addenda architects, authors of the recently inaugurated Bauhaus Museum in Dessau, just a half a mile away from the Campus competition site, unanimously selected the project “Performatic Machine” by CCMM team, formed by Alejandro Cuadro and Romina Mangini from Universidad de la República Uruguay. Their project successfully solved the brief at a number of scales, from urban planning to furniture design, and showed that these two very mature students are ready to face real life, complex projects. The background After putting his career as an architect on hold to fight the first world war between 1914 and 1918, Walter Gropius sensed the world needed a radical change, a change in which arts and architecture would play a fundamental role. His previous ideas of what architecture should be didn’t quite make sense anymore. His new vision of architecture was one where all arts came together to re-imagine the material world, where craftsmanship would reclaim its leading position in the production process and where artists would find a way to imprint their soul and essence into rational, useful and beautiful objects that could be mass-produced following the ideals of Fordism and Taylorism. It was 1919 in post-war Weimar, Germany. Walter Gropius had just founded the Bauhaus. One of the most radical evolutions architecture has ever experienced was about to begin. The vision Immerse yourself in the world of the Bauhaus, their mindset, their ideals, their vision… Take this opportunity to revisit the work of some of the master architects of modern architecture, which helped shape the concept of what we understand as architecture in the modern world. The new 2021 Bauhaus Campus will be a space of creativity and vanguardism, where new concepts and ideas for the architecture of tomorrow can be debated and explored. The impact of the new Bauhaus Campus might not come right away, the same way the influence of the original Bauhaus was not obvious until many years after it was dismantled. But one should always trust that, by pushing the limits and challenging the norm, we are helping architecture stay current and move forward, and hopefully, make the world a better place. 40

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he Campus is not simply a building, it is an urban complex that cannot work in isolation from the city. On the contrary, it must be a part of it and give Dessau new spaces for collective enjoyment.

Urban situation The building is between of the original school and the Bauhaus museum. At the same time, it is a short distance from the train station and large facilities. The nearby environment is characterized by low buildings. In this way, the train tracks and the shape of the plot are the strongest elements that determine the implantation.

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1st prize

1st prize

Masterplan The given plot and the land with which it adjoins are an urban void. The project generates a unique piece divided into two large areas, one with a recreational character and the other with an institutional character. The entire complex is subdivided into programmatic sections, taking into account certain pre-existence and traces inherent to the site. Implantation The building is positioned parallel to the train tracks. To give more public space it reduces its footprint by arranging the entire program vertically. It is configured as a large screen that faces the city on the one hand and the railway infrastructures on the other. The ground floor is largely freed to create a covered public space.

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1st prize

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Adding program Apart from the suggested program, additional uses are incorporated into the building that give it a more public, performatic and autonomous character. From a small urban farm to sports facilities for public use is added to the building, allowing it to serve the entire city of Dessaou. Sustainability The building is thought of as a self-sustaining entity which generates its own energy through wind generators and collects water to use on the farm, allowing it to selfsupply with food. At the same time the facades are protected with exterior curtains, providing thermal and light protection, while generating dynamism. Neutral structure, resilient facade The project proposes a structure that allows a flexible use of space, a large lattice beam from which everything hangs. As a counterpoint, the facade is proposed as a particular element to the current uses of the building, responding to the needs of the interior and communicating to the outside. Both generate the image of the building. PERFORMATIC MACHINE Generic space, Specific gadgets The building is a large frame, a stage with spaces that are wide and tall that are open to the interpretation and intervention of the different users and the possible uses that they give it, as a counterpoint to these neutral spaces, specific artifacts are proposed that activate particular activities to this program. Sleeping pod Small habitable modules that move within a neutral space and are placed in the position that the user wishes. Performatic seats Elevating seating system that gives the multipurpose space flexibility, in minutes the space goes from being a 300-seat room to a large free space for various activities. Bridge crane Large crane that supports the activities of the workshop allowing to grasp large weights and to maneuver various materials. Class module Back-up module for school classes that separates the different classrooms. The element can be moved expanding or contracting the classrooms providing flexibility to use. Event bubble Multipurpose space open to different situations. A large inflatable plastic bubble that allows expanding the environment (literally) if necessary. It can be used for exhibitions, events, conferences, etc.

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1st prize

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2nd prize

2nd prize

project name

Bauhaus Campus 2021 authors

Tamara Nunčič Iva Živković Davor Žebovec Slovenia

T

he new Bauhaus campus is a place for all students who chose to learn and study art. Not just architecture, but painting, sculpting, illustration, and other creative disciplines. We designed a large fluid space that offers students an environment in which they can learn, develop, live, interact and enjoy the student life. Our main goal was to enable interaction between all faculty members. There is no hierarchy between students, nor bwtween students and professors. Anyone can approach anyone, and learn from each other. We placed our campus in a green environment and returned what we took from nature with a green roof and big sunny atriums that are the heart of our design. We invite the citizens of Dessau to enjoy our idea, by giving them a wide avenue that can be used for cycling and walking. They can grab a coffee or lunch, see an exhibition or learn a new craft at the workshops. And on a warm summer evening, the faculty can host exhibitions or concerts in the open. There are two studios that have separate entrances. They are positioned on the top of the location so that delivery of the necessary material is easily and does not disturb other activities that might be going on. Every art program has its own space. They are visually separated by dividing elements. This is an open ‘‘closet’’. It contains one smaller cabinet for professors, some space for storage, a sink, and a bathroom. Interaction between different programs is encouraged. Some additional shelter can be provided by curtains and panels for privacy if there is ever the need for it. The studio can also expand on the hallway or merge with another studio. There is one bigger relax/student room and several other smaller ones spread through the faculty.

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The hallways of the faculty, studios, and the avenue can be used for a display of students’ work. But in addition, there is also a separate exhibition space. It is designed in the center of the building, together with the main entrance so that visitors can easily access it. The exhibition space is designed as a circular path, that elevates on two different levels. Enabling visitors to see the exhibition from different points of view. ACY ∙ 2021

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2nd prize

2nd prize

There are two lecture halls, also positioned in the center. If we separate the dividing wall, it can be used as an auditorium. The library is an open space that stores books. Bookshelves can be turned or moved around. Books are also everywhere in the faculty, free for people to read them as much as they like. In a separate building, there is a separate entrance for the student dormitory, cafeteria, cafe, and startup area. Startup environment supports students to start working in their field and put their designs on the market. The dormitory is lifted above the ground, so it provides privacy and shelter. It contains a launderette, student rooms, and apartments. The hallway is very wide, so it can be used for socializing. There are two sizes of apartments, one for four students and an apartment for two/one guest. The program is combined and merged so that there is no superiority between guests and students. There is a view over the city, atriums and green roof.

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3rd prize

3rd prize

project name

Bauhaus Campus 2021 authors

Gabriele Mori Polina Kotmysheva Russia

T

he proposal starts by colonizing the entire given land, but it does so underground, giving back to the city not just some green space, but a park that’s unique and different. Only the floating cells raise from ground level, creating a “façade” that’s always changing depending on how each cell is being used at a given point in time and the wind. Dessau is a city whose finest years are in the past and is tirelessly trying to regain. A project as daring and unique as this one would certainly put Dessau back on the map and attract a good number of visitors and residents, bringing back some of the economic activity that the city is so eager to get. This building proposes an extreme division between public and private space, giving the user full control over when they want to engage in social activities and when they don’t, in a much more powerful way than any door or wall could ever do. Once on the main level (floor -1), the building takes up the totality of the site, creating a continuous space that’s mainly only interrupted by the habitational cells. This creates an interesting variety of inbetween spaces, with different sizes and hierarchies between them, that will allow a great flexibility and possibilities of use.

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3rd prize

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3rd prize

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Honorable Mentions

Honorable Mentions

project name

project name

Bauhaus Campus

Bauhaus Campus 2021

authors

authors

Claudio Advíncula Altamirano, Denis Huamán, Santiago Chahuara, Michelle Martínez, María José Huaroto, Johana Suni

Daiana Belén Mosna Solange, Leonardo Martin Torres, Álvaro Kevin López, Horacio Rodriguez Lautaro, Karen Diaz

Peru

Argentina

project name

project name

A Space for Sustainable Reinassance

Bauhaus Campus 2021

author

Bennet Harvey Canada

authors

Zishuo Zhang, Dingwen Wu, Xiaohan Ren, Ziyan Ge China

project name

project name

%

Bauhaus Campus 2021

authors

authors

Choy Joseph Jan Yip, Chan Chung Hei Jason, Chen Yushan, Fan Ka Mak

Sadovnikov Nikita Yurievich, Zuikov Dmitriy Vladimirovich

Hong Kong

Russia

project name

project name

NeuHaus

No-Hierarchy Campus

authors

authors

Shantanu Parikh, Chintan Ahir, Payal Merja

Xiaozhi Qi, Deng Zhaoyi, Bizuan Cui, Sitong Chen

India

China

project name

The Crack authors

Jair Galeano Mesa, Mariana Torres Arroyave, Daniel Gómez Fernández, Santiago Morales Zapata, Steven Ríos Marín, Valentina Barrios Villafañe, Dayanna Alexandra Muñoz Barreto

project name

The Mobile University authors

Magdalena Albert Andonova, Zlatimira Zdravkova Simeonova Bulgaria

Colombia

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

How we won that competition authors

Alejandro Duadro Romina Mangini Uruguay

About us We are Alejandro Cuadro and Romina Mangini, students of Architecture at the University of the Republic of Uruguay. We have teaching experience in this institution and we have also approached professional practice working in some local and international architecture offices. As students, we were a team in urban planning courses but in this project we were faced with thinking about a building together for the first time, trying to unify two different ways of thinking about architecture. In your life as a student, beyond the good academic results, always inside you ask yourself: will I be a good architect? This contest gave us the opportunity to test ourselves as designers independently, outside the academy for the first time. During the project process we generate a fluid and efficient work dynamic. The result has given us the confidence to continue in the career, and why not - in professional life as colleagues. About the contest During our vacation, we came across a contest to design the Bauhaus Campus 2021 organized by Arkitekturo. It was very interesting and gave us the chance to have fun designing and improving as a team. It proposed the development of a university campus with a lax and broad program. In turn, the urban conditions of the property (in the city of Dessau) had unique characteristics, such as being on the shores of a railway transport infrastructure and having a pre-existence of an industrial nature. Last but not least, the historical importance that an institution of the size of the Bauhaus has had on architecture and design. In short, the contest allowed us to investigate in an urban and historical context highly charged with meaning with a high degree of freedom.

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About the project The project process was progressive, from a relaxed beginning (looking for references, understanding the site and revisiting the history of the Bauhaus), until a few weeks of frenzied production in order to communicate our ideas in the best possible way. At the beginning of the project process, we understand that it is important to look for references: programmatic, aesthetic and technological, which help to build a repertoire of images and possibilities. Another factor to consider in the first instance is the site and the implantation of the building, not just taking a look, but rather understanding the logic of the urban fabric, the current uses of the plot, the history of the site, the surrounding infrastructures, the city in general. In this case, given the conditions of the coedntest, we have review the history of the Bauhaus, both of the school and of the new museum. The main themes that we developed during the project process were: urban insertion, the implantation of the building, its structure and character. We think that the urban insertion of the project has to be in accordance with its character (open, introverted, iconic, mimetic, etc). The building is not an isolated object. Ask yourself: how does it reach the ground? And how is it related to the environment? It is key to understanding how it affects the place. Regarding the implantation of the building, in our opinion, it is necessary to take into account: the footprint of this on the plot and how much space it frees or encloses, the sunlight, the shape of the terrain, the significant urban traces, the morphology of the city and other tensions characteristic of each place. The structure is essential for understanding the building and how it will work later, since it conditions the way it is used and its image as well. That is why this theme is one of the first to be developed. The character of the project is built from a feedback between the aforementioned elements and the concepts. In the particular case of our project, the proposed site is located midway between the original school building and the Bauhaus museum, while being a short distance from important urban facilities such as the train station. The plot configures a transition between the urban fabric, of low buildings, and the train track, articulating the relationship between the city and the infrastructure. In this sense, the object to be implanted had to recognize this duality, calibrate the distances and its mass to dialogue with both situations. The public dimension of the proposal motivated us to include the neighbouring property in the project (a risk by contravening the rules of the contest, but which would finally give us greater urban potency and understanding of the site), adding to the intervention a series of programs and public spaces and including the industrial pre-existence of the place. In architecture competitions, it seems to us that we must go beyond the rules, and try

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

to stretch them to the maximum, to achieve something different, a profit for the project. In this way, we designed a masterplan that generates a series of programmatic bands that divided the complex according to the different activities. The lines of the bands and the placement of the functions was prepared to recognize pre-existing elements and traces of the site. We understood that an intervention of this magnitude (physically and symbolically) should generate something more than a simple building. It should generate urbanity, public and representation spaces for the inhabitants of Dessau. We understood that this campus should not be closed and protect an enclosure within itself (as the classic university typologies of cloisters do). It should establish a fluid dialogue with the surroundings and expose the learning dynamics of the students to the city. With all the above in mind, we understood that the best way to arrange the building would be to have a plaque parallel to the train tracks, facing the city as a large screen, removed from all the limits of the land, generating the greatest possible amount of public space. After understanding the site and the position of the building, the discussion focused on how we could achieve a project in height that would generate neutral spaces. Trying to understand the needs of the students at the architecture and design campus, it seemed important to us to create free spaces so that users could perform in them. This need led us to develop a structure that would not interrupt those spaces.

The character of the surroundings and our conviction about the capacity of an architecture close to this infrastructural world brought us closer to references such as the so-called “High Tech” architects of the ‘70s: Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers and Norman Foster; some great masters from that time as Cedric Price, Buckminster Fuller or Archigram, as well as the work of contemporary architects such as the French studios Lacaton & Vassal and Bruther. For the development of the structure, we studied the Pompidou Center (by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano), the Frame (by Bruther). Newertheless, the main reference for the development of the structure of our project was, finally, the building ‘’El Pilar’’ by the Uruguayan architect Luís García Pardo and the engineer Eladio Dieste (a building resolved through a single pillar, with large beams on the last level, from where the slabs are hung through tensioners). The proposal presents a similar logic of structural functioning, a series of pillars throughout the building, where large, reticulated beams are supported. The last level enables the slabs to be hung through tensioners. The torque is solved with a tensioner to the ground on the opposite side which allows us to save large spans, leave free spaces for the interpretation of users and empty most of the ground floor of structural elements.

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The facades speak about what happens in the interior space through their prefabricated or industrialized components while responding to the needs of the building’s conditioning. At the same time, the main façade can function as a large screen where the work or manifestations of the concerns of the campus students can be seen. Another point that we were interested in dealing with was the creation of a practically self-sustainable community, a building that could generate its own energy, recycle rainwater and allow students to grow their own food. For this we incorporated into the program: wind power generators, rainwater collectors, a farm. We developed luminaires with their own wind generators to illuminate the large access esplanade to the building. We call the project “Performatic Machine” for its material condition, its reference to almost infrastructural elements, its capacity for adaptation and change, and for its scenographic condition, neutral enough, to function almost like a theatre, a stage for life, its draperies and the activities behind the scenes. The neutral spaces are left free for the students to interpret and free for the users to intervene as they please. In tension with the rigidity of the structures and the neutrality of the spaces, specific devices are devised that activate the functions required in the contest program.

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

These devices are: dormitory capsules (small habitable modules that can be moved and positioned as the student wants), performance chairs (the auditorium has capacity for 300 chairs, but in a matter of minutes it can be converted into a free room for multiple activities, leaving the chairs suspended in the air), the bridge crane (with it we allow students in the workshops to move heavy objects, the building has a forklift to raise materials or any object from the ground floor and then be able to move it in the workshop comfortably with this device), the classroom module (the support modules separate the different classrooms, they can be moved, contracting and expanding the area, giving greater flexibility of uses) and the event bubble (a multipurpose space for different situations, this bubble allows the expansion of the place, literally, and can be used for exhibitions, events, conferences, parties, meetings, etc). This project gave us the opportunity to research and project on topics of our interest. It became a team construction of our obsessions and architectural fetishes. About communication The communication of ideas, in this type of contest, is essential to transmit all our imaginations in the best way. For this project, we understood that the use of plans and sections, classic drawings to describe a building, but with an intentionally partial and limited frame, did not convey the project in the best way. We understand the axonometries and 3D diagrams are more accurate and attractive, as well as the renderings of the building from different points of view. During the process, we have learned that 3D modeling and previous renderings are a highly valuable project input, which help other graphic pieces to make and complementary decisions, also help define materialities and colors, as well as spatial qualities. Communication, in our opinion, must fulfill a double function, clarifying and ordering ideas for a quick understanding of whoever sees the presentation, while attracting attention and generating a kind of wow factor, something that fixes the project in memory (not only because of the proposal), it would be a color that stood out, a striking graphic, a unique name.

to their function and level of access seems logical and appropriate. The strategic placement of the machinery that a building this size would require was also very smart, and the fact that sustainability matters were incorporated at different levels was very much appreciated.” The judgments made by the jury surprised us and filled us with pride, we appreciate their attention to the ideas presented. Writing this text makes us reflect on the processes, strategies and ideas that led us to carry out the contest. We believe that, a priori, there are some project process logics that can be transferable, but we understand that they are built according to the interests and training of each designer and not everything is transferable. The processes are not the same. They are unique. There are no magic recipes. Each one generates its own tools and deploys them in a unique way in each instance. To end, we wanted to thank for the opportunity to share our work and ideas. We are very happy to be able to write this article in Architecture Competitions Yearbook 2021, it has given us the chance to revisit and reflect on our project process and share it with other students as well as architects.

About the jury The jury made up of Addenda architects, Bajet Giramé, Leku Studio and Montserrat Villaverde, highlighted the leap between our project compared to the rest. Unanimously, and from the beginning, they pointed out that we got all the key points of the project right. They highlighted the resolution of the project at all scales, from its implementation to smaller interior spaces. They emphasized that the proposal goes beyond what was requested, and “(...) did not only provide an appropriate solution for all the requirements given by the brief, but also decided to incorporate the neighbouring terrain (currently not being used) to treat it, improve it, and give it back to the city in the shape of an urban forest, gardens and areas for other social and cultural activities”. The jury recognized that our project contemplates a step raising over the train tracks, an element that will help to unite both sides of the city and will turn the Campus into a true link along the axis between the building of Gropius and the new Bauhaus Museum. On the implantation they highlighted the forceful position that the main building takes within the given terrain, creating a barrier with a certain permeability between the roads and the city, which also allows it to generate an important iconographic image on both sides. On the building itself they said that “Inside the building the organization of the spaces according

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1st prize

The Kaira Looro Competition’s winning projects for an EOC in SubSaharan Africa Emergencies strike suddenly and without warning. They level cities to the ground and tear down buildings as though they were made of sand. In almost no time at all everything is destroyed and all that remains is the realisation that you have to get up and start all over again from scratch. In recent years the occurrence of deluges and flooding have increased dramatically. Analogously, conflicts and financial crises persist and lead to serious humanitarian emergencies which put the lives of millions of people at risk. Resolving an emergency of any kind means re-establishing peace and security.

The Kaira Looro Competition Women’s House

The ”Emergency Operations Centre” is the 4th of the Kaira Looro international architecture competition. This is a Non Profit competition with the aim of raising awareness among the international community about emergencies in developing countries, and support humanitarian projects in Africa. The past editions were dedicated to the design of a Sacred Architecture (2017), a Cultural Centre (2018) and a Peace Pavilion (2019). This year the competition aims to develop a theme of global interest: emergency, such as Tsunami, Wars, Flooding etcetera. The theme of the 2020’s competition was to design an Operational Centre for the management of humanitarian emergencies in Sub-Saharan Africa, an EOC. The architecture is intended to house and facilitate the mainly activities which international organisations and local authorities must implement in order to solve emergencies and provide aid to affected communities. The spaces should be versatile and multifunctional, capable of adapting to specific needs and to the type and context of the emergency.

The objective of this year’s edition of the Kaira Looro international architecture competition was to design a women’s house created to promote gender equality as a determining factor for development in rural Africa. Participants from all over world submitted their architectural proposals, based on inThe competition has been organized by the Balouo Salo No Profit Organization, engaged the in Africa to develops humanitarian projects, with the collaboration of structures of international importance and sustainable design and destined to accommodate awarenessand relevant collaborations such us Kengo Kuma & Associates,novative SBGA | Blengini Ghirardelli, MMA Design Studio, international NGOs, medias and institutions. . Archilovers e Archiportale were official media partners. raising activities and training initiatives aimed at developing the village, in the The winners were chosen by an international jury made up of: Kengo Kuma (Kengo Kuma & Associates, Japan), Agostino Ghirardelli (SBGA | Blengini Ghirardelli, Lígia NunesThe winners were selected by an international jury. name ofItaly), equality. (Architecture Sans Frontières International, Spain), Mphethi Morojele (MMA Design Studio, South Africa), Walter Baricchi (CNAPPC), Philippa Nyakato Tumubweinee (University of Cape Town, South Africa), Mantey Jectey-Nyarko (Kwame Nkrumah University, Ghana), and a scientific committee made up of Raoul Vecchio (Balouo Salo), Sebastiano D’Urso (University of Catania) and Moussa Soaune (Senegalese institution).

Rural development, a reduction in discrimination and the creation of a sustainable environment all depend on the hard work which every member of society invests, both directly and indirectly, in the collective. Gender equality is crucial to the construction of an equitable society in which everyone can make a fundamental contribution to sustainable development. Equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary condition for a prosperous world. That’s why it’s number five on the list of “Sustainable Development Goals” established by the United Nations: eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence, safeguard the rights of all genders, and provide social protection services, thus guaranteeing female participation at all levels of decision making. Based on these considerations, the objective of the 2021 edition of the Kaira Looro International Architecture Competition was to select an architectural model for a “Women’s House” to be built in Africa, as well as to raise awareness in the international community regarding the topic of equal opportunity in developing countries and to support the charity projects promoted by the Balouo Salo humanitarian organization.

KAIRA LOORO ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION Architecture Competition to support humanitarian projects www.kairalooro.com – [email protected]

The architecture requested by the competition was a symbolic and ecological 300 square meter space inspired by local traditions, that can be self-constructed with the benefitting community itself. A space in which associations and members of society can meet and discuss the topics of equality and human rights, guaranteeing involvement and emancipation of the female community in favor of the region’s social, economic, and political development. The project area is in southern Senegal, where Balouo Salo has been active since 2014 with the creation of various infrastructural projects that have facilitated access to potable water, encouraged education, and promoted sustainability and human rights. This is one of the least developed areas in Senegal: the poverty rate is approximately 90%; sanitary conditions are among the worst in the country with only 8% of the population having access to filtered water; and 70% of the population lives in homes without access to electricity.

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project name

Women’s House author

Juan Pablo Lopez Isabella Uruguay

I

n the villages of Southern Senegal architecture is closer to earth. Fences are made of sticks, dwellings predominantly made of straw and adobe - those are the settings for a simple and sensitive life whose existence is immersed in a prodigious nature. Above this tropical landscape, framed by the Tannaf Valley and dotted by the presence of robust and tenacious local trees, lies the Women´s House. Located in the village of Baghére, on the plot of land attached to the local municipality in front of the road, with a flat and sandy terrain, with acacia and mango trees in the background, an enclosure is planned to hold awareness, training activities, and promote the growth of the region under the sign of equality. Establishing a dialogue with the site, a slender piece of laterite earth stands firmly on the ground, offering a meeting place for the African women. Inside the material, an intimate and warm void is modeled, thought to be inhabited, and that at times looks outwards integrating nature.

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1st prize

1st prize

Reinterpreting the figure of the circle - present in the settlements of primitive cultures -, two semicircles forge the space, offering the visitor a dynamic and interactive scope, receptive to hosting various itineraries. Under this gesture, the program is articulated in a flexible and open way, what makes possible the integration of outdoor spaces that present a frank relationship with the environment, with the dialogue and collective activities rooms, allowing their expansion. These rooms are complemented with server spaces such as management and organization, a restroom and a storage. The formal perception of the monolithic piece is altered by the convexity and concavity of these elements; that shape an entrance threshold with an opaque and shaded depth, and a small oasis that connects the interior serving as shelter and contemplation respectively. The composition is protected under a wooden grid that supports the roof. The experiences of time and sound are underlined by the introduction of light and water, common elements in the homes of yesteryear. The vibrant African sun sneaks in, intense but thin, though a circular gap in the roof and between the slits of a thick veil of bamboo. The light is contained by the space, plastered by the terracotta material that it illuminates in a kind and mysterious way. The dense Senegalese rains are treasured in the square fountain of the semicircular patio, the water becomes a creative material, hiding its depth underneath the shiny surface it generates, melted among the lively reflections of the native species that border it.

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Materials The project aims to resemble traditional construction techniques. I think that one of the charms of Senegalese culture that is reflected in their art, is the quality of expressing feelings with basic materials such as earth and sand. The harmonic balance established between vernacular constructions and nature, the use of materials that are present in the place in a sober way, are gestures that give character to a sparse and simple architecture that is consider as a reference to project. In its stereotomic quality, the wall structure and pavement are modeled on local materials such as laterite earth, red clay, straw, sand and gravel. From the tectonic point of view, the roof that unfolds from the ground, is made up of local wood, an envelope of bamboo and sheets of zinc. Construction On firm natural ground rests, the adobe pavement made on compacted laterite gravel base, to which is added a polyethylene film that acts as a vapor barrier and receives the mixture made between red clay and sand. The surface is delineated by the rammed earth wall structure, composed of laterite earth, sand, red clay, straw and small dose of cement. Its thickness allows a good thermal inertia enabling a cool indoor environment. In some situations, its hermetic character is altered by small gaps that allows light to enter and openings that connect with the outside. The walls are erected on a reinforced concrete base that is replicated at the top to receive the roof structure. The ventilated cover facilitates the exit of hot air, it is made up of a structural grid in Rosewood wood that weaves a thick veil of bamboo that will curl between the shafts, and support the zinc sheets.

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2nd prize

2nd prize

D

esigning a Women’s House, for all the social importance it has, is a much greater exercise than the mere search for the most appealing form or geometry. It is, for us, an exercise of humanitarian and social nature. We set out to create a building that would provide well-being to those who inhabit it, that would meet the expectations of those who need it and that, through architecture, would play a decisive role in the success of such a relevant and urgent mission: the promotion of gender equality and the improvement of women’s living conditions and empowerment.

project name

Women’s House authors

David Gonçalves João Dias Gonçalo Santos André Pedro Gomes Daniel Simõe Portugal

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To achieve this, the search for the right design began by understanding how we wanted the building to be perceived from the outside and how we wanted it to be experienced and felt once inside. We quickly realised that for this place to be an effective tool in spreading the strong and urgent message of improving women’s lives, it had to be an inviting and inclusive place, that naturally brought people together. We imagined an open space, with different volumes that can be seen and crossed in a very natural way and that relate to each other as in a small village. This is how the idea of the main street emerges, as a natural extension of the outdoor space that, in a very organic way, unites all the buildings, subtly involving and merging them into one. A public place, delicately shaded and sheltered from the sometimes harsher climate, where everyone who uses it feels comfortable and naturally motivated to socialise, to share their ideas and experiences with others.

Reading all the documentation that Kaira Looro has given us on the current very vulnerable condition and discrimination against women in Senegal, and particularly in the village of Baghere, we also realised that this could not only be a place for the promotion of equality and women’s emancipation in the long term. It had to have a more urgent and proximity-based social role: to serve as a safe haven for women and children who need a place to teach, learn, practice and flourish as individuals. Thus, all the spaces were designed - in their dimensions, configurations and materiality - to be flexible and to be used with great versatility. The dialogue space, for example, can be used both for meetings and as a study room for the children of the nearby school. The space for collective activities was also designed to house both theme related exhibits and to support the promotion and dissemination of the work of local artists. A simple wall in the middle of this large space simultaneously serves as a structural element, as a filter for two different areas that can be arranged separately and as an element where works or films can be projected if necessary. In order to serve not only this humanitarian mission but also the surrounding populations, and given the precarious sanitation in this village, we found it extremely important to build a volume dedicated to hygiene and sanitary facilities, in case anyone needs them at any time. Given the purpose of promotion and social

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2nd prize

2nd prize

awareness that this building serves, public and common spaces are the key element. It therefore made sense for us to design an open-air amphitheatre, partially covered, which is a more informal and open stage than the indoor facilities, for all those who want to gather and share. As suggested by the organizers, we placed the building along the main road leading from Baghere to the small port of Sandinieri – one of the village’s primary axes – in order to encourage its use. The proximity of the building and the choice of its orientation – both the open-air amphitheatre and the openings of the collective activities and the dialogue space face the main road – were designed to encourage these connections and welcome everyone. Materials Sustainability and cost control were a priority throughout the creative process, so we used local, cheap and sustainable materials. Rosewood beams for the structural mesh that makes up the building, bamboo canes for the main street covering and doors, adobe bricks for the walls and compacted clay for the floors. As we want this building to also serve the community around it, we imagined that the construction could be a process shared by all. This implies that the constructive solutions we have adopted are simple to execute. There is a great diversity of textures and patterns in the building, but they were obtained by conjugating in a playful way the position of the various modular elements. For example, using only the bamboo canes, we obtained different patterns for the street covering and the shutters.

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With the adobe bricks, and just playing with the position in which one fits over the other, we got very rich and diverse patterns in the perforation of the walls. The inspiration for the design of all these elements was very much inspired by the local art and traditional building forms and techniques. We aimed to create dynamic and stimulating spaces rooted in the local culture and suited for modern day challenges. Construction The foundations of the building are made up of a concrete strip footing on which the walls rest and spread footing where the wooden pillars are recessed. The floor is formed by different layers. The deepest are made of compacted stones with varied sizes (2 to 10 cm). The surface layer of the floor is created with a mortar in the approximate proportion of 1 clay, 1 sand, ½ straw, ½ water. Due to its hygroscopicity, its necessary to protect the final surface against fog and rain. This is possible by covering it with 3 coats of boiled linseed oil. As mentioned, the walls rest on a concrete strip footing. They are formed by adobe bricks of 25 cm by 30 cm. In certain areas, empty spaces were left for natural light to enter the interior space. In addition to the selfsupporting walls, the structure that supports the building is composed of a quadrangular grid of pillars and interspersed wooden beams. Each pillar consists of four posts embedded in concrete spread footing. The beams (in the longitudinal and transversal direction) rest on top of each other until they rest on nails that connect the wooden posts or on the building’s own walls. Finally, the slab is composed of different bamboo canes tied together and covered with a mortar of cob (to protect them from the sun and moisture).

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3rd prize

3rd prize

project name

Women’s House authors

Annachiara Trabacchin Elena Paccagnella Gloria Aiolfi Alberto Martini Italy

O

ur design process so begins with an awareness of the situation in which we are operating, and in particular by acting with the right sensibility to achieve the creation of a civic centre, which help women today to leave their homes and take an interest in their own future in a place that welcomes them and makes them feel strong, independent and not alone. The space we have designed therefore aims to become an oasis free of any inequality and prejudice, being mainly available to women, but not excluding anyone who wants to interact with this small reality, respecting those who live it, setting the goal of creating a fair involvement of men and women. The concept is based on the idea of an externally closed and rigid reality, hiding behind it a world which is not given visibility, just like the role of women in society. In fact, if the building appears to be a large monolithic block, as you approach it you find yourself in front of large access openings, which surprisingly frame an internal area characterized by curved surfaces that blend together, welcoming and inviting you to enter. We continuously decided not to design a main access point, so that users could enter through the various opening along the sides of the building, which takes on the role of a catalyst, bringing people together inside, giving them the opportunity to simply walk through. Furnishing device We have designed a device intended primarily for the laboratories, which varies its function in relation to the occasional use dictated by the activity carried out. Inside the building, this element is attached to the wall because of two rails on which these furnishing structures slide, which can take on the function of benches/ tables when applied “open”, while when closed they can be applied as a blackboard/panel. The reversibility of these devices is shown by the utilize they take on when they are removed from the tracks to be used outdoors: this element becomes a table, designed in particular to be operated during activities carried out outside the building.

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3rd prize

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3rd prize

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Special Mentions

Honorable Mentions

authors

authors

authors

authors

Daniel Arruda Weinstein Teixeira, Maria Isabela Neves Ferreira, Clara Maria Barbosa Teodoro, Mateus Leandro, SIlva Bruno de Albuquerque Ferreira Lima

Daniil Komitski Mila Lyutskanova

Trina Listanco Lealyn San Juan Lilian Wang

Weronika Paczkowska, Aleksandra Kubiak, Marta Mojsik, Piotr Gajdak

Bulgaria

Poland

Canada

Brazil

authors

authors

authors

Aikaterini Pouliasi Aliki Konstantinidou Aimilia Maria Sokri

Kalin Cakov Metodiy Monev Jan Obusek Zuzana Potocna Sophia Cakova

Quý Ngô Thanh, Nghia Nguyen Đuc, Son Đào Thanh, Long Cao Hoàng, Ngân Pham Thi Thanh

Greece

Vietnam

Slovakia

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

How we won that competition author

Juan Pablo Lopez Isabella Uruguay

The project aims to resemble traditional construction techniques. One of the charms of Senegalese culture is reflected in its arts, and it is the quality of expressing feelings with elemental materials such as earth and sand. The balance established between popular constructions that have been developed over time and nature, the use of materials that are present in the place in a sober way, are gestures that delineate a sparse and simple architecture that was taken as reference to project. It powerfully caught my attention a Senegalese fable that I will quote next:

The call for the contest of the Women House in Senegal, which aims to build a space for awareness, training activities that promote the growth of the region under the sign of equality, has captivated me from the beginning. I was moved by the cause presented, since I believe that architecture is a medium that contributes to the celebration of life. As it is an impure discipline, it has the great possibility of combining technique with other fields such as art, sociology, anthropology and philosophy. These premises were addressed from the beginning as in the other projects that I have carried out over the years. Proposals that promote equality enrich the disciplinary field in my opinion. That is why I decided to accept the challenge, with the intention of offering support, empathy and attention to the most vulnerable sectors of society through a discipline that I am passionate about. In the first instance, I had to get closer to the place where the project takes place and to tie socio-cultural context, which implied going deeply into a universal issue that must concerns us all: the protection of human rights and the struggle that women and girls carry so as not be discriminated against or segregated. I have not had the opportunity to visit Africa yet, specially Senegal, but I had to feel that experience in some way and then began to project. I was interested in building a prolegomenon that would address the issues, such as the condition of the place, the climate, the topography, nature, local customs and vernacular architecture. A series of documentaries, writers, films and photographs have helped me to feel its essence. This series of data unleashes in me a lot of imaginaries and atmospheres that find a rational path through matter and structure. At the same time, I analyze carefully the materials present in the area, colors, textures, costs, construction techniques, with the intention of creating a design that was sustainable, that their assembly would result in a tectonic harmonious with the context. I believe that the material inquiry, the treatment and consonance of the different components present, gives rise to a stimulating exchange between people and things. Depth, plasticity, weight, and aging were topics of particular interest.

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‘’Once a rabbit and a hyena were eating food found in the hollow of a baobab. Once they were satiated, a sound indicated that they came out of the interior. The rabbit told the hyena to get out quickly, but she refused. Then the baobab closed, leaving the two animals inside. The hyena began to cry in fear, the rabbit made a prayer that opened the tree. Once outside the hyena wanted to enter again to finish with all the food that remained inside. The hyena got into the baobab and finished with all the food, but the baobab closed up and the hyena couldn’t get out.’’

fact has caught my attention. It was a seated woman modeling a clay vase, the delicacy with which her hands caressed the earth and were shaping the object with such mastery has captivated me. Remembering this fact, I felt that the project had to be approached in a similar way, where the sculptural and artisan condition was primary. Concentrating these issues, the project concept is based on a slender, monolithic piece of red laterite earth that stands firmly on the terrain. Inside the material an intimate and warm void is modeled, which is inhabited and which at times looks outwards integrating nature. Reinterpreting the figure of the circle, common in the settlements of primitive cultures, two semicircles forge the space, offering the visitor a dynamic and interactive scope, receptive to hosting various itineraries. Under this gesture, the program is articulated in a flexible and open way, to the extent that the integration of outdoor spaces that have a frank connection with the environment is

The impluvium house, typical of Senegalese vernacular constructions, has been a trigger that allowed me to understand the way of life in the villages. At the same time consider certain elements that make up architecture such as the circular organization of the complex, the water well at the center and the open oculus through which the rainwater spills and a light is projected through the shadow. These were reinterpreted and adapted to the design in a contemporary key. Another topic to be discussed was how to represent such a strong and moving theme as the empowerment of women in architecture. The spaces to be defined had to be candid, empathetic and friendly. The program should be articulated in a way that takes into account the needs of women. On one of my recent trips to Mexico, I stopped at one of the many handicraft markets in each town. An everyday and simple

Impluvium house, Senegal

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

The design process was approached in the first instance by making a series of croquis and sketches, primary freehand drawings that attempt to delineate what was previously studied on paper. These include approximations of possible organizations of the program in plan, elevations, sections and exploratory sketches in three dimensions. What begins as a line then takes shape in the three-dimensional model made with CAD and Sketchup programs. From my point of view they are very intuitive since I can study in a better way the proportions of the design, shadow studies from geolocation, quantify areas and volume to be able to quote the project, test materialities, and analyze the relationship with its context. A series of tests with conceptual maquettes made with clay were carried out on this occasion, in which vegetation was incorporated into the environment to have a real vision of the composition. The design is pivoted between the three-dimensional model and the twodimensional graphics made in CAD. Once it is finished, the visualizations are generated from the renders made with 3D MAX and Vray. I consider this instance of utmost importance since it represents the image of the project and its intentions, it has a great weight so I like to dedicate a considerable time to it. This implies a correct selection of materials, good quality textures, good lighting and also landscape design, since the vegetation has been made from this software.

Clay vase, Oaxaca, Mexico

possible, with rooms for dialogue and collective activities allowing their expansion. These rooms are complemented with server spaces for management and organization, bathroom and storage. The formal perception of the monolithic piece is altered by the convexity and concavity of said elements; that give shape to an entrance threshold with an opaque and shaded depth, and a small oasis that connects the interior serving as shelter and contemplation respectively. The composition is protected under a wooden grid that supports the roof.

The position of the camera that allows visualizing the different scenes, is an aspect that should be studied properly, the point of view is of vital importance since it helps a lot in the final perception of the image, said instance includes a knowledge of photography which allows to detail the lens correction, the focal angle, the frame of the view.

The experiences of time and sound are underlined by the introduction of light and water, elements in force in the homes of yesteryear. The vibrant African sun sneaks in, intense but thin, through a circular gap in the roof and between the slits of a thick veil of bamboo. The light is contained by the space, shaped by the terracotta material that it illuminates in a kind and mysterious way. The dense Senegalese rains are treasured in the square fountain of the semicircular patio, the water becomes a creative material, hiding its depth before the shiny surface that it generates, fused between the lively reflections of the native species that border it.

Once the raw renders are obtained together with their render elements, the post production and setting in Photoshop continues, which includes retouching of color, intensity, brightness and contrast, the incorporation of other elements such as human scales and vegetation if necessary. From an image I usually crop it to accentuate a detail that interests me, obtaining a second image that on many occasions I convert it to grayscale.

Advantage was taken of the local laterite soil and red clay, giving the walls a terracotta pigmentation that radiates warmth. The roof defined by a local wooden grid is woven into curved bamboo that is reminiscent of the village fences and is associated with the shape of the circle that dominates the composition. Passive energies that avoid excessive consumption of resources were considered, as well as a study of sunlight according to geographical coordinates. In this way, a ventilated cover was designed, which allows hot air to escape to keep a cool interior. In turn, the wall structure has great thermal inertia due to its thickness, allowing the interior temperature conditions to be more stable. The oasis contained in the semicircular stay generates a humid patio, contributing to the creation of a pleasant atmosphere.

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Project croquis

Two-dimensional graphics are also treated, exported from CAD to Illustrator to adjust line thicknesses and qualities. Finally, the different pieces are incorporated, including renders, plans, sections, elevations, location plan and descriptive memory to the layout. A good organization of the material produced is important, a distribution was made in such a way that coherence can be seen starting from the general and culminating in the particular and details. Along with the architectural design, a detailed list of the materials used was done, the quantities and the costs has been made in order not to exceed the indicated budget. Construction sections were elaborated in detail where the assembly of the parts can be appreciated.

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1st prize

Young architects competitions

FITT Future Headquarter

project name

Future Headquarter authors

Sergey Korobkov, Dmitriy Shklyaruk, Evgeniy Korobskoy, Andrey Tsyplakov, Aleksey Cherednikov Russia

The call for ideas FITT FUTURE HEADQUARTERS was launched on November 2020 by YAC – Young Architects Competitions – in collaboration with FITT Group for the design of its new, innovative headquarters. FITT Group is a leading company in the manufacture and development of the most innovative fluid transfer solutions for domestic, professional and industrial applications. After 50 years, FITT keeps on looking ahead by giving to architecture the opportunity to express its values, mission and goals. Through the FITT Future Headquarters competition, architects had the opportunity to suggest their own vision of future workspace. In this place, leadership, progress and corporate identity had to be translated into architectural shapes to become an international reference in workplace architecture. In this regard, FITT will become the symbol of modernity and progress; the corporation’s community will meet to develop intuitions and research in a new complex designed to amaze and inspire. Such center will compete with the most innovative headquarters of the international scenario to forge a future of wealth, sustainability and innovation.

T

he design is based on seven principles: functionalism, individuality, innovative technologies, sustainable architecture, high energy efficiency, health and ecology as a reflection of mental and physical stimulus. Shaping is based on the interaction of the main technological process occurring in the building, taking into account the identity of the FITT company. The five main functional centers of the new office are distributed along the longitudinal axis of the site: a welcoming square with a logo, an executive area, a universal arena, multifunctional workspaces with a restaurant, and residences. All main areas have independent entrances. The main entrance group is located in the representative part of the building. The three zones have landscaped courtyards, which ensures integration with

Designers from almost 100 countries took part in this compelling challenge proposing their valuable concept ideasevaluated by an outstanding jury panel including Audun Opdal (3XN), Emmanuelle Moureaux, Nicola Scaranaro (Foster + Partners), Patrik Schumacher (Zaha Hadid Architects), Hasan Çalışlar (Erginoğlu & Çalışlar Architects), Carlo Ratti,, Alessandro Adamo (Lombardini22), among the others, evaluated the project proposals selecting those better responding to the competition’s brief. The winning projects have been awarded with a total cash prize of € 20,000 distributed to the first seven teams ranking.

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1st prize

1st prize

o proaim is t e s o h w t ion s amongs associat petition m o c e YAC is a k l o a v r hitectu s to pro humote arc YAC want . s r e n aces for g l i p s e l d a c g i ming ys youn are beco about ph y s a n d o y i r t e c v e mic. t e refl and dyna ties tha i e v l i b t a c t a c will edi man esigners ore unpr d m t d n n e a r e e mor diff many and llenge. We wish c this ha n i s u n joi

youn

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itions

tscompet

hitec youngarc

nature and natural lighting of the working areas. The main executive area includes the company’s museum/showroom and laboratories on the second floor. Next is the main arena of the office – a universal space with an amphitheatre for various events: presentations, seminars, motivational sessions. The arena is located between the guest and work space of the office with convenient access for guests and employees. Covering over the arena due to automated slats has the ability to pass or block natural light. The arena is surrounded by a complex of engineering facilities for a full range of entertainment and conference technologies. The nature of activity, values and ideals are spread in the form and interior of the building, emphasizing the innovative industrial style of the company. All finishing materials are made mainly of light polymers and metal to increase the amount of natural light. Navigation through the complex is carried out by colour graphics on the floor in the form of dynamic projections. Acoustic comfort is achieved due to the special acoustic ceiling perforation on the entire floor. The design is built on rationality, minimalism, efficiency and environmental friendliness. The facade of the building is made of energy-efficient stained glass glazing, which provides high illumination indicators of the office space. The project is based on the principles of sustainable architecture. The building is powered by renewable energy sources. On the roof, a zone is allocated for the location of solar panels that provide the building with renewable electricity. The internal climate is supported by a centralized system with heat recovery and geothermal energy. Also, courtyards-create favourable conditions for natural air convection and are adapted for collecting rainwater for its subsequent use in the domestic processes of the building’s life.

.com

etitions

ctscomp garchite

1st prize

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1st prize

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87

2nd prize

2nd prize

project name

Flowing Trough Times authors

Mihail Sobolkov, Ihar Shamanouski, Siarhei Yasiuk, Mark Kamsin, Viktoryia Vetashkina Belarus

T

he coronavirus pandemic has impacted commercial real estate a lot. Not only has market changed, but workflows continue to rebuild. The most office spaces are not ready for it. This project is aimed at improving the situation by introducing outdoor coworking and lounge areas. It means that now employees can spend more time outside staying focused. The more safe spaces, the more comfortable people feel. The never-ending movement of water in nature is the only perpetual motion machine in existence. Its flows carved smooth curves in the rocks creating incredible landscapes, and architects inspired by its natural flexures and the power of endless movement transferred these lines and meanings into their creations. The traditional meander pattern was inspirited by the river bends. Remembering these ornaments, today we are inspired by the thought of the symbiosis of nature, creativity and its role in the history of human activity. Arcades are traditional elements of Roman architecture. Their main artistic characteristic is a clear rhythm. Another characteristic feature of classic Italian architecture is the Cortile - internal court that was often surrounded by an arcade. Historically, patios represent an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation. The idea of patio is very relevant for the design of multifunctional architectural objects. Thanks to them, it is possible to combine or separate different functional areas.

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89

2nd prize

90

ACY ∙ 2021

2nd prize

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91

2nd prize

92

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2nd prize

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93

3rd prize

3nd prize

project name

Future Headquarter authors

Ruggero Buffo Danilo Ercoli Italy

T

he building arises on the long and narrow site, hence the linear shape maximizing its filter feature. Public courts open towards the existing factory to receive visitors and workers, where building functions can be enhanced and brought outside. Towards East a dense green patch protects the project from the noise and the sight coming from the cave nearby. Being on 2 levels only, the new headquarters are open and accessible on the ground floor while rising the insulation values on the first floor. Public functions such as restaurant, cafeteria, museum, lounge areas and visitable laboratories are in fact placed on the ground level, offices and auditorium are above instead. Another distinguishing feature is the green roof, side-to-side walkable and accessible everywhere along the path from public spaces below. The facade uses FITT-produced piping filled with standard argon gas to improve the thermic and acoustic performance, especially at the more-private first floor where it acts as a double glazing curtain wall, just way less expensive. The facade is highly flexible as it can easily change thickness or density along the building, enhancing the performance on some areas. Also, a mesmerizing wave effect can be obtained by slightly modifying the extrusion of the pipes.

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95

3rd prize

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3nd prize

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97

Gold Mentions authors

Nick Boer Martijn Dahrs Italo de Vroom Netherlands

Honorable Mentions project name

project name

project name

project name

Ovo

Fitt Well

Fitt Headquarter

8 Piave Park

authors

authors

authors

authors

Yue He, Nuo Xu, Yuanyuan Dong, Peilin Hu, Dewen Ju

Lingzhe Lu Kun Chen

Stefano Lacala Emanuele Tucci

USA

Italy

Louis Liu, Ting Wen, Wendu Chen, Dong Wang

USA

China

authors

Athanasios Mousmoulidis, Vasileios Mertzanopoulos Greece

project name

project name

project name

project name

Fitt Headquarter

Fitt HQ

Fitt Headquarter

The Flow

authors

author

author

authors

Ansgar Huster Christian Moreno

Ibrahim Nawaf Joharji

Linus Meier

Saudi Arabia

Germany

Flavian Basile, Savoia Mariarosaria, Flavio Maio, Marika Maio, Francesco Butta’, Francesca di Santo, Daniela Molfetta, Carmen Vicco

Germany

authors

Peter Bulovec Taja Dežman

Italy

Slovenia

authors

Ian Dainton, Gaby Peña, Priscila Esparza Calderon Mexico

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ACY ∙ 2021

project name

project name

project name

project name

Future Campus

The Intertwined

Fitt Headquarter

Fitt Headquarter

author

authors

authors

authors

Alexandru Pavel

Chuhan Zhou, Zhenwei Zhong, Haisheng Xu

Simone D’Eredità Mariangela Vertuani

China

Italy

Mila Zlatanova Teodora Rofetova Donika Rofetova

Denmark

Bulgaria Women Awarad

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

How we won that competition authors

Sergey Korobkov, Dmitriy Shklyaruk, Evgeniy Korobskoy, Andrey Tsyplakov, Aleksey Cherednikov Russia

We are glad that we have the opportunity to take part in an international competition of this scale. Earlier in such competitions we managed to take 2nd and third places. The realization that we took 1st place with so many strong participants is very inspiring! Moreover, most of the projects are executed at a very high level. Team Our team of participants is a group of architects of 6 people. We are the significant part of the large design institute ARENA, which has gathered specialists from the most remote corners of Russia and neighboring countries. Here we can implement the most ambitious projects, adopting the experience of senior mentors, and form our own unique style. Choosing a competition In our opinion, despite the tight work schedule and deadlines, an architect should always find time to develop and participate in such competitions. So, when we had free time, we began to look for a competition where we could give freedom to our creativity and ideas. In this case, the choice was simple as we like designing public buildings, because they allow us to interact with form and context. At the same time, the context and initial provisions of the competition were very interesting – to create a balance between the technology of nature and a comfortable human working environment. Plot and surrounding area There is no urbanized environment around and the object can be self-sufficient and unique. There were several main limitations that we should have paid attention to: noise and dirty production from the neighboring site, high groundwater and height restriction (no more than two floors) as well. There is no influence of context on architectural decisions. Based on these indicators, we tried to create the most comfortable technological form of the building, the appearance of which 100

ACY ∙ 2021

attempt to create courtyards was similar to the company code. We tried to extend the volume of the building to the length of the elongated plot, while creating elements of landscaping and courtyards in the words of the existing context, including using the roof of the building. First sketches, initial ideas Our design institute includes 6 architectural workshops. The competition was attended by 1 workshop, which includes architects specializing in the development of the concept. First, a team of 4 architects was formed. The first stage is a detailed study of the technical task of the competition by one of the participants, the leader. Next, the team gathers at a table with printed materials of the contest assignment, pencils and paper, and the creative process of discussing and designing the idea of the contest begins. The leading architect of the workshop can take part in the discussion. We also use self-experience, study architecture trends at the moment, searching for examples such as the new apple headquarters, various google campuses, SberBanks, etc. After the meeting, several options for the development of the project idea are born, which are implemented by the team already in digital form with the help of the Revit program and visual representation (Enscape plugin). The design institute consists of related departments (designers, engineers, technologists, visualizers, the department of the master plan and others), from which ACY ∙ 2021

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How we won that competition

participants can consult during the project. This makes it possible to take into account the whole range of building design issues at the concept stage. Usually, within the standard time, we make dozens of variants of a three-dimensional composition. Initially, we proceed from a single form of the building, which we gradually deform and change to meet the objectives of the competition. Design is based on seven principles: functionalism, individuality, innovative technologies, sustainable architecture, high energy efficiency, health and ecology as a reflection of mental and physical stimulus. Based on the parameters of the task, there were few options based on the limited time. Next, we tried to take as a basis a simple and at the same time ideal circle shape, and then adapted it to the site. Half of the oval was raised to create a courtyard space and apply an identity to it. The exploited roof works as an element of landscaping for the creation of recreation and work areas. Next, the oval was deformed to provide the necessary area and recognition of FITT. An attempt to integrate the logo into the designs. Having studied in detail the functional saturation of the building, we structured the connections of functions and formed 5 main centers. The second level was raised, freeing up space for the formation of landscaping with recreation areas and co-working. Attempts to warp and play with the volume of the building. In parallel with the form, the internal structure of the building and planning solutions are being worked out. These tasks are divided between people: the visual part, planning solutions, design, text part, and so on. After approval by all architects of the architectural variant, the 3d model is transferred to the visualization department. There, in conjunction with architects, visualizers work out the visualization of the project using 3ds Max and Vray for rendering and Photoshop for postproduction. Structure Shaping is based on the interaction of the main technological processes occurring in the building, taking into account the identity of the fitt company. The five main functional centers of the new office are distributed along the longitudinal axis of the site: a welcoming square with a logo, an executive area, a universal arena, multifunctional workspaces with a restaurant, and residences. All main areas have independent entrances. The main entrance group is located in the representative part of the building. The three zones have landscaped courtyards, which ensures integration with nature and natural lighting of the working areas. The main executive area includes the company’s museum/showroom and laboratories on the second floor. Next is the main arena

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How we won that competition

of the office - a universal space with an amphitheater for various events: presentations, seminars, motivational sessions. The arena is located between the guest and work space of the office with convenient access for guests and employees. Covering over the arena due to automated slats has the ability to pass or block natural light. The arena is surrounded by a complex of engineering facilities for a full range of entertainment and conference technologies. The next block includes a restaurant and multifunctional rooms on the second floor. The restaurant is surrounded by a quiet courtyard. Due to the sliding stained glass windows, the dining room of the restaurant can be extended to the courtyard with water and landscaping for a comfortable lunch on nature. The functional range is completed by a residence and fitness in the depth of the plot. The fitness area has access to the internal courtyard. On the second floor, along the outer perimeter, there are residential rooms for employees and guests with panoramic views on the surrounding. The second level of the building combines these functional areas with a single floor plane, forming a universal flexible working space with a set of different multifunctional rooms and platforms: closed rooms with high sound insulation for concentrated work and open lounge areas for communication. You can work anywhere - at your own desk, in collaboration areas, in well-equipped and transformable meeting rooms. The flexibility of the space is provided by transformable transparent partitions. This concept allows you to adapt the planning structure to different scenarios and organizational processes in the company. Along the central axis of the building, typical technical and household areas are dispersed, including bathrooms, utility rooms, canteens, and technical rooms. Design The nature of activity, values and ideals are spread in the form and interior of the building, emphasizing the innovative industrial style of the company. All finishing materials are made mainly of light polymers and metal to increase the amount of natural light. Navigation through the complex is carried out by color graphics on the floor in the form of dynamic projections. Acoustic comfort is achieved due to the special acoustic ceiling perforation on the entire floor. The design is built on rationality, minimalism, efficiency and environmental friendliness. The facade of the building is made of energy-efficient stained glass glazing, which provides high illumination indicators of the office space. Energy efficiency The project is based on the principles of sustainable architecture. The building is powered by renewable energy sources. On the roof, a zone is allocated for the location of solar panels that provide the building with renewable electricity. The internal climate is

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

supported by a centralized system with heat recovery and geothermal energy. Also, courtyards-create favorable conditions for natural air convection and are adapted for collecting rainwater for its subsequent use in the domestic processes of the building’s life. Landscaping Such shaping makes it possible to use the territory of the site as efficiently as possible, creating well-maintained quiet, closed and open areas with green spaces and reservoirs. The shape of the building with an overhanging second floor made it possible to conveniently place parking spaces along the inner passage and create a comfortable, shaded environment for recreation and rest. A key element of the landscaping is a formed pedestrian network of canals-pipes that cut through the surface of the water as an allegory of the company’s technological innovations and the motifs of the historically established famous water channels. The interaction image of technology and nature is designed to inspire and encourage employees to new achievements of the company in the field of high-tech advanced solutions. What would we advise teams that decide on such a challenge •

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Learn to listen to each other carefully. Try to notice the right ideas and develop them. The thoughts of each participant are important. When forming the idea of the contest, it is not necessary to try to follow the entire TOR. Perhaps you can come up with more interesting and bold ideas that will overcome some limitations. It is enough to see something very unusual and original that can surprise everyone. It’s always there, it just takes time to search. Immediately you need to pay attention to the tablets and their composition, which you must provide. It is important to do only what you show, use your time effectively. We often return to the options that we created at the beginning, having gone a long way to search. Distribution of tasks by type of work: tablets and their layout, plans, visualizations, diagrams, text. It seems to us that in the concept it is possible to move away a little from the design features and eng. restrictions in favor of project expression. Only the most successful views should be placed on the tablet. There is no task to show a lot of work. It is important to convey the idea of the project as simply as possible. It is always necessary to design from the general to the particular. Don’t spend a lot of time on details that no one will see.

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1st prize

Iceland Cave Tower The Iceland Cave Tower Competition was the fourth Bee Breeders event in an ongoing design series, set in the extraordinary landscape of Iceland. The competition site on Vogar farmland is located near lake Mývatn in northern Iceland, and the event was organized in partnership with the landowners, Landeigendur Voga ehf. Participants were tasked with submitting proposals for an observation point accommodating a small visitor center on the farmland’s site overlooking Vogagjá – a spectacular ground fissure resulting from seismic activity. The fissure is especially significant as a marker of the boundary between the two tectonic plates of the European and North American continents. The Vogagjá fissure also houses caves that have become popular bathing spots, with waters naturally heated by volcanic flows. The caves receive thousands of annual visitors, and while the remote site of Vogar farmland has become a popular destination, its surrounding lava fields have unfortunately sustained significant damage in recent years. In addition to an observation point to identify the site, the landowners seek a modular design solution for walking paths to better preserve the fragile natural surroundings. The project sought eco-friendly, site-specific solutions. Proposals were considered for their constructability, cost-effectiveness, resistance to extreme weather, environmental responsibility, energy-efficiency, and low maintenance. They were also evaluated for their strength of concept and their promise to become a meaningful destination. The winning schemes will be considered for construction. Hundreds of submissions were received from around the world. They creatively explored a broad variety of forms, means for integration within the landscape, and also abstract expressions. Designs experimented with both monolithic and humble presences. While some proposals made use of site-specific stone and earth as primary building materials, others proposed methods for prefabrication or utilization of factory-produced construction elements. Bee Breeders collaborated with a fantastic international and regional jury for this event: Louis Becker, partner at Henning Larsen; Marshall Blecher, founder of Marshall Blecher Studio; Jette Hopp, director at Snohetta; Borghildur Indriðadóttir, Icelandic artist; and Kristina Loock, head of business development at GMP. We express our gratitude to the jury panel for its support and conscientious analysis of the submissions. Bee Breeders and its jury panel would like to thank each of the participants for submitting such a range of ideas to this competition! 106

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project name

Rising from Grjótagjá authors

Mareike Schlatow Gaspar Cánepa Denmark

Tribute to nature A dramatic rift that tears across the ground reveals the force of nature. The landscape appears to be mysterious and wild, harsh and untouched – the caves of Grjótagjá are a special place for curious explorers. Our proposal honors the beauty of the nature treating architecture and landscape symbiotic with the site’s ecology, for and in unity with environment. Echoing the landforms of surroundings, the architecture is a pause for contemplation and a frame for observation. Shaped by surrounding Inspired by this unique place, a concept appears of monolithic elements uprising from the site geology. Splinter-like shapes of earth and rock are nestled in the ground and yet emerging as solid man-made silhouettes. The intervention consists of three volumes: two of them sit low on the lower plateau while a strong landmark rests majestic on the edge of the higher tectonic plate. The location of the buildings encourages moving and exploring through a fluid and seamless path that offers educational walks where visitors and locals can meet. The design, with few and recognizable elements such as seating and light, preserves the landscape and expresses a conservation ethos. Vernacular pyramids Nestled within rugged natural landscape, the two lower buildings are defined by their unique turf roofs as extensions of the terrain. As vernacular remembrances they invite visitors to walk on and discover impressive overlooks on the area, or marvel at night stars and northern lights.

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1st prize

1st prize

Each volume hou ses distinct activities but allows flexible uses which could change overtime ensuring the building a long lifetime. The first one to be encountered welcomes the visitors with a space of transition from travelling mood to a calm stage of contemplation, and it offers the opportunity to mingle with the local culture. Inside, a café and information center are opened through one big triangular window that visually connects to the next stages. The space can be flexibly used for small events such as readings, concerts or workshops. The second volume houses the wellness facilities with a relaxed and secluded atmosphere. A quiet spot with a small sauna and a spectacular view will distribute the users to create an even more exclusive atmosphere inside the cave, creating a space to prepare and contemplate. Both single-storied buildings behave in the same way towards the context, showing two facades: the west elevation is fully glazed highlighting the stunning view towards the crack meanwhile the other elevation is a long solid wall of rammed earth centrally split by the main entrance. Observation tower Visible from the far distance the tower calls for exploration as a beacon in the plain landscape. The elevated positioning challenges the visitors to cross over fissure. The tower is a complete open and non-heated space, reconnecting people with nature in a profound way. Its interior plays with scale, where walls become and light defines the rammed-earth walls creating a spiritual like atmosphere. Everything here happens slowly.

Holistic approach Given the site’s exposure to harsh weather, it was decided that an appropriate building would sit low in the landscape which is favorable for both materials and energy consumption. The proposed massing optimized resources, maximizing solar exposure, reducing wind negative turbulences, minimizing snow build-up. The building is designed with high daylight diffusion, nevertheless LED lightening system will be used including daylight compensation and occupancy detection to further reduce energy consumption. The natural beauty of the earth is left visible externally due to the added value that the technique represents both environmentally and aesthetically. In between the layers Entering the northern volume the visitors follow a solid wall, a tactile surface that leads to the heart of the space, where a huge triangular windows reveals the magnificent scenery. A robust building that provides shelter for visitors, using the local building tradition. The emphasis has been on the durability and the quality of the

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jury statement

materials so that the building endures the harsh climate. Further south in a more secluded location lies Kvennagjá with its very own triangular volume shielding it. It is offering the previously missing facilities for the visitors that are swimming in the caves and it creates a more intimate space where one can enjoy nature and wellness. Its limited and therefore controlled access ensures a private, luxurious and relaxing atmosphere. The triangular geometry and the tactile quality of the walls with warm hues recalls a cave like feeling. Energy concept The environmentally responsible and energy-efficient buildings are able to generate their own power. Geothermal heat is gained with a geothermal probe in the ground, extracted through a heat pump and compressed to higher temperatures. In a water storage cylinder the heat is kept and made available for later use. Solar panels located near the parking ground produce the energy needed furthermore. Apart from the Visitor Center, the Wellness structure requires very little energy while the tower is not in need of any power.

building process, locally sourced and have reduced carbon emissions. The material embodies poetic qualities that allows the project to be a representation of the soil itself, engaging the visual and the tactile senses. The roofs of the lower buildings are of wooden construction covered with a semi-intensive green roof. Furthermore wood as a renewable resource is used for windows, doors and roofing. Materials in the landscape are kept as natural and little as possible. The walkway is made from locally sourced gravel and on top the fissure kept as natural as possible.

Rising from Grjótagjá installs three individual volumes, connected by a system of paths spanning the tectonic divide. These buildings connect the visitor to the two continents in a subtle and gentle way. The volumes play into the Icelandic landscape and become manmade extensions of nature. The volumes are related formally, and their different functions suggest that the visitor can move among them to explore the site and feel the grandness of standing at the frontier of two continents. According to the jury, “The spatial organization inside the buildings is quite convincing, and the connection to the landscape works well. The project’s reference to traditional farmhouses supports the concept of being one with nature. It has the strength to be realized.” The jury also praised the project’s minimal, elegant, and considerate siting: the three simple building volumes feel “undesigned” yet crisply abstract in the vast natural landscape – an unpretentious yet precise intervention to mark the site. The concept demonstrates a sensitive approach to the context, giving clear priority to nature, with a spatial strategy based on a series of interventions or, incisions in the landscape. Creating a special compositional tension, the work is particularly convincing in the experience of an interplay between the minimalist elements, present and subtle at the same time. The suggested combination of rammed earth and modular wood construction with landscaped roofs is realistic and ideally supports the concept. The resulting raw exteriors and interiors link to the site and promise to age gracefully into the natural habitat.

Materials and Construction Building materials are long-lasting, robust and for the main part sourced locally, with a special attention to durability and low CO2 emissions. The cost-effective constructions are low in maintenance. The buildings are primarily made by rammed earth, a material with low embodied energy, reduced waste from the

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2nd prize

2nd prize

project name

authors

The Moving Surfaces

Aleksandra Bieszka Maria Pielach Aleksandra Mucha

jury statement Moving Surfaces offers an independent, reflective approach to the task, based on a thorough analysis of the site and its context, by transferring the building into the mass of nature with subtle pathways and iconic viewpoints. The result ranges between a careful use of form and a strong presence for the place, and thus represents a new identity – a sculptural beauty, clearly publicly accessible. According to the jury, the project is simple, smart and iconic, “The landart qualities of the project are convincing, and with the concept of being a measure of how the two tectonic plates move each year. By being present on both sides of the fissure, and at the same time creating the measure, the visitor can ‘walk’ the tension between the two tectonic plates.” It is a project that is easily understood, suggests a movement for the visitor to experience the place, and it is a strong contrast to the landscape. The building connects indoor activities to the outdoor. The connections to the caves are part of the constructed triangle, and lead people to the main attractions.

Poland

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he Moving Surface connects two tectonic plates and is a bridge between the continents. From the observation point you can see the Mývatn reservoir and the Hverfjall volcano, which are great value for tourists end residents. The horizontal landscape of Iceland as well as difficult weather conditions defined the shape of the project, which is a contradiction to the archetype – the vertical viewing tower. Each year the tectonic plates are moving away from each other at the rate about 2 cm, so the main concept was two separated constructions, fixed on both plates. The North American part is overlapping the Eurasian part, which is the result of the geological arrangement of the plates. The structures slide apart with the plates forming a sign indicating the passage of time. The combination of two caves, Kvennag já and Kariagá, with a vantage point defined the shape of the concept. The road of the highest point would be attractive in itself. The surrounding views along with the noticeable crossing of an important geological boundary would be an interesting experience as well. The location of the visitor center next to the Kvennag já Cave, has created an opportunnity to make a complex that combines all internal functions, while creating a separate zone for The Women Cave guests. The construction of the whole premise is based on traditional Icelandic construction, which has been using peat and stone for centuries due to the low availability of wood. Thanks to

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blending the building into the landscape, by covering the roof and walls with soil and being earthsheltered the structure can withstand harsh weather conditions. Large glazing on the south side illuminates the interior and allows for the accumulation of solar energy. The heat losses caused by it would be compensated by using thermal water energy to heat the building. Concrete, as the main building material, would be made of regional aggregates, rocks and volcanic ash as a binder. On the path leading to the viewing point, over the contact of two tectonic plates. There is a faut that emphasizes their sliding. The base marking will move over time, showing the tectonic phenomenon occurring here. The created modular path allows to expand the structure on both tectonic plates four support points provide stability and reduce environmental impact. Two module sizes enable both horizontal and vertical construction, creating descent as well as paths to the cave.

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3rd prize

3nd prize

project name

Hófsemi authors

Kamila Szatanowska Paulina Rogalska Poland

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he project tells the story about a departure from ‘the idea’. This is a continuous opposition to natural aspirations to implement the competition brief. What was the first thought? An architectural icon – a multifunctional block connecting tectonic plates, a landmark, a competition dream. The great breakthrough in the design process was to step back and admit to yourself that expressing your architectural fantasy would be convenient, but not necessarily right. What seemed appropriate was to give a voice to nature – a unique phenomenon that our architecture is only meant to complement in terms of infrastructure. Thus, instead of the multifunctional block dominating the landscape, towering over the great tectonic fracture, three separate blocks were created, simple in form and function, coming out of Icelandic black earth. Our priority during the design process was the maximum use of the already degraded surface and the least interference in the structure of the yet untouched lava rocks. This approach imposed a framework on which we localized proper function. The first pavilion we encountered in the former parking lot is the information center with a café and a small office. Situated below the fracture slope, it is easily accessible and located in such a way as to separate intimate Kvennagjá form the main tourist traffic next to Karlagjá. The path of the footbridge determines access to Kvennagjá through the information center, where visitors can buy their tickets, take a hot coffee and learn more about this amazing place. Moving on, our visitor will find a small sanitary pavilion with a cloakroom and shower where he prepares himself for a thermal bath. Separating communication and limiting it to the existing parking lot and access road will help the degraded area to regain its former natural values. The third block is a slender tower connected to a footbridge, which is also its structural base. This minimalist landmark will allow you to see the extend of the fracture and he volcanoes surrounding it. The crossing ti the other side is symbolic, and the footbridge intentionally restricts movement on the Eurasian plate.

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Iceland ranks first in the Environmental Performance Index, with the highest score for clean drinking water and sanitation. It is also a great source of geothermal energy. Therefore, both energy (geothermal) and water (groundwater intake) should be drawn at the source. For the needs of flushing toilets and washing dishes, we suggest using a rainwater and gray water recovery tank in the project. Flat green roofs will help retain rainwater. Precipitation in Iceland is frequent and often stormy. The tanks will allow you to take advantage of these unique weather conditions. A sustainable building is above all one that respects the existing environment, is easy to use, compact and made of low-emission materials. In the case of the designed objects, we use all these elements. The shells of back blocks coming out of the volcanic earth are made of recycled concrete with an admixture of dust and volcanic rock aggregate, which gives the blocks a characteristic black, slightly shining coat. The refreshed demolition wood has found its place in the interior, giving it a warm character, contrasting with the raw exterior. The structure of the facility is based on a recycled concrete shell and wood. Footbridge structure is made out of the same material as other blocks. Its foot base is transparent thank to the use of a highly recyclable aluminum grid. Footpaths, decks and steps are fully built out of burnt wood boards. The contact of tectonic plates and the beauty of the caves are the pearls of the given location. The designed architecture, in the Icelandic spirits, is only its minimalist framing.

jury statement Hófsemi (translation = moderation) is a well-resolved proposal with a strong connection to the surrounding landscape and a unique lookout point. The project proposes three distinct blackened box-forms housing the toilets and showers, a visitor center, and an observation platform. Most strikingly, the observation platform appears to levitate over the fissure, with an open metal grill catwalk that permits the visitor to view directly below while traversing the gorge. According to the jury, “The careful consideration and willingness to step back from ‘the idea’ is very commendable. The execution remains a bit simplistic and undeveloped.” The jury also praises the design of the raised walking path for the strength of its visual and physical connectivity to the main building with its two satellites.

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BB Green Award

BB Green Award

project name

SKERA Visitor Centre authors

Vaia Vakouli Orestis Gkouvas United Kingdom

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kiera is a new visitor center to the Grojótagjá lava caves and the surrounding areas. Sitting in the tectonic divide between Europe and America, the caves offer a unique visiting experience. Skiera is located on the Eurasian plate and creates a base for outdoor activities while providing the necessary infrastructure to improve accessibility to the caves. The following pages describe our design proposal for the area adjacent to the entrances to the Grojótagjá caves. Our work primarily focuses on the design and construction aspects for a welcoming guest house with amenities, an observation tower with a protected deck at high level and walking paths integrated in the natural surroundings. For the purposes of this architectural competition we gave the name Skera to our proposal. The word skera comes from the Old Norse skera, (s)ker – (‘to cut’). Skera is a name indicative of the intersection between two volumes, between two tectonic plates. Story telling The multifaceted dark structure with the red striking red line, allows you to follow the story of creation. The footprint illustrates how two tectonic plates existed as one at point in time, similarly to Europe and America. Then the plates started diverging, ground started splitting in two. Volcanoes and varying form were born and melting lava made the soil around black and fertile; the waters boiling hot. The red represents the ridge and the emerging lava. It is there to remind us all power of nature. Access routes Arriving from the North you will always have Hverfjall, the turf ring volcano, in the background on your left-hand side. A stone’s throw away from the crossroads you have reached your destination. Our design aims to create a rest area for hikers, more activate enthusiasts i.e. cyclists and visitors who travel by car. The existing diversion off the main road is used to guide vehicles closer to the entrance. The proposal suggests a new vehicular route by refurbishing the existing asphalt paved road. All vehicles can be parked respectively on

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each side of the rod, leaving the area in front of the cave entrance to their natural state. The area attached to the Skera visitor center is designed to accommodate parking for thirty vehicles including camper vans and passengers transfer services. A protected bike shed provides safe parking for cyclists. Emergency routes for a fire trucks and an ambulance are also provided. The area marked with ‘H’ can be used for helicopter landing purposes in case of emergency. Concept The idea for the visitor center in such a remote area started with basic double pitched shape symbolizing the archetypal idea of a shelter. The shape was abruptly split into two by a plane symbolizing the ridge. The two shapes started sliding and transforming independently of each other on either side of the plane, forming the two volumes of the building and symbolizing the two tectonic plates moving independently of each other on either side of the ridge. The plane similarly to the ridge is both a symbol of separation and union, and it is a manifested on the building as a striking red line. The two volumes, although starting from a protected viewing platform, The second evolved into a shelter, welcoming travelers and providing them a moment of comfort and freshly brewed coffee with a view towards the rift and the caves. Depending on which side you are looking from, the building can take different forms and resemble different ideas. From the east it looks like a vertical shard with a trimmed top; reminiscent of a church spire, a light-house with a triangular rooftop, or a large scale multifaceted plinth. Design The building was placed aligning to the ridge with the higher volume facing east towards the main road and the lower volume with the café towards the cave entrances. The viewing platform is oriented towards the south, east and west to provide views to the fissure and lake Myvatn, and away from the parking area. You can enter the building at ground level. The main entrance to Skera is a vertical cut of triangular shape between the two volumes. The entrance is revealed by the glass material and the red ridge. After you have opened a set of wind trap doors you are under a gable roof structure with exposed timber rafters. This is the main visitor area. This is a heated area with full height glass façade that overlooks the entrance to the Grojótagjá caves. The wood finishes create a welcoming area for the visitors. Skera’s aspiration is to become a new destination for visitors, as iconic landmark of its own right!

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BB Green Award

Lighting design Our lighting strategy in integrated in the interior design. Luminaires are suspended from the sloped ceiling to create an intentional clutter. The lighting strategy creates three different layers of lighting to achieve ambient, task and accent lighting for a balanced illumination of the interior. The use of adjustable LED spotlights mounted on vertical rods offers flexible possibilities reading aiming and creating interesting lighting contrast patterns. The suspension rods can carry up to three individual luminaires with distinctive functions. The downward facing component is used ti illuminate the horizontal plane and provide the required levels of lighting. The upward facing luminaires are used to illuminate the areas between the ceiling elements and highlight the warm material of the exposed structure. Whereas the downward facing lights have a cold temperature (4000K) the upward facing ones are warmer (2000K). Beam lighting angles for the lights facing down are narrowed in order to create concentrated “pools of light” and increase the contract, whereas upward facing ones are wide to provide a soft undefined ambient glow. This theatrical principle aims to turn the building to a luminous beacon with minor impact to light pollution. The lighting that is hitting the ground will be scattered and then reflected on the snow outside. This ca make the building glow at its base. The up-lighting to the structure can be experienced when looking up. The observation platform can be seen from a distance and therefore it is important to be visible also in unwelcoming weather conditions. This is the ‘guiding light’ to hikers in case of heavy blizzard. The lighting is achieved by gathering a number of downlights closer to the center of the ceiling and keeping the perimeter relatively emptier, in that way the reflected light can make the structure glow from inside and we can minimize the light reflections when standing closer to the glass. Both systems allow for flexibility while minimizing the specification for lighting equipment. The scheme reduces maintenance costs since all luminaries are specified for interior use. The design solution has low energy consumption and respects the remarkably low levels of light in this remote area while sky glow is minimized. Walking path The main purpose of the proposed pathway system is t protect the natural landscape and make the fissure safer and more accessible to the visitors. The idea is to provide a modular, durable, sfe and versatile solution, appropriate for a variety of terrains and uses. Galvanized steel is proposed for its durability and neutral appearance. The modular system consists of parts that can either be pre-assembled, or adjusted on site. The main components are two steel tracks that can be used as guides, and the steel mesh panels. In need of a balustrade the racks can receive steel posts in pockets included.

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BB Green Award

The mesh path allows water to drain and prevent snow accumulation. The meshes are heavily textured to provide an anti-slip surface o the visitors and prevent ice formation. The system can be placed directly on the ground, with the steel profiles serving as a steel edging for the path. Standard PFC steel channels can also be used to support the system and create elevated pathways, or bridges, Foundation can be adjusted depending on the soil type of conditions. Observation Tower The platform at top levels is wrapped in glass that allows for exterior views. At his level you can experience te surrounding six meters above the ground. Panoramic views from here include the entrances to the caves and lake Mývatn to the Westand the Hverfjall crater in the South. At the unfortunate event in which you lost your way in a blizzard and managed to arrive at Skera, guided by its dominant shape in the landscape, you can spend the night here. Given a number of hotels in the area Skera does not aim to become a competitive option for accommodation. Also, our aim for the area is not t become another check in the millennial buck list. However, in many ways we believe that this could offer a unique experience to someone who developed a special connection to this place! Building performance Skera will be fully autonomous and efficient building. A large part of the ground floor will be dedicated to all the systems required for the function of the building. The energy demand is initially reduced with the use of LED lighting, passive natural ventilation and highly insulated envelope. In addition, part of the tower, above the platforms is unheated while the large glazing areas are also oriented towards the south to exploit any solar gains. Taking into account the constant winds in the area, domestic-style wind turbines installs in proximity to the building can supply the energy required. Batteries can be used to store energy in the case of emergency. Heating is provided by an ground-source heat pump, powered by the wind turbines. A heat exchanger connected to a water tank provides hot water which is distributed to the building via an underfloor heating system. Passive ventilation with heat recovery is used to minimize heat losses, save energy required for fans, and reduce maintenance costs. Vacuum toilets are used to reduce water consumption. Water for washing and drinking is provided via pump connected to and underground water pocket or is collected form the melting snow on the roofs during specific times of the year. The water is collected in a tank and is processed with the use of a small-scale treatment plant. Construction Skera is a hybrid construction consisting of cross laminated timber (CLT) and steel. CLT is used for all structural beams and partitions, while steel pillars and bracings are used to provide structural integrity to the tower. The structure is supported on concrete foundations, insulated and appropriate to the ground and soil type. Prefabricated elements like CLT and steel are selected, as they can be manufactured off-site and transported on site ready for assembly. This is advantageous given the location and climate site. CLT is an environmentally friendly and durable material while steel elements can be manufactured from recycled materials to further reduce the carbon footprint of the building. At the end of the building’s life, the structure can be disassembled, re-used or recycled contributing to a sustainable future and circular economy. The envelope of the building is covered with layers of insulation, minimizing thermal bridging and condensation risks. The outer skin comprises of a steel roof system, typical to the Icelandic architecture, and easy to install and mold into various shapes. For the glazed parts of the construction, a triple-glazed, aluminum curtain walling system is suggested with softwood finishes on the inside.

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Honorable Mentions project name

project name

The Grjótagjá Tower

High Ground

author

authors

Barbara Drud Henningsen

Bruce Feng, Alexandra Hopkins, Penny Fuller, Jad Silvester

Denmark

Australia

project name

project name

project name

project name

Periscope

Monolith

Together Apart

Klamm

authors

authors

author

authors

Antonio Salvi, Antonello Boschi Francesco Polci, Filippo Pecorai

Giacomo Cozzi Andrea Maltinti

Arthur Analts

Italy

Italy

Martynas Degutis Michael Samson Justus Würtenberger

Latvia

Germany

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

How we won that competition authors

Aleksandra Bieszka, Maria Pielach, Aleksandra Mucha Poland

Competition background In September 2020, we applied for the international Iceland Cave Tower competition organized by BeeBreeders.com. Its main goal was to design an observation tower in the heart of Iceland at the junction of two tectonic plates: North American and Eurasian. Our project The Moving Surfaces managed to win second place. Below we describe the design process which turned out to be as satisfying, if not more, than the prize itself. The beginning - forming of the team The three of us connected during studies at the University of the Arts in Poznań, where we are currently doing our Bachelor degree in Architecture. Thanks to the possibility of choosing a studio at our university, we signed up for one that specializes in landscape design - the Space Interpretation Design Studio run by prof. Andrzej Wielgosz and assistant Łukasz Spychaj. One of the elements of their program was participation in a design competition - national or international. While browsing through the various competitions, the Iceland Cave Tower on the Beebreeders platform caught our attention in particular. The unusual location and the planned program convinced us to take up this challenge, which we were deeply drawn to from the very beginning. The challenge for us was a completely new context, because we had never had the opportunity to design only in relation to the landscape, without the direct influence of other architecture.

led to degradation, therefore the newly designed elements were to organize the flow of tourists in such a way as to limit the interference with the natural environment and landscape. The location analysis itself was not standard for us, as our previous projects were usually nearby, which is why we were able to familiarize ourselves with those spots in person and this made it easier to understand their specificity. In the case of such a distant competition, our main tool was Google Earth and photos uploaded by tourists visiting this place. It was mainly thanks to the visitors who documented their travels that we were able to feel the context of the ground fissure with the caves more deeply than it was shown in the brief. One of the most interesting aspects of the analysis is becoming familiar with topics that you don’t come into contact with on a daily basis. Our knowledge of geology, in this case tectonic plates, was completely basic, so it was interesting to look at this phenomenon in more detail. The location of Iceland at the junction of two tectonic plates distinguishes not only the island itself, but also the place that was intended for the creation of competition projects. Iceland, belonging to Europe, is also halfway on the North American plate, and therefore is the meeting point of culturally separate worlds. Their connection is visible through the fissure, which widens by up to 2 cm per year as a result of the continuous movement of the panels. The mechanism of tectonic plate sliding and geological analysis have become one of the main design aspects in this project. Their behavior translated into the later construction of the complex. A completely different way of building in Iceland is defined by very harsh climatic conditions. Principles rooted in the history of construction perfectly translate into contemporary sustainable buildings. Solutions developed over the centuries, such as green roofs, peat walls, glazing from the south or the use of naturally occurring renewable energy in this region, such as geothermal waters, dictated in a sense the shape and layout of the project. We also looked for ideas and information in the literature. The book “Sun, Wind, and Light: Architectural Design Strategies” by G. Z. Brown was a source of inspiration for us in the search for sustainable solutions for our facility. Thanks to detailed analyzes, we were able to properly optimize the project so that its shape, location and individual solutions responded to the difficult conditions related to its location.

Our process Analysis We started the design process as usual by reading the competition brief. We had to design an observation tower, a tourist center, a small food court, trails and infrastructure facilitating access to the caves. The tourist traffic in this place so far has

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Due to the fact that the subject of the competition was new to us, we also decided to familiarize ourselves with solutions in projects with similar challenges. By analyzing selected examples, we wanted to be aware what possibilities and limitations related to the topic we have. Exploring ideas The first ideas appeared already during the initial analyzes. Of course, the key was the place - the unusual location where the project was to be embedded. Characteristic elements of the context, such as huge open spaces and a horizontal landscape, began to mark a different approach to the very subject of the observation tower from the very beginning. We could not imagine an archetypal vertical point there, from which the nearby volcano, the lake and the fissure between the tectonic plates were to be visible.

How we won that competition

one part The second idea showing our initial approach is a spiral, the design of which was to be entirely based on the Eurasian part. This option was about making the structure independent of tectonic plate movements. Tectonic plates are in constant motion - this phenomenon prompted us to think about how to connect them, whether with one structure or maybe two separate ones. Ultimately, the construction problem became one of the main assumptions of our project. By superimposing two independent parts of the footbridge on the highest point, a fault was created which, together with the graphic designation, became a symbol of the phenomenon taking place in this place. The Shape How to connect two caves with a viewpoint and a tourist center? How to properly design the infrastructure of this place to integrate the entire program? We have dealt with these issues since reading the competition brief. Although the scale of the designed architecture was not large, it provided for the solution of several functions that are usually solved completely separately.

Bridge between continents One of the factors distinguishing this location and Iceland itself is the previously mentioned joint of two tectonic plates. This became the most important starting point for us when looking for conceptual solutions, hence we started with this design problem. Currently, it is not possible to cross to the North American plate, so we wondered if visitors should be able to do so, or if the entire structure should be hung on the Euro-Asian side. two parts In this case, the idea was to map the relationship of tectonic plates through the way of entering the viewing point. This idea included the possibility of going to the other side.

In order to define the shape and size of the object, it was crucial to define the height of the observation tower. We decided that the point should be 7 meters above the planned area, as from this height the surrounding volcano and the lake were already clearly visible. In our opinion, the higher altitude was unnecessary, not only because of the visibility, but also because of the difficult weather conditions in Iceland. The first serious design approach to the shape while maintaining the appropriate heights and slopes was a rectangle that contained a tourist center and an observation tower. In this case, we have already plunged the building into the ground and properly illuminated it in relation to the directions of the world. We predicted

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that it would be covered with earth, thus becoming a part of the surrounding landscape. It was to emerge only from the south side, from which it was supposed to be completely glazed, and from which the nearby volcano was visible. At that time, we already knew what features the observation point should have, which in our case became a horizontal path, and how the building of the tourist center should be shaped. All these assumptions resulted from the earlier analysis, but the project still lacked an appropriate gesture that would tie everything together. This solution was not justified for this particular location. We have made many attempts, but usually failed to combine all these functions in a rational way. The turning point was the use of the triangle, which ideally merged the entire program provided by the organizer. This shape intuitively referred to the division of not only plates but also 3 mental continents. The inclined triangle also connected all the heights provided by us, the 7-meter observation point and the tourist center under the path. Our project was ultimately based on the shape of a triangle and the phenomenon of the two tectonic plates moving away from each other. Both of these issues resulted purely from the context of the place and were the outcome of our initial analyzes. The design The good cooperation between us had a great impact on the final effect of our project. We were able to quickly develop an appropriate work system. Joint meetings were important to us, which certainly facilitated communication, but also motivated us to continue. Of course, due to the pandemic, meetings were often difficult, as it was important to stay safe, but online meetings are hard to compare to discussions and exchange of thoughts during a live meeting.

The final step was to arrange the individual elements on the boards. When composing everything, we wanted to keep as much coherence and logic as possible so that the reception of the project was clear. The final result What the final project looks like is the result of many hours of work by the entire group. We received a lot of help and support from the leaders of the Space Interpretation Design Studio, which we attended last year as part of university classes. We also received a lot of support from our friends who often helped us with the project. We’d like to thank everyone for that. It was an extraordinary attempt to deal with such an engaging topic, but also, above all, a lesson on cooperation, which proved how much you can achieve when you join forces.

In competitions, apart from a good project concept, it is also important to properly present the work in such a way that it is not only easy to understand for recipients but also visually attractive. After the concept was clarified, we started modeling the project in a computer program, and this is where it actually got its final form. For the recipient of the boards, visualisations are important, as they make it easier to imagine the object in reality. Renders obtained from the program were really limited to the object we designed. The visualizations that can be seen on the boards are largely a work of a graphics program, in which we added the surroundings and effects that allowed us to obtain the nature of the graphics appropriate for Iceland. When drawing the plan, we focused on getting the most optimal layout that meets all the requirements of the organizer. We wanted the facility to be attractive to tourists, but also sustainable in terms of materials and solutions. When selecting materials, we were looking for those that would be directly related to the context of the place, which is why we decided to use Roman concrete, containing volcanic ash, in the project. For the best presentation of all these elements, we also decided to add simple diagrams. They allow the recipient to quickly get to know the project and understand it better.

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project name

Skyscraper Competition 2021

Living Skyscraper For New York City

authors

Andrii Lesiuk, Mykhaylo Kohut, Sofiia Shkoliar, Kateryna Ivashchuk, Nazarii Duda, Mariia Shkolnyk, Oksana-Daryna Kytsiuk, Andrii Honcharenko Ukraine

eVolo Magazine is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 Skyscraper Competition. The Jury selected 3 winners and 20 honorable mentions from 492 projects received. The annual award established in 2006 recognizes visionary ideas that through the novel use of technology, materials, programs, aesthetics, and spatial organizations, challenge the way we understand vertical architecture and its relationship with the natural and built environments. The FIRST PLACE was awarded to LIVING SKYSCRAPER designed by Andrii Lesiuk, Mykhaylo Kohut, Sofiia Shkoliar, Kateryna Ivashchuk, Nazarii Duda, Mariia Shkolnyk, Oksana-Daryna Kytsiuk, and Andrii Honcharenko from Ukraine. The project investigates the use of genetically modified trees to shape them into living skyscrapers that offer green habitable spaces to cities. The recipients of the SECOND PLACE are Amit Deutch, Roni Dominitz, and Tamar Kerber from Israel for the project LLUVIOSO SKYSCRAPER. This novel high-rise gathers rainwater to refill Mexico City’s groundwater supply. HMONG SKYSCRAPER designed by Xiangshu Kong, Xiaoyong Zhang, and Mingsong Sun from China received the THIRD PLACE. The proposal envisions a sky frame that allows traditional Hmong houses to plug in. The skyscraper grows vertically and horizontally with the addition of urban spaces. The HONORABLE MENTIONS are a collection of projects that use modern technologies and materials to offer new high-rise solutions. Some of these proposals include urban parasitic systems, vertical urban fabrics, and plug-in cities among other novel designs. The Jury was formed by Koray Duman [Principal, Büro Koray Duman], Reza Najafian [Principal, ReNa Design], Arto Ollila [Partner, Aarti Ollila Ristola], Eric Parry [Principal, Eric Parry Architects], and Isa Ye [Founder, designverse. Founder, Young Bird Plan]

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O

ne of the main goals of the project is to grow a living skyscraper on the principle of sustainable architecture. The building will function in the middle of a grey megalopolis and solve a number of important environmental and urban issues. By analyzing the active process of urbanization and a decrease in the percentage of green spaces as a phenomenon that provokes a number of environmental problems. We believe that by integrating genetically modified trees during the stage of their growth and development into architecture, we can restore the balance between the digitalized megacities and the Earth’s resources, which are gradually depleted. A skyscraper tree is a separate living organism with its own root system, irrigation, care mechanisms, and features of development focused on its adaptation to use in architecture. It is a group of unique fast-growing and tall hardwood deciduous trees, which are planted in

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groups in specially prepared soil (to obtain resources) and in the process of their growth from a unique architectural volume. The plant absorbs water and nutrients, which are distributed from root to tip. At the same time, the growth of the trunk circumference will gradually increase the strength of the wood structure and improve its self-supporting properties. During development, the branches of nearby trees will be grafted at different levels and form a network structure – a kind of conjugation that will strengthen the structure and continue its growth. The branches of hybrid “trees of the future” will form the structure of a living skyscraper, form even, separate biomorphic structures, and feed on soil, water, and sun resources, forming an ecosystem that is essential for large agglomerations. As it grows, a living skyscraper can connect with nearby buildings and form green overhanging communications over a block. The functional purpose of skyscrapers can vary depending on the need. Our skyscraper in the center of New York City will serve as a lookout tower with its own flora and fauna, as well as ecological communication between office buildings with a green recreation center.

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2nd prize

2nd prize

project name

Lluvioso Skyscraper Collects Rainwater And Replenishes Groundwater In Mexico City authors

Amit Deutch, Roni Dominitz, Tamar Kerber Israel

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he Lluvioso groundwater refilling facility is a mixeduse high-rise structure designed as a response to Mexico City’s variable water-related issues such as flooding, water shortage, and their side effects. The solution we examined in our project utilizes the high-rise altitude to gather rainwater and refill the city’s groundwater supply. This field of high-rise structures spread out over the city’s flood risk areas, at a height of 400m, would harvest rainwater using an external membrane layer detaching from the building’s facade. The external layer consists of 10 wings, anchored to the main structure at a height of 100m in order to allow the city’s future vertical growth. Thus, resulting in a 600m diameter rainwater collecting Canopée covering a typical city quarter. The collected water would then be directed down into the aquifer as well as upwards towards a pendulum water tank (for selfuse). This proposal seeks to reduce flood damage, fill the aquifer and enhance the water supply for the city’s residents. The city’s first settlement was established on an island in the middle of a lake, where the water levels rose during the rainy season and partially flooded the island, which forced the Mexicas to develop a deep understanding of their surrounding waterscape in order to survive. As the Aztecs learned to adapt to their environment we hoped to realize a proposal that co-lives with nature and doesn’t seek to tame it.

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3rd prize

3rd prize

project name

Hmong Skyscraper Is A Stack Of Traditional Houses Unified By Vertical Public Space authors

sky-scraper. Furtherly, more and more houses were added to the skyscraper, so that it gradually extended laterally. To retain the local block form, we organized the scattered houses into several districts. At the same time, we used the roof as the traffic and platform to strengthen the traffic connection between the houses. Then we combined the functions needed by local residents, such as arable land, streams, dance square, forest, public spaces, etc. and kept enriching our architectural space to preserve the lifestyle of the Hmong family. In the past, villages were far away from each other on different mountains. Hmong people hung cable cars on ropes to pass goods. At the same time, the Hmong people are good at making birdcages. We extracted the form of birdcages, translated them into transfer boxes, and then used ropes to transfer boxes to meet the needs of traffic.

Xiangshu Kong, Xiaoyong Zhang, Mingsong Sun China

H

mong in China is an ancient nationality, mainly living in Yunnan province. Hmong has its own language, architecture, and lifestyle. However, this group of special minority cultures is being gradually swallowed by modern culture. Many Hmong cultural customs have disappeared, and even many Hmong people’s houses have been demolished or will be. In order to build a well-off society in an all-around way, the Chinese government has issued relocation policies to the villages to help the Hmong stay away from their dilapidated places of residence and move to the suburbs of cities to provide a modern and affluent life. Although the original intention of the government is good, more and more ethnic minorities are unable to adapt to the new places of residence. They miss their arable land, yards, streams, and so on. We tried to design a skyscraper with our best attempt to keep farmers’ memory and lifestyle of their original hometown, and at the same time let them enjoy the convenience of modern urbanization. We extracted the structure of the local stilt style building, the wooden skeleton, and then used the crane to move the original wooden house and combine the two to form the basic form of the

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Honorable Mentions project name

project name

project name

project name

Up In The Squair:

The Sponge:

Mood Catcher Skyscraper

The Pilgrim Skyscraper

authors

authors

authors

authors

Alina Kandyba, Emil Stefansson, Josefin Antus, Karl Östvall

South Korea

Yao Junji, Liu Yuxi, An Peiyan, Chen Yuxuan, Huang Yunting

Poland

Skyscraper As Vertical Continuation Of Urban Space

Skyscraper To Collect Rainwater For Drinking And Farming In Africa

Lee Jae Uk, Kim Ji Hoo

Michał Wachura, Kamil Wróbel

project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

Pyramids:

Synonym Tower

Printscraper:

Urban Links:

Terra Mycelia:

Ice-Making Skyscraper

Origin Of The First Modern Cities author

Uses Waste From The Nagorno-Karabakh War As Building Materials

Adam Fernandez

authors

authors

authors

Zhang Zhenpeng, Feng Jialu

Liu Yifei, Tian Yu, Wang Hangdi, Zhou Beiyu

Xinru Yang, Jiang An, Ning Sun, Yunwei Pan, Lifa Lin

China

China

France

China

ACY ∙ 2021

Brings Education To Remote Places Worldwide

China

Sweden

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Design To Treat Mental Disorders During The Pandemic

Rapid 3D-Printed Skyscraper For Reconstruction

Suspended Habitable Bridges Above Existing Cities

Skyscraper Regenerates Farming Soil authors

Linnea Pettersson, Ludvig Sundberg, Carmen Povedano Olleros, Evelina Björndal Spain, Sweden

For The Arctic Ocean authors

Lu Wang, Shuangjiang He, Ning He, Youjia Lv, Limin Wang China

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Honorable Mentions project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

Biorefinery Skyscraper:

Self-Sustainable Skyscraper

Cliff Village In Sichuan, China

Time Machine Skyscraper –

For Virus Outbreaks

authors

Dian Rui, Shuangyu Teng, Yucheng Feng

Physarum Skyscraper Cleans Oceans Pollution

Smokestack Symbiosis Skyscraper Purifies Air

China

authors

Seyed Shervin Hashemi

authors

USA

Xuekui Liu, Yashu Chen, Liyu Ai, Hao Wang, Jialu Xu

A Carbon Negative Building For Hackney, London

author

Daniel Hambly UK

authors

Yinan Qin, Bo Wei, Jingting Yan, Chao Xie China

Habib Shahhoseini, Mohaddeseh Eskandarzadeh, Ardalan Kiavar, Saba Salahpour, Ata Rad

High-Tech Residential Tower author

China

Iran

project name

project name

project name

project name

Post-Pandemic High-Rise Urban Planning

Pathway Of Belonging:

Inner Skyscraper As Symbol Of Cultural Strength

Urban Parasitic System:

authors

Shuaijie Li, Yueming Lin, Qian’er Pu, Jiajing Wang, Jinda Liu

authors

Shuxian Li, Qiuchen Zheng, Yujia Hu, Jiaxin Wen China

Multi-Function Skyscraper In Morocco For Immigrants authors

Leonie Blum, Katharina Frank, Ritaj Albaje, Simon Sundin Sweden

Xiaoguang Chen, Jinting Sui, Xufeng Tai, Xiaotong Ma, Bai Lig

Hanging Programmatic Spaces Between Skyscrapers authors

China

China

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

How we won that competition authors

Andrii Lesiuk, Mykhaylo Kohut, Sofiia Shkoliar, Kateryna Ivashchuk, Nazarii Duda, Mariia Shkolnyk, Oksana-Daryna Kytsiuk, Andrii Honcharenko Ukraine

The purpose of the competition was to create and present a completely new interesting vision of unique skyscraper and present an original architectural concept, using new technologies, materials and methods of space organization. We were interested in the fact that within the competition we can realize our most, at first glance, crazy ideas in the field of architecture, which always seemed difficult or practically not suitable for implementation. Thoughts that the flow of imagination should not be limited here motivated us to work actively and stay focused on the new competition. In our usual everyday experience of designing, architects are constantly limited by the established building codes, materials, environment, estimates and other factors. It is the architects who influence the fact that in cities, between endless grids of streets, instead of strange art monsters, we are mostly surrounded by the usual and monotonous boxes filled with people every day. Therefore, most students of the architectural universities try not to limit themselves to unrealistic and crazy ideas in diploma and course projects and often create extraterrestrial interesting things. They know that when they face the realities of design and start earning a living working in their specialty, they will not be able to fully implement the ideas that come to mind, because someone will set them an established framework. Therefore, this competition also became an opportunity for architects to remember the feeling of barrier-free in demonstrating their architectural ideas. When we learned about fast-growing plants that can become the basis for the development of the idea of our living skyscraper, we began to study the peculiarities of their growth and development, methods of cultivation and care. An interesting experience for us was the study of several scientific papers in biology and dendrology, as well as materials on landscape architecture and design, which helped to understand the basics of tree growing. We had to “hang” on the web sites of gardening enthusiasts, where people share interesting ideas for creating their own hybrid plants. Our team became so obsessed with this unrealistic and fantastic idea that everyone began to create interesting illustrations with surreal trees, models from improvised materials (such as a found piece of wood or a barberry bush that grew near the office).

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We were even inspired by fantasy-style films and books, in which the authors described incredible living forest cities. We’ve tried to create these worlds in architectural software. The office has become an experimental center for horticultural architecture: we have started to grow empress trees (Paulownia tomentosa) – a fast-growing plant, which by its peculiarities of growth is suitable for forming mini-skyscrapers. Paulownia grows much faster than poplar and willow. Its annual growth is unparalleled - 3-5 m, and in five years the height reaches a maximum – 20 m. The root system of the tree - a branched taproot, which reaches a depth of 6-9 m. Paulownia regenerates independently from the root and is able to grow in extreme temperatures and in different types of soils. Also, this tree does not deplete the fertile layer of soil, gives new shoots after felling and does not require re-planting of trees for a full 4-5 working cycles. That is, after a few fellings Paulownia will germinate again and again. The tree lives a long time – from 70 to 100 years. The main attraction of this medium-height, deciduous tree is its unusually large leaves, which grow up to 30-50 cm in length. We came up with the idea of growing a living house on the principle of sustainable development architecture, which will operate in the middle of a gray megalopolis and solve a number of important environmental and urban issues. By analyzing the active process of urbanization and a decrease in the percentage of green spaces as a phenomenon that provokes a number of environmental problems. We believe that integrating genetically modified trees during the stage of their growth and development into architecture, we can restore the balance between the digitalized megacities and the Earth’s resources, which are gradually depleted. The idea of programming wood as a method of creating architecture proved to be a winning idea, because it is something new, little-studied, unpredictable, and unusual. It is important to understand that each new idea, which eventually becomes advanced, is always ahead of the period in which it is born and goes through long stages of analysis, criticism and refutation. Can human ever program an object of living nature with such accuracy? Nowadays, genetic engineering allows us to grow structures of this type. In the near future, the idea of growing a skyscraper tree as a separate living organism with its own root system, irrigation and care mechanisms, focused on adaptation to use in architecture will not seem fantastic. It is a group of unique fast-growing and tall hardwood deciduous trees, which are planted in groups in specially prepared soil (to obtain resources) and in the process of their growth form a unique architectural volume. The plant absorbs water and nutrients, which are distributed from root to tip. At the same time, the growth of the trunk circumference will gradually increase the strength of the wood structure and improve its self-supporting properties. During development, the branches of nearby trees will be grafted at different levels and form a network structure – a kind of conjugation that will strengthen the structure and continue its growth. The branches of hybrid “trees of the future” will form the structure of a living skyscraper – thy will create even, separate biomorphic

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How we won that competition

structures and feed on soil, water and sun resources, creating an ecosystem that is essential for large agglomerations. As it grows, a living skyscraper can connect with nearby buildings and form green overhanging communications over a block. Since the subject allowed us to go beyond the usual perception, the logical scenario for the growth of “living” cities is the option of placing skyscrapers with the adaptation of their height to the surrounding buildings. In larger cities, which are being built at the expense of high-rise buildings, giant skyscrapers will address a number of important environmental and urban issues. We believe that the lack of fear and passion for the unknown set us up for victory. I would like to advise future participants to reject fear, which often limits and paralyzes. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your eyes closed and listen to your subconscious, which stores 95% of innovative ideas. You must try to turn off your inner critic, who often gives your ideas the status of absurd or impossible to implement and they are simply disposed of without self-affirmation. Keep asking yourself questions like, “Could I fly to another country now if one day in 1501 da Vinci hadn’t said that man could fly and published his ‘Bird Flight Code’ with a prototype of a modern hang glider?”. Of course, the idea seemed categorically unrealistic, and now people have wings. We believe that the driving force behind the victory in this architectural competition is the ingenuity of the team and respect for personal bold fantasies. Yes, based on this concept, we challenged ourselves and removed the established barriers. After all, to solve such a problem as initiating a new architectural discourse, it is important to learn to move away from reality and think more comprehensively, sometimes relying only on the most crazy and fantastic ideas. Don’t be afraid to become crazy architects and let your courage make you satisfied participants!

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Save the ruin, re-use it!

www.reuseitaly.com

1st prize

project name

The Tectonic Soul of the Ruin authors

Re-use The Roman Ruin – Piscina Mirabilis The third edition of the cultural project Reuse Italy has promoted an international architecture competition and an exhibition on the reuse of the “FallenChurch” of Grottole (Matera), one of the most scenographic ruins of southern Italy. The general faced issue has been the depopulation of small towns. The primary purpose of this contest has been the relaunch of a local community thanks to the renovation of the built heritage conceived as an attractive device. For this reason, the activity has been organized together with Wonder Grottole, a local association on the front line in the experimentation of new regeneration models.

Andrea Romanelli Andrea Consonni Italy

T

here are essentially two themes that the ruin suggests in the design of the reuse project: its being a palimpsest and its “unfinished” nature due to the absence of a roof. In addition to this, there are the two nodal relationships that the building constitutes with its settlement context, a small old town opposite to the vastness of the surrounding landscape. The project tries to summarize these characteristics through a perfectly shaped volume inside the church, enclosed in an opal polycarbonate skin which evokes, through its clean shape, the missing corner wall on the main facade, to favor a chromatic and tectonic dialogue with the surroundings with contemporary features.

The awarded projects are displayed at a local exhibition in Grottole (Matera) until November 1st. To book a tour of the exhibition https://www.wondergrottole.it/ visita-la-mostra/ The activity had the partnership of ArchDaily, KooZA/rch and Graphisoft, and it has been supported by the Comune di Grottole (Matera), Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali e per il turismo, FAI Basilicata, Matera Art Film Festival, ANCI Basilicata, Associazione Borghi Autentici d’Italia, Ordine degli Architetti P.P.C. della provincia di Matera and the Regione Basilicata. Chiesa Diruta is a catholic church built in Grottole (MT) in the 15th century to host the local community of clergymen and to become one the most important churches of the bishopric. It suffered many damages due to earthquakes, fires, and building issues, so it was soon abandoned. The contest asked architects, engineers, and students to turn the ruin into a cultural and music center. The international jury consisted of: Adam Nathaniel Furman, Emanuele Fidone, Assemble Architects, Diego hernandez (ArchDaily), Simone Bossi, Graca Correia & Roberto Ragazzi (Correia Ragazzi Arquitectos), Andrea Paoletti (Wonder Grottole), Wenqiang Han (Archstudio), Eric de Broche des Combes (Luxigon), Jaume Mayol & Irene Pérez (TEd’A arquitectes).

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Despite its apparent opacity, the block is accessible from both urban surroundings which the ruin overlooks: more intimately from the inside, from Grottole old town, where a corten-steel podium rises from the street level of about 2 meters allowing the access to the concert hall through the former chapel of Santa Lucia, intended as a sort of uncovered vestibule and communication core in the building, together with the bell tower; on the outside, enhancing the false entrance arch on Viale della Resistenza by opening a passage in the wall behind it and using the space below the church hall as a ticket office, toilets and access to the concert hall through the transept, but first experiencing an approach to the panoramic view of the Basento from the lower terrace. Inside, the main volume of the hall is flexibly organized, through a fully packable paneled system which sets up the stage space on the transverse axis of the choir, in a “total” single space or two different capacities halls. The two entrances converge in the north transept, where the gift shop is located, which gives access to the rooms. The main one, which occupies the entirety of the nave overlooks the volume of the stage very close to the main facade, while maintaining the perception of the ruin by leaving the entirety of the elevated side chapels visible. The lecture room, located in the presbytery, relates to the landscape through a window overlooking the Basento valley. The south transept houses the bar with an access to the outside, where a terrace takes place bordering the south façade. The external vestibule of the chapel of Santa Lucia leads to the upper floor, which houses a multifunctional room for exhibitions oriented towards the stage and open towards the valley with a second panoramic terrace. The room develops around the corten-steel staircase that leads to the roof level of the building from where the most complete and extensive perception of the Grottole settlement is conquered through the frame of the four sides of the elevation of the ruin that ends in the elliptical drum looking the sky. In conclusion, the new Grottole hall reflects a contemporary instance of restoration that proposes a multipurpose space linked to the evocative context of the old town. This project represents an opportunity to revive an inspiring truth and show the mutual respect between the monument and the contemporary culture.

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2nd prize

2nd prize

project name

The Door Closed Forever authors

Zsolt Frikker Imre Bődi Hungary

present The memory of the once imposing, heavenward rising building in the historic town has faded by today. Today there is just a silent ruin, the ‘Fallen Church’ (Chiesa Diruta). A couple of generations’ time is enough to lose the memory of the church, the once architectural work of art. The church ruin standing here for more than 200 years holds fragments of its real self by now. The space, the walls, the vaults, the remnants of the tower though determine the spirit of the place despite being fragments. The borders of space and time are blurred; the walls once built for eternity transmit enormous power. A part of the past has moved to the present due to continuity. The question is that through centuries why there was no demand for the people living here to rebuild the church. At present there is no will on the community’s side to restore the church and use it for sanctified purpose. The doors of the church have been closed forever. The door that had power, which indicated a border between the outer and the protected saint inner space. There is no longer a need for the protection of the church, the space devoted to God. The door, which used to stake out the inside and the outside, today

past “Music is time, and architecture is seizing the space. Music celebrates the moment, a particular phase of continuous time - then and there. Architecture tries to make a piece of space personal. Mortal beings make sections for eternity by celebration, and make section for the infinite space. Music connects to an important, festive moment of time. The architectural work of art – if it offers something more beside its utility - is also a celebration, being attached to a significant point of space, or creating a new, independent space. The song is the extension of the human scale in time. Architecture is timeless in its purpose - it surpasses human time - and is the extension of the human scale in space. “ In the old days, time meant the temporary earthly life for people as opposed to the eternal God. God and the house of God, the ‘gate of heaven’ were the symbols of eternity. In the 1500s, at the time of building the church of Diruta, faith, the practice of religion and communal participation in church services signified hope for the people of Grottole regardless of famine and disasters. Religion, as a form of the ethical community, essentially determined people’s life. Local people’s worldview and values were mostly influenced by birth, christening, marriage, death, the relationship with God and the traditions of religion on both individual and community level. However, unfortunately the temple of Diruta was able to serve the community’s formation for a relatively short time. The fate of the church, which was built in honour of the saints of Luca and Giuliano regarded as the protectors of the town, was sealed due to the damages caused by earthquakes in 1694 and in the second half of the 18th century. The condition of the temple was continuously decaying, after 1750-60 the clergy abandoned it, too.

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2nd prize

2nd prize

denotes the end of the history of the church. The door, which figuratively gave admittance to the eternal home, the ‘domus aeternalis’, has closed once and for all. future History has speeded up. The urban structure, which evolved through hundreds of years, and the cityscape are constantly changing, and this change seems to be quicken from the second half of the 20th century. How do our cities transform? What does the culture of globalisation mean for the life and the history of a small village? The structure and the buildings of cities still keep the memory of the hundreds-of-year-old culture and tradition, but the urban dwellers’ life now hides another reality. In old times the urban people’s needs and possibilities, the interlocked powers of the individual and the community have established the city itself. Is there any power like this in Grottole? Is there a need on the part of the people in Grottole or in the region of it for creating the function of the concert hall that was envisioned in the architecture competition? concept The conceptions formulated in the architecture competition define the possible direction of the utilisation of the church ruins as a concert hall. The most essential question is how space can be redefined in relation with the music hall function, with the space available and with the memory of the church. In the history of architecture, through centuries and millennia if there was a need in the case of a function-lost or abandoned building to convert it to a new function or to extend it, extension has been a natural and self-evident process. The old transforms, the new is built upon it. This continuity evokes the ancient practice of construction. However, with the appearance of architectural preservation, this way of thinking is not so simple at all. The principle of our concept is that the intended “further” construction has to be parallel with the remnant building parts of the old church. The new function, the new building has to be embedded in the unique historical space of the church ruins, which should be continued with the added structures. Continuity based designing incorporates the spirit of the place and further enriches it with its new layers. The wounds of the existing building must be healed. The church and concert hall metamorphosis has to be achieved so that the memory of the temple and the appearance of the new function constitute a whole. The former church as a culture media transforms, and it will be filled with new cultural, social content by music and art. “Music is imperishable part of all human culture …”

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new entrance, new door The original entrance of the church used to open towards Garibaldi street, the centre of the village. Since then the village has further developed, the role of the lower avenue, della Resistenza has become more significant. Currently several public buildings and two small temples are approachable from this street. When designing the concept of the concert hall, we have examined the possible use of the original church entrance, but it would have been feasible at the expense of serious functional compromises, so we relocated the new entrance of the concert hall to della Resistenza, facing the small square at the western side of the temple. The small square in front of the new door is the perfect location of arrival and awaiting for every generation any time of the day, but it is also appropriate for urban representation functions. space structure From the entrance we arrive to the hallway of the concert hall through an in-turned, mysterious stair and space structure. The space reveals itself gradually for the public. At the level of the concert room we sense the space structure as a welded whole. We considered it important to preserve the original sacred space, the original Latin cross-shaped layout as a unit. use of materials The thought of the concept based on continuity appears in the use of materials. Woven as an architectural unity the rough but beautiful stone and brick walls of the church ruins will be continued building with new additions and brick walls. The use of ceramics, firing of terracotta in Grottole roots from history. We would use local materials for the facade, hand-made, kneaded bricks made by local craftsmen. The new bricks interact with the old stones and bricks, and like this the building receives a selfevident, integrated facade. Unique ceramic elements appear on the elevation as fillers of holes in the old-new walls, thus joining old and new.

ACY ∙ 2021

151

3rd prize

3rd prize

project name

Chisea Diruta – Risveglia authors

Julia Giżewska Jerzy Wojewódka Jakub Jopek Poland Idea The church was originally created to connect – human with God and with other humans. Everyone was to be equal in it and everyone was to have access to it, regardless of age or role in society. Chiesa Diruta may once again become a place open to people. It can become not only a temple of music where many find connection with the sacred but aslo a soundbox for sounds... Process Initially shaped by architects and craftsmen, it was created in the 15th century. Later, Nature became its designer – as a result of an earthquake, it stripped it of some fragments, planted plants inside it, eroded its walls - creating a mosaic of time. Chiesa Diruta - Risveglia is a project that respects and emphasizes not only the form shaped by humans, but also the one shaped by Nature. Its aim is also to highlight ”the rooting” – in physical and metaphysical way to the landscape of Grottole. Path The project assumes the continuation of the road that runs along Chiesa Diruta. We can say that the path flows into the building penetrating its interior, emphasizing the inextricable connection between Chiesa Diruta and the city. The path is made of the same material as the outer road, and around it is, compacted with thousands of footsteps, natural soil that shows the passage of time. Arrangement scheme Various forms of arrangement enable to organize many events that would activate residents e.g. workshops, lectures, thematic meetings, music workshops, performances for children, drawing workshops with music etc.

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ACY ∙ 2021

ACY ∙ 2021

153

3rd prize

3rd prize

Stages and grottoes of sound After entering concert hall, we are in the main hall (main auditorium space). It can be arranged in various ways – depending on the event and situation. The reception area is located near the entrance in the empty space in the corner. In the side chaples there are grottoes of sound – rooms that allow you to listen to a concert or performance in a secluded space allowing you to have a private experience. The grottoes refer directly to the name, history and topography of the city. There are five types of stages. The main stage, called the stage of water and light, is under a covered oculus. Additionally, on the ground, its main area is marked by a shallow basin, copying the shape above it. When it rains, the basin fills with water, creating a shallow surface that reflects sounds during the performance. Thanks to this Nature sometimes accompanies the performances and sometimes only she plays her subtle concert – with raindrops. On the sides of the main stage, there are two side stages called the stages of shadow. It is a place where are members of orchestra who are not meant to be visible during the performance, or a narrator who will only lead the audience through the performance with his voice. Behind the main stage there is a kind of its extension – the stage of light, the back wall of which can be opened, thus showing viewers a beautiful panorama of the surrounding hills. This is another moment in which Nature participates in the performance – watching the musicians against the landscape, the viewer experiences everything intensely. The opening emphasizes connections with the city – the sounds emanating from the Church penetrate its fragments, quietly reaching the inhabitants. Behind the stage of light is the outdoor stage of views – this is a narrow space for outdoor performances. To the left of the stage of light is the stage of wind – a space that can also be used for outdoor performances.

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Tower of city’s sound The space in the place of the former bell tower was used to create the tower of city’s sound from which we can listen to different sounds and rhythms created by Grottole every day. Other spaces Technical rooms, backstage and a cafe \ bar are located on the right side of the building and on floor -1 (space for artists and administration office) and floor -2 (dressing rooms, storage room, gift-shop, restrooms). Materials The material used (glass-fibre) fills every emptiness in the walls caused by destruction and time, thus creating a neutral background for Chiesa Diruta. The material is used both as a cover and also in the interior (grottoes of sound’s walls/seats). Depending on the place, the material has a different extent of transparency, thanks to which it is more natural and diverse.

ACY ∙ 2021

155

Honorable Mentions

Special Mentions

project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

Chiesa Diruta

Silva Diruta

G.R.A.D.I.N.I.

Chiesa Diruta

authors

authors

authors

Re-use the Fallen-church

The Fallen Church

The Fallen Church

Concerto di Privamera

Anastasiia Markina, Veronika Babenko

Cris Skenderi, Claudia Storelli

Luca Tesei, Annachiara Fiorucci

Jihun Son, Sung Ah Chung

authors

authors

authors

Russia

Italy, Canada

Italy

Lautaro Araneo, Isidro Roch

Giulia Pannocchia, Marco Casalena

Marta Cassany, Martina Marchesi, Maša Mori

project name

project name

project name

project name

The Fallen Church

Chiesa Diruta

The Fallen Church

Chiesa Diruta

Matteo Germani, Alfonso Longo

authors

Dmitry Pogodin, Platon Rogov

project name

project name

project name

Chiesa Diruta

Teatro Diruto

The Fallen Church

authors

authors

authors

Nathanael Pinard, Marc Viaud, Victor Dussap, Roxana Hosu

Felix Martin, Tim Scheuer

Manuel Alves de Campos, Jaime Silva

authors

Leone Carlo Ghoddousi, Antonio Mazzolai

authors

Switzerland

authors

Luca Loiacono, Hugo Talon, François Xavier

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ACY ∙ 2021

project name

project name

project name

Chiesa Diruta

Chiesa Diruta

Fallen Church

authors

authors

author

Romina Trunzer, Philipp Enders

Alvaro Gonzalez, Ignacio Vences

André Almeida

Germany

Spain

Portugal

authors

Giuseppe Pappadà, Paolo Pozzoni

authors

ACY ∙ 2021

157

How we won that competition

How we won that competition

How we won that competition authors

Andrea Romanelli, Andrea Consonni Italy

General approach The first approach to the project was a long informal talk started from understanding together the purpose of the competition. We considered it not only in terms of given function but also we were trying to find out the attitude of the intervention in a place like Grottole, for an international competition of ideas. Grottole is a little village in Basilicata in the south of Italy, situated on a hill in the Valle del Basento. Its relationship with the landscape evokes the close city of Matera, where a rural character is extremely expressed by his houses stuck in the rocks that generate a radical way of living. The competition proposes to work on the ruin of the Chiesa Diruta. It is an historical monument of the 15th Century, a reference point for the village of Grottole and a landmark in the Valle del Basento due to its strong position along the perimeter of the hill, just in front of the medieval castle. The unfinished state of the ruin was the specific architectural characteristic of the site. The main purpose of the competition was to reuse the church as an Auditorium and a Civic space for the village and give a new life to the building enouncing the value of the ruins. The first practical approach was a plan and section analysis of the territory. We were analysing historical, civic and important buildings in Grottole with the purpose to find out the relations that the topographies generate into each other. We deemed this type of analysis adequate for a place like Grottole because it is a village on the top of a hill surrounded by Basento landscape and with a complex topography that creates unexpected perspective between the buildings of Grottole. At the same time, focusing on important and historical buildings was an opportunity to discover information about Grottole as a little historical village. In the historical documentation of this rural site, some tales like the one of Sichinulfo Castle (Castello Sichinulfo Grottole – Abufina e Selepino – Be Curious!) sometimes came out and helped to understand the history of the place from a cultural point of view. Touching the ruin Talking about the possibilities that the ruin offered us and studying the site, helped us to understand clearly that the project had to deal indirectly with the landscape

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and directly - physically with the ruin. We recognised two different ways of touching the massive walls of the church represented by the idea of, complete the body. In this terms the Basilica Palladiana was a useful example manly for the huge wooden roof posed on masonry walls. Moreover, considering the concept of fill the void, the Basilica Palladiana again and Tempio Malatestiano represented “the negative” of this approach, where the existing body is wrapped with a new volume by overlapping a new façade to the old one; revealing by the dialogue of the two parts the essence of the project. We were fascinated by this second approach that gives a new meaning to the ruin and establishes the dialogue between the old and the new. The clarity of this approach particularly convinced us due to the recognisability of the two souls of the building. The references had been significantly useful. They are two clear approaches to intervene on an existing building with long history. On one side, trying to conceive the existence and understand its importance are creative acts. On the other, it requires courage of transforming with a contemporary graft. On one side, there is a more architectural and physical suggestion, while on the other, a strong ideal and cultural position. This work on the references helped us to figure out the main idea as a common base to start drawing the project. Another common experience that we think indirectly helped us during the design process has been a trip to Portugal in 2019. We were sharing the physical experience and thoughts about places, projects, and habits there. This way of approaching the ruin had to deal with the idea of leaving free the complexity of the volume of the existing church. The nave defines an inside regular volume, instead of the exterior. The body is complex and articulated due to the ground levels changes around the building. This condition immediately helped us to summon the image of a volume that shows itself from the split on the angle of the main façade. (F01) Another characteristic of the Chiesa Diruta that particularly influenced the first approach was the massiveness of the walls and

Basilica Palladina – roof

Basilica Palladina – plan

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How we won that competition

their huge masonry construction. Some projects by Portuguese architects like Alvaro Siza, Souto de Moura and Aires Mateus that we experienced together in 2019, were helpful for their plastic approach in terms of language and construction. We ended up with the idea of a white plastic volume that graft the ruin with a contemporary construction of punctual light elements that could make a wall, a surface. We figured out a contemporary pure object in contrast with the renaissance and articulated body of the church. Nevertheless, construction works in analogy with walls defining a clear volume. Between the church and the lanscape A main topic of the project was the relationship with the surrounding landscape of Grottole and Valle del Basento. It was the principal object of the site analysis. The most important buildings of Grottole, the main church, the Chiesa Diruta and the Medieval Castle are juxtaposed in strategic point around the hill, erected toward the landscape. The articulation of a section with a solid and unique block on the north façade, on the side of the village and fragmented and terraced toward Basento, was a way to deal with the two different characteristics of the landscape. The Grottole, solid and compressed volume, contrasts the openness of the Valle. (F02.5) At the same time the interior space is scanned. The main hall of the church keeps its entire height and the space compressed in the transept intersection and in the apse, searching a horizontal relation with the landscape at different levels. The spaces of the ruin, from the nave to the transept, are really defined. We were trying to understand the footprint of each one to realized if they had to live as a sequence of different spaces or conceive them as a unique one. For the strong spatial definition of each one, we tried to treat them as a sequence, both in plan and section. The solution of the dome was a critical choice in the project, due to its geometry and height. It was complicated to integrate the dome volume in the inside space and conserve the idea of an evocative silent unique volume in concept and constructive terms. The development of the section helped us to solve this moment integrating the drum of the dome as the boundary of a panoramic terrace. Instead of use the entire height of the intersection of the axis, we decide to compress the height and change the original volume of the space. We also evaluated to dig and create a terraced stall. We were fascinated by projection trough the landscape but we understood that it would be an invasive intervention and we had the doubt about structure stability as well. The use of the FAQs that ReUse offered was helpful to get the certainty and know how to relate to the ruin from a structural point of view. The section has been the main tool that helped us to control the relation between interior and exterior space and understand the integration between the new inter-

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vention and the existing church. (F02.0-02.1-02.4) At the same time the position of the stage has been discussed as a choice that organise the main hall. Always thinking about the consequences generated with the entrance and the section development, we were trying to make it functional and control the narrative sequence of the spaces such as a way of experience the auditorium, the ruin and the landscape. We evaluated three different possibilities. The first one included the stage in the intersection of the transepts, the second in the apse (in this first two choices we preserved the traditional orientation of the church), and the last one with the stage on the main façade, overturning the direction of the scene. The turning point has been to integrate the entrances system in this design phase and in particular the pre-existing chapel of Santa Lucia on the north side. We understood from a site visit that the compressed space of the chapel deserved a worthy role. It could create a pleasant atmosphere while entering the building from the village site. It would be more intimate and sequenced entrance in comparison with the one on the main façade and seemed to fit properly to narrow and domestic streets reaching the building form the rural site. The representative entrance instead is located on the lower floor on the south side of the church. The connection of the two entrances generates a distribution band with the east transept as moment of transition. They keep together the entrances and behave as a foyer to access the main hall. The site visits have been done physically and many times. We didn’t go to visit the site only in the first part of the project. The more useful visits were the ones during the designing process. It was a useful moment to evaluate in site the options we had been discussing before. Even if we liked the different options for the entrances, for example that permit to enter from the central axis of the space on the main façade, we understood that we had to renounce to those ideas. It helped us to come to the conclusions that a more sequenced entrance would be more interesting for the value of the lateral spaces. The site visit has been a moment that changed our ideas but gave us a clearer direction. Enter the main hall from the side fits well with the idea of having two poles, the stage on the north and the landscape in the south, instead of compressing the two moments in the space of de apse. This polar system has also a positive consequence on the section. As the stage and all the services are stocked in a solid volume that fills the void on the unfinished corner, generating the expectation of the evocative volume of the inside, the view toward the landscape is left free. The first floor also benefits from the position of the stage as it becomes a sort of balcony between the scene and the landscape. The orientation of the stage, the entrance system and the section articulation have been the key choices on which we developed the entire program of the auditorium. The articulation of the program has been drawn in details in three moments concerning the main hall, the section program and the representative entrance and services. In this first design part, we mainly used 2D Drawings, in particular the longitudinal section, to understand the relation between the ruin and the new intervention. It let us figure out, for example which were the reference horizontal lines suggested by the ruin that we could use to fit the new design and use the section to express as more as possible our intentions.

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How we won that competition

Main hall The main hall is characterized by the side entrance, the solid block of the stage, the panoramic point in the apse and the presence of the east transept. The space under the dome’s drum represents the intersection of the two axes and a point of distribution of the surrounding rooms. For this role, the linearity of the hall was compromised. To solve this problem and give dignity to each space in terms of access and functionality, a system of packable walls defined three possible configurations. (F04) This wall generates two entrances to an auditorium and a smaller conference room; both has an independent entrance through the cafeteria in the west transept. The wall is composed by panels that can turn and create a connection between the two rooms giving the possibility to host two different but integrated functions. In the third configuration, by packing all the walls, the entire hall can be used as auditorium for the most crowded events. The most concerning topic was to value the proportion stretched in the height of the transept that gives unity and centrality to the space in the foyer and the cafeteria. The foyer remains free and the central space as the main purpose is distributive. In the case of the cafeteria, the bar carved out its space in the centre as the main feature of the space. The packable wall is the first way to control the distribution. Trying to reduce it gives more space to the two halls and it also permits to conceive the hall as a bigger one. We considered it as a relevant solution, because we already had a foyer even if the “under the dome” space could be organized into the three rooms making that intersection multi-functional. Vertical program The section generates a sequence of spaces at different height. The location of a stair and a lift was a critical but important moment. We understood that the existing tower could be an opportunity to host a lift system rather than a stair because of its proportions. The project of the lift in Carlos V Palace at the Alhambra in Granada by Torrecillas was a good reference to imagine how a lift, a technical and contemporary object could fit in the void of a massive tower. Concerning the stair, two main topics were relevant for the design. Firstly, we were thinking about putting it inside the hall and designing a monumental stair. This idea did not convince us because the hall had already a defined configuration and we decided to leave it free from other elements that could change the perception of the hall. The two main characters of the space had to be the stage, the ruin and the landscape. Considering the most functional solution for the space, the lift tower had to be connected horizontally with the transept to reach at the first floor the multi-purpose space with a walkway suspended on the old Chapel of Santa Lucia. As the chapel is conceived as an entrance, the stairs suited in the vestibule and it is drawn as part of the lift’s walkway. In this way the character of the chapel as an entrance is emphasized and the vertical distribution system work as one. The outside stair brings from the enclose and intimate space of the chapel to the walkway that heralds a panoramic view and leads to the compressed space in the upper floor of the transept accessing the multi-purpose space. The stair has been solved by integrating in the design the distribution of the elevator and as an

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How we won that competition

ordinary element. The multifunctional room is an additional space added to the program that can host different kind of function. It has a view on the main hall on one side and an access to a panoramic terrace towards the landscape on the other. The terrace could also work as a space which can expand to the outside the activity of the multipurpose space. From this level a linear central stair leads to the unexpected all-rounded terrace under the drum of the dome. The vertical distribution is conceived as a path through different moments to reach every space. It creates a sequence and enables experience the ruin and relationship with the landscape and the village in different ways, as something to discover. We always thought about the entrance and the exit of each space to understand how the sequence works. In terms of materiality the differentiation of the distributions elements as stairs using Corten helped us to make it recognizable and deal with the materiality of the existing ruin. Main entrance The main entrance on the lower floor tries to reuse and give dignity to the more servant spaces on the street “Viale della Resistenza” which runs along the south side of Grottole. The central entrance leads to a stair in the room on the left. The visitors could take the stairs and arrive at the upper floor watching the Valle del Basento. The arrival space is a terrace connected to the transept that has a role of foyer. Representation Our main purpose was to represent the idea in the clearest possible way that would transmit to the readers which were the most important topics of the projects. As we had to deliver only one A1, we had to choose few drawings that could synthesize the entire project. The more technical drawings, as plan and section, try to describe the new and the existing part of the project and their mutual integration as well as show the functionality of the spaces. The details of the existing ruin were important. We were trying to draw them in a way that will enable identification. Furthermore, at the same time they should have had similar graphical quality and importance. This starts with the question, which was the hierarchy between the parts of the drawing? The longitudinal section better explain how the project deal with the ruin, the program, and the landscape, then the transversals ones more useful in detail scale. A precise program was related to the plans to make understand how we worked on the given program and how the function of each space is solved. It was important for us to make the project comprehensible only by reading the drawings. One of the most essential topics was the relationship between the evocative volume and the ruins. The two exterior images have been useful to explain how the project is trying to declare itself strongly in some points and to be more silent from other point of views. The same images try to explain the double scale relationship with the contest, the domestic one of Grottole and the wide one of Valle del Basento. The starting photos for the images had been done with a drone, it turned out to be useful for a place like Grottole. We like the idea of using those photos to represent in the best way the ruin. The interior images represent the two more significant and characteristic spaces of the design trying to express the tension between the new intervention, the ruin, and the landscape. We chose the two

spaces that were more important for the program and showed the theme of the design effectively. We decided to add a more schematic part to represent the south façade and in detail the role of the packable wall in defining three configurations. The last scheme was important to explain the concept of the intervention and verify it at the end of the design process. It has been useful trying to synthesize all the process in just three steps, both for the presentation of the project and for us as a final verification. We had the opportunity to add a text of description. It has been an important moment to make understand the narrative of the project and integrate the drawings with the missing information. The other written part we could add was the title of the project. As the project was delivered without the possibility of explaining it and in this terms convince, a precise and effective title was a good way to present the project for a first sight judgment.

ACY ∙ 2021

163

1st prize

project name

Cultural Centre for Norwegian Waterfront

#OSLOCALL

Start For Talents Competition The intention of our contests is to open an international debate in which students from different cultures can confront and show off their talent. It is important that young professionals build a valuable portfolio to complement their training skills to set up a professional future based on solid skills. The choice of places on which to intervene, according to our mission, must never lose sight of the identity of the places; each project must represent an element of relaunch for abandoned areas where it is necessary to give a new interpretation to local history. OsloCall, is a contest in which the participants were asked to think of a Cultural Center, a contemporary hub in which architecture could become a container of intellectual stimuli in tune with the ferment that characterizes one of the capitals in greater transformation. 133 proposals were evaluated, 9 projects that deserved to be included in the final ranking: the projects that we considered worthy have offered food for thought that is not usual but capable of mediating with the tradition of the place. Attention to internal and external routes, the choice of innovative materials and the dynamic design of the volumes were the values that we most appreciated in the selected proposals.

authors

Jaenes Bong Queena Wang Ming Tse Lin Ivan Chi Hong Kong

C

CNW is located strategically in the heart of Oslo, Norway. Adjacent to the important ferry and cruise terminals, the site offers tremendous 360-degree view towards the nature, historical district and the new bar-code district. In the location with the busiest piers in Oslo, the site has become a potential point of attraction from the sea activities as well as other parts of the city. Norway is very-well known with its preserved natural richness and has become its tourism wanderlust. Astonished by its mountains and waterfalls experience in winter, the design intent is to re-echo the trail experience in Norwegian mountain and confronted by the natural frozen icy waterfall. CCNW focus on providing the maximum of civic spaces and experiential journey from ground to top roof terrace which is accessible at different levels. The main programmes such as library, exhibition spaces and auditorium are also arranged gradually stacking up to 26m roof terrace level from the ground offering the best views of Oslo. Both outdoor civic spaces in a form of roof landscape and indoor programmes are well interconnected. These elements are wrapped elegantly with monolithic crystallized glass façade and vertical features enhancing the ornament quality of frozen waterfall. The vertical features also serve as shading fins but yet the facade is very transparent. The building geometry slowly emerges from the ground up marking its presence as new icon for a cultural centre in Oslo. In summary, the project itself expresses the coldness on the external shell mimicking the icy waterfall and the warmness in the inside, with soft landscape terraces like the melting snow in the mountain’s valley.

The winning project, signed by young architects from the Hong Kong area, stood out for its ability to give this multifunctional center meanings and equipment in line with the demands of the competition. Its image, totally glazed, refers to the shape of a glacier, here protected by a second skin in wooden slats necessary to make the composition more organic and channel the natural light inwards. Double-height rooms dominate the central space while the internal paths are interrupted by rest points that become observation points on the panorama placed at different heights. The artificial lighting that comes out of the windows in the evening illuminates the entire neighborhood, an industrial area that will attract new visitors by promoting the connection between the city center and the suburbs of the city. The graphic scheme of the project panel shows functional graphics, planimetric drawings and 3d reconstructions which, in the vision of the project as a story, make clear the designers intentions. Respect for tradition and for the place are the values that we seek within each of our competitions and which for OsloCall have prompted us to recognize in the award-winning proposal the one of greatest value.

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ACY ∙ 2021

165

1st prize

1st prize

The civic journey starts from the artificial lake at the foothill with an outdoor amphitheatre for public seating and occasional outdoor performances. Further up to green terraces, visitors will stop by at the viewing deck with direct access to L3 main exhibition hall prefunction. Continuing up on the west side, there is a trail with series of seating area with view towards piers and historical district. At the next destination, the visitors arrive at the secret garden partially enclosed by external glass facade; embellished with Nordic tall trees and leaving a curiosity from the street visibility. The secret garden is accessible to the auditorium level and function as an extension of the outdoor pre-function. As the journey goes on, the visitors finally arrive at the highest point of roof terrace. This is the climax of journey offering the 360-degree view to the city of Oslo. The top roof terrace is partially protected by the façade on the SW and NE protecting it from the dominant winds. It opens up towards the sea on the SE and the Sentrum on the NW. Despite the programme stacking arrangement, the internal circulations are kept efficiently flexible. Through the public space, the visitors enter to the lobby, offering a grand volume of atrium with café lounge and seating area at the ground level. The stepping balconies at the arrival lobby give a natural sense of way-finding to the other programmes: library at L2, exhibition halls with laboratories at L3 and auditorium at L4 and L5. The vertical circulations such as lifts stop at every level from B2 to L5. Alternatively, an express lift is also provided for public to go up directly to top roof terrace. This lift occasionally could also serve as the auditorium artist backstage entrance from basement level. The internal public circulation along the outer façade lets visitors enjoy the Oslo view from inside the building. The timber interior finish dominates the space to introduce a soft and warm welcoming in the inside as well as to the outside.

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2nd prize

2nd prize

project name

Fortress of Culture authors

Valentina Sciacca Francesco Simonin Mattia Bencistà Italy

T

he hypothesis of our design arises from the desire to assimilate and reinterpret the figures and pieces of architecture that characterize the Oslo waterfront. The design process was therefore born from the idea of analyzing the meaning and the consistency of the port area and sea ports in general, contrasted with the nature of the historic city – the fortress and bastion. The blending of these two “opposing” languages present in the city of Oslo is not only based on the mixture of material and forms and is particularly visible in the area of the Vippetangkaia project. The figures and pieces of architecture that accompanied our design process are the fortress and the control tower. The fortress, the bastion and the fortifications are the reference and identification point of the historic city, emphasized by the dominant mass, the materiality, the compactness of the object and the solid attachment to the ground. The control tower, port structure and reference point for navigators, are, on the contrary, “ephemeral” structures that work with light and which, thanks to “transparency” and lighting systems placed at the top, look like a lighthouse – a guardian of the sea. The project basically consists of three parts that are in continuous dialogue between each other. The large base houses all interior rooms: hall, auditorium, an area for photographic exhibitions, laboratories and related service areas, enclosing a public green courtyard open to the city, placed along the path that identifies the main axis of the city - sea connection. The base cover is a continuity of the external courtyard located on the ground floor which develops through a wide ramp until it becomes a panoramic terrace and a public square at high altitude. The terrace overlooks the bar and restaurant contained within the two towers (which are made up of offices, the library and the reading room at the top).

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2nd prize

2nd prize

The tower, which arises from the large base, splits towards the top and becomes transparent in a way that guarantees the panoramic view towards the sea , which is supposed to resemble the lighthouse port. The project was therefore born as a fusion between the two reference points of a place that, albeit contrasting in shape and matter, represent and identify themselves as “land” and “marine” elements. The cultural center thrives on this double soul and this continuous dialogue that takes place between the two languages where the base material, strongly attached to the ground, is transformed and developed into height as a lighthouse open to the sea. Land and sea, fortress and lighthouse – they work together to form a complex image that reinterprets the “ancient” typology that have always brought the architecture of the city to life.

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3rd prize

3rd prize

project name

RatljÓst authors

Veronica Arpaia Antonino Caridi Davide Casaletto Silvia Cocorda Italy

O

slo is one of the most energetic and developed European cities of our time, from history to innovative cuisine, from the field of fashion and art to music. Despite the presence of some of the most important European landmarks, the city manages to maintain a refreshing closeness to nature that few other capitals can match. Resulting from a careful reflection on the site and various suggestions provided by this northern European city, the project aims to create a functional and innovative cultural center that dialogues on one side with the urban part and on the other one with the beautiful water mirror which it faces. The idea was born in order to create not only a building that hosts an auditorium and some exhibition rooms, but a place that, thanks to the context in which it is inserted, can be an inspiration for anyone who lives there. The concept is very simple, driven by two central themes. First –the city to the north, from which the stairway begins, leads to a terrace on which it is possible to enjoy the splendid view of the Norwegian fjords. Second – the particularly industrial port footprint of the site, especially the imposing building just to the south of the site. This led the project to develop the main functions along two paths - to encourage the access to the natural light in rooms such as exhibition halls, labs and library, but also to ensure that the landscape accompanies visitors inside the center. Finally, the volume of the solid and imposing auditorium at the center of the complex, almost like an arm that stretches out towards the city, invites visitors to appreciate, in all its forms, and expression, the art inside.

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The outer shell is characterized by a luminous facade done mainly in glass, covered by an irregular perforated aluminium sheet. It translates into a double permeable skin that plays with the light inside the spaces and enriches the perspectives towards the outside. This cinematic approach plays with the movement and the flow of the Skagerrak. The only exception is the concrete walls of the auditorium, with the ambition of emphasizing the imposing character and making a contrast with the lightness of the facade that almost entirely characterizes the building. The path inside is designed in such a way that anyone entering, is welcomed by a large and bright hall where there is space for the dining area, which serves the entire structure. The distribution is articulated in an elegant and wide circular staircase accompanied by two elevators that run along the entire building up to the terraces. All of the functional spaces of the auditorium, such as services, cloakroom, desk and a terrace, which is located below the stalls, are organized on the upper floor overlooking the city. Going up we find a library with its own services and a dining room, some exhibition rooms

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3rd prize

3rd prize

connected to the upper floor, each with their laboratories and the offices that take care of the management of the entire structure. Certainly, the functional aspect has not gone into the background; in fact, technical spaces required by the program and spaces for logistics are located on the ground floor. The project aims to be a part of a multicolored landscape, just as the one in Oslo, which puts art and culture in the first place, by not only proposing new architectural ideas, but also promoting spaces and incubators of new artistic forms to contribute, in its own way, to the cultural development of this wonderful city.

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Honorable Mentions author

author

authors

author

Timur Razakov

Mariam Zelimger

Lorenzo Maggio

Russia

Russia

Petros Stavrakis Kleanthi Neokleous

Italy

Cyprus

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author

author

Agranovskaya Daria

Diana Ganieva

Russia

Russia

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

How we won that competition authors

Jaenes Bong, Queena Wang, Ming Tse Lin, Ivan Chi Hong Kong

context surrounding The team backgrounds Our team is based in Hong Kong SAR but we are all from different cultural background and country origin. Known as the Asia’s international financial hub, Hong Kong has also become a gate open to the world talents. The team met at workplace and regular workshop had been conducted throughout the design process. Every discipline crossed over to propose anything for the good sake of the project. There was no limit of age, expertise or personal style. But one thing that is important to the team is respect. The team leader would act as a leader directing and a decision maker, while the other members will be the team player. The mutual understanding is essential. As we all know that Hong Kong SAR is a developed metropolitan city where a land is very valuable. Covered by mostly hills and mountains, a usable flat land is rare. In a place like this, we are often pushed to think vertically in an optimal way. As a team towards this mindset, we value public space for community use in any circumstances. We believe that our background affects the characteristic and mindset of every designer, especially on how we confront the challenges and provide the solutions. Below are the critical points as our methodological process on how to arrive to the design decision: • • • •

Context understanding Project positioning and vision Design strategy Concept and application

Context understanding The competition site is located in Oslo, at the south side of the city centre. The site is currently used as a car park lot for people who will next commute with bus, ferry

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or cruise. The area is indeed the cruise terminal port. Just like a typical cruise port urban layout, within 250m radius, there are: bus interchange, large private car park lot, ferry piers, commercial establishment with offices, touristic attraction such as historical buildings, public waterfront and the cruise terminal itself. Within 500m radius, it covers residential area, CBD area, Oslo central train station, Oslo opera house and Hovedoya the Yacht Club Island on the south side. From urban perspective, it is a highly visited area with very high people traffic. Context surrounding Our team discussion was led to the question of whether or not there is a potential future redevelopment around the site. We believed that our vision needed to be broader than just what to build on site. The Oslo opera house has become the main attraction point, especially for anyone who arrives in Oslo by train and also conveniently accessible from the city centre. On the other hand, the main cruise port is just half kilometre away. The waterfront promenade around the Oslo opera has been developed for visitors and community. The promenade currently stops abruptly at the bus interchange. Looking at the peninsula, it is hard to ignore the fact that there are destination points for visitors such as the gourmet market, ferry station and the yacht club. Our conclusion believes that there shall be a major redevelopment to continue the waterfront promenade all the way from Gamle Oslo (Old City of Oslo) to the cruise terminal. Therefore, this factor will be an important point to position and define the future cultural centre building.

Project positioning and vision The initial programme proposal from the organizer as per below: Hall: 100 sqm + Auditorium: 500 seats + 2 Exhibition halls for temporary photographic exhibitions: 100 sqm for each one + 2 Laboratory (picture and sculpture): 100 sqm for each one + Library: 300 sqm + Coffee space: 200 sqm + Technical room (for water and BOH machine rooms) 100 sqm + 1 public toilet for plan: 3 for man, 3 for woman, 1 for disabled + 4 Offices: 20 sqm each room + Dressing room for staff:50 sqm + Green public area: free to propose. With enthusiastic feeling for the future development of Oslo, the team strongly believes that the open space for public is the essential key point to the project. Before proceeding with the design, the following points are key factors that we need to take into account: • • • •

Target audience: Who are the potential users in the future? Project position: What is the position of this cultural centre? Urban response: How to avoid blocking the visual and physical connection with the presence of the new building? Proposed solution: How to narrow down multiple ideas?

Target audience The Oslo cruise port attracts not only domestic visitors but also international visitors. Many of them are from the neighbouring countries like Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, etc. The port and the central train station are seen to be a transit point for them before they have to continue their commute to the city centre or

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

foot print as much as possible and probably the building must be as transparent as possible to allow at least clarity to a visual connection to the waterfront. On top of it, we had to give more generous public space and the only place to do that would be on top of the building. As the initial programme is not giving any limit to the open space, then, we decided to sandwich the building with civic spaces. It was indeed an ambitious approach and we had to make it work.

other part of Norway. It could be by ferry, bus or by train. The domestic visitors are mainly the locals from the islands, who come by ferry and the locals from other cities that commute with bus and train. As there are government buildings, commercial offices, touristic attractions, and residences, the reason of visit could be various like business meetings, workplace, tourism, groceries, and transit point. Project position By understanding the target audience of the cultural centre, the team started to brain-storm on what sort of civic space for public that we can introduce that is very accessible, friendly and be a destination for all kind of audiences. The building will serve not only introducing the cultural activities and also the natural side of Norway. We also learnt that the local Norwegian loves exploring in nature in which they often spend time during their time-off. Why not providing a very natural space like a mini forest where people can get lost and forget for a moment that they are in a city? We agreed on introducing multiple outdoor-indoor interaction spaces, spaces for people to rest, explore and discover with sense of destination and achievement. Urban response The site is currently used as a car park lot. Pedestrians use it to walk through to the waterfront. The other benefit of current state of the site is that it is empty and open because there is no building sitting on it yet. A new building that emerges in the middle of an empty space is sometimes regarded as a selfish piece of object, that in society people’s eyes, it will only harm its surroundings. Then, how to propose a building that benefits everybody? Although, the site is located over 5000 miles away from Hong Kong, the team regularly intended to seek a tentative solution around them. As one of cities in the world with a record of demolishing an existing building to rebuild something more profitable, Hong Kong has created a way of socalled a win-win deal solution: if you want to take something that is considered valuable from society, you must give more than what they expect. The one-million-dollar question is how to do that to this site? The first reaction was that we had to give back the land to the people by keeping it empty and open. But how? Probably it was by minimizing the

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Proposed solution Prior to our regular workshop, the team had done some quick sketches for series of idea on how to handle the solution. It was one of the interesting meetings as we finally arrived on the architectural proposal. The preliminary idea was to elevate everything and having the buildings sit on the pilotis, allowing full open space on the ground level. We thought that it was a little utopia and too literal as solution. It seemed that we focused too much on the civic space while the building experience was not fully considered. The next attempt was to assure, in parallel, that the entrance to the building is yet very welcoming. Our final criteria of building was to allow the entrance to the lobby to be centralized and accessible, the start of journey to the mini forest had to be welcoming but yet creating some kind of mystery and a destination that is breath-taking to visitors.

sketch on the board during discussion

Design Strategy The team started to think how to kick off the design and massing strategy for the project. We were mainly looking into the primary and secondary accessibility to the cruise and ferry terminal because generally that was the kick off point. Later we found out that the government buildings and museum along the primary access road on the west side of the site was on different spot level in height which creates a wall. That would mean that not many people would walk along the pedestrian side. The only pedestrian flow from the west was probably from the bike parking. With this understanding, main people flow would happen mainly from the east and south with the presence of waterfront promenade, bus interchange, ferry terminal and cruise terminal.

initial 3D model study on context model

The site offers a 360 degree amazing view. It does not only offer the sea view but also the historical quarter of Oslo, City centre with the new CBD area (the Bar Code) and also series of islands. All in all, the site sits on the cruise port area which the whole development including the city centre is developed because of the presence of the port. Apart from

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How we won that competition

gian nature and not anywhere else. Norway is very-well known with its preserved natural richness and has become its tourism wanderlust. Astonished by its mountains and waterfalls experience in winter, the design intent is to re-echo the trail experience in Norwegian mountain and confronted by the natural frozen icy waterfall. CCNW focus on providing the maximum of civic spaces and experiential journey from ground to top roof terrace which is accessible at different levels. The main programmes such as library, exhibition spaces and auditorium are also arranged gradually stacking up to 26m roof terrace level from the ground offering the best views of Oslo. Both outdoor civic spaces in a form of roof landscape and indoor programmes are well interconnected. These elements are wrapped elegantly with monolithic crystallized glass façade and vertical features enhancing the ornament quality of frozen waterfall. The vertical features also serve as shading fins but yet the facade is very transparent. The building geometry slowly emerges from the ground up marking its presence as new icon for a cultural centre in Oslo. In summary, the project itself expresses the coldness on the external shell mimicking the icy waterfall and the warmness in the inside, with soft landscape terraces like the melting snow in the mountain’s valley.

having a centralized entrance to the building, we decided to have the public spaces on the ground and the roof top to be facing the south east corner. People immediately realize the main view of the area is along the peninsula edge and what we would like to offer was a broader view from a higher position which was on the roof. The initial proposed programmes were quite simple and clear. We began to distinguish which programmes was the Front of House (FOH) and which ones was the Back of House (BOH) including loading and unloading (L/UL) area in the basement. Then, we sorted the FOH spaces based on what kind of experience that we would give to the future users in the building. Also, we knew that the destination programme here was the auditorium hall; therefore we put it on the top floor. We started to think each programme like a block laid on the ground. With the concept of maximizing the L1 ground level to be as empty and open as much as possible, we decided to have only the entrance and other necessary one to be at L1 level. Other programmes had to float in the air. With the idea of bringing people to the top of the building, we stacked the blocks like steps with the auditorium to be at the top as destination programme. Here are the more detail arrangement of the programmes and themes of landscape gardens: •

•

•

•

•

L1, the grand entrance lobby associated with a café (easy access for retail that is accessible from inside and outside). BOH admin office space is put off sight from the public and accessible from the staff entrance at the back of the building. L2, the library associated with public toilet (easy access for the first public amenity programme considering kids and adolescents as majority of the future users). L3, the exhibition halls and cloakroom associated with toilet and BOH access direct from the L/UL area in the basement. The atelier or lab for sculpture and photography are located further down under the auditorium hall. Direct access is possible by express lift with staff-only access card. L4 and L5, the auditorium and the foyer associated with toilet BOH access direct from the L/UL area in the basement. In addition, the foyer is extendable to the outside garden which can be used occasionally for the extension of certain event. Public gardens and open spaces, a journey is narrated from L1 all the way to the roof top. We proposed the open amphitheatre seating area at L1, hiking trail experience garden that connects to the L3 exhibition hall foyer, secret forest garden associated with a café-resto that connects to L4 auditorium foyer and finally the roof top garden with 360 view of Oslo.

Concept and application CCNW stands for Cultural Centre for Norwegian Water. We did have a habit to abbreviate any kind of descriptive names. Not only it is simple but also can be quite catchy. Our winning project has been known as CCNW. If you notice that we also created a little logo that we laid on the top right corner of the board. It is a small effort and yet important to have audience attention to the competition board. For the concept of the design, we intended to lean towards something that sticks to the identity of Norway, something that exists in the Norwe-

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massing study on programmes

sketch for the building façade intent

The civic journey starts from the artificial lake at the foothill with an outdoor amphitheatre for public seating and occasional outdoor performances. Further up to green terraces, visitors will stop by at the viewing deck with direct access to L3 main exhibition hall pre-function. Continuing up on the west side, there is a trail with series of seating area with view towards piers and historical district. At the next destination, the visitors arrive at the secret garden partially enclosed by external glass facade; embellished with Nordic tall trees and leaving a curiosity from the street visibility. The secret garden is accessible to the auditorium level and function as an extension of the outdoor pre-function. As the journey goes on, the visitors finally arrive at the highest point of roof terrace. This is the climax of journey offering the 360-degree view to the city of Oslo. The top roof terrace is partially protected by the façade on the SW and NE protecting it from the dominant winds. It opens up towards the sea on the SE and the Sentrum on the NW. Despite the programme stacking arrangement, the internal circulations are kept efficiently flexible. Through the public space, the visitors enter to the lobby, offering a grand volume of atrium with café lounge and seating area at the ground level. The stepping balconies at the arrival lobby give a natural sense of way-finding to the other programmes: library at L2, exhibition halls with laboratories at L3 and auditorium at L4 and L5. The vertical circulations such as lifts stop at every level from B2 to L5. Alternatively, an express lift is also provided for public to go up directly to top roof terrace. This lift occasionally could also serve as the auditorium artist backstage entrance from basement level. The internal public circulation along the outer façade lets visitors enjoy the Oslo view from inside the building. The timber interior finish dominates the space to introduce a soft and warm welcoming in the inside as well as to the outside.

finalized 3D architectural model

Remarks As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, we believe that several factors will influence each designer’s methodology, philosophy and belief as a design approach. Our design approach is to propose a design process that converge a narrative with metaphor. We started by understanding holistically about the site surrounding and its culture. Our focus on a project is to put the public civic space as a priority. We believe that this is a key element on how to improve the connectivity between the surroundings. We emphasize on the narrative journey within the programme interlinking with the outdoor spaces. For us, it is always fun to participate in the idea competition as it is a way to express your design methodology and philosophy behind a project, between experimental and practical. An idea competition is, in a way, challenging because you compete with people that is not limited by age, background and professionalism.

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1st prize

project name

Terraced Vineyards Hostel authors

Barbara Fonseca Joao Aires Neves Francisco Gomes Carolina Claro

Inspiration Hostel Competition 2020 The purpose of the call was to encourage innovative proposals, committed toa strategy of implementing cutting-edge, contemporary architecture in a natural environment, with approaches that lead to synergies between the context and the building itself.

Portugal

S

urrounded by mountains and nestled along the northern banks of Lac Léman, the Vineyard Hostel emerges in the middle of the sw of Lavaux.

Blanketing the hills just minutes outside two picturesque villages, the vineyards are incredible terraced fields of grapevines. This wine region’s incomparable beauty guesses to be the perfect place to reconcile leisure with refuge in a constant social, topographic and natural in-between condition.

As each year, the competition was open to all architects, designers, architecture students and to people around the world interested in the topic. Competitors could subscribe individually or as a team of maximum of 5 people. This year, the competition received 116 proposals from more than 20 different countries. We received a lot of interesting ideas of spaces that promote a deep understanding and assimilation of nature. The jury focused in selecting projects that lead through their architecture to sensitivity, awareness, understanding, enthusiasm and commitment to the natural environment around them.

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185

1st prize

1st prize

Wine quality aside, overlooking the lake with the French Alps in the distance, it is the stunning vineyards themselves that are the major draw. This rectilinear but organic design, in terraces that form different plateaus, allows the fixation of a programme that intends to be a retreat capable of dealing with the spaces of one or many, with the idea of refuge or conviviality. The hostel, as an equipment, is born taking advantage of these height differences. If the circulation is made in a constant promenade between the walls that delimits the terraces, the rooms are born buried in them, pursuing the idea of shelter. The common spaces emerge from the earth and, in opposition, assume themselves as landmarks in this tectonic landscape.

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187

1st prize

1st prize

The various rooms, which seem to be scattered throughout the territory, are organised on a single north-south axis, in a continuous wall that connects the lake to the mountain, hierarchizing the different privacies and uses of the space. The room of silence is the exception: framed by the forest, it is the space that is sought by necessity and, as such, needs its own path capable of creating physical and mental distance. It is a place that allows several possibilities. To be up, down, accompanied, alone, in preparation, in production. Here, the cycle of Nature is the merging between the productive cycle of wine and the creative cycle of the artist. Just like wine, the artist needs good soil, good treatment, isolation and rest.

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189

2nd prize

2nd prize

project name

Quatre Courts author

Jasper van Uitert The Netherlands

W

hen the first courtyard was founded in the fourteenth century in the Netherlands, a long architectural tradition began. Since then, the courtyard has been part of the Dutch building culture and the typology has proven itself as a sustainable form of living. A courtyard can best be described as a closed, green living environment with small houses around an inner garden with a communal entrance. Built in existing blocks, these courtyards form an oasis of calm in the city. A personal interest in this form of housing was the reason to further develop this typology as an inspiration hostel. After all, the typology is perfect for a quiet and inspiring environment away from the hustle and bustle of the city. An assembled courtyard is designed in a typical building block in the 17th Jordaan district in the city of Amsterdam. Four courtyards are introduced as carrier of the hostels design. The design has a representation of typical Dutch houses facing the streets, the courtyards have a traditional character. Facade articulation and variations in roof shape give the design a readable scale. Each courtyard consists of a small number of houses that represent the hostel rooms. Combined with a (semi) public function, they determine the use and character of the courtyards: art, leisure, studying, music and meditation. The courtyards function as gathering areas and therefore serve as the hostels living rooms. Within a coherent colour scheme, variations in volume, roof shape, details and facade openings creates different courtyard characters. The facades are designed with the traditional elements of plinth, middle section and crown. Connection with the Dutch building tradition is made by using the traditional and local materials of masonry and natural stone. Differences in the detailing of the interior (plinth, ceiling moulding, material) give the different rooms their own character which matches the character of the courtyards.

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191

2nd prize

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ACY ∙ 2021

2nd prize

ACY ∙ 2021

193

3rd prize

3rd prize

project name

Hostel on a Mediterranean coast author

Davide Piva Italy

A

rt aims to give us a glimpse of the infinite. The act of making art, in every form, reminds us of a bigger dimension, something that is beyond ourselves and that we usually struggle to see because of our lifestyle and habits or distractions we are surrounded by. This project try to shape a place where it is possible to connect with the roots of our existence, or at least to remove all that is unnecessary, giving space for creativity, inspiration and contemplation. The hostel is located on a coast of the Mediterranean Sea because it is historically been a place of exchange, of culture, of exploration, and because of its natural poetic quality. All the project is based on a 6 meters by 6 meters grid. This is visible in the geometry of the plan but also in the facade. The building itself is conceived as a promenade from the entrance towards the sea. When entering the hostel, there is a hall enlighten from above through a circular opening. From here it is possible to access both the gallery and the main space reserved to the guests. Rooms are located on two levels around the central court. These are composed by a bedroom and an atelier, in different dimensions and light conditions to answer the diverse needs of the guests. The main space is a double height court with four patios which enlighten the environment. Here are placed the living room, the kitchen and a flexible space that can be divided with curtains along the columns grid. This is a buffer zone from the outside to the inside and can be used for group activities, performances and exchanges between artists. Passing through this last room is possible to access the library on two floors, and a small tunnel that leads to the theater in front of the sea. This is designed to be a space for performances and group activities, as well as for contemplation. Finally, the terrace is accessible from the court, either with the central staircase or with the elevator next to the entrance. On the terrace there are a circular silence room cladded in translucid glass and a square group room. Nonetheless, the terrace offers a clear view on the horizon.

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ACY ∙ 2021

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195

3rd prize

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3rd prize

ACY ∙ 2021

197

Honorable Mentions project name

author

project name

authors

Casa Surrealista

Andrea Pineda

Reconquest the atlantikwall

Arnaud Agosto, Youssef Akkif

project name

author

Entre dos Realidades

Yannick Marques Schroeder

Mexico

France

Spain

project name

authors

Residencia de Artistas

Maikol Pereira Belmar Felipe Quiero Puentes Javiera Ruiz Guin Nicole Esparza Pedreros Chile

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project name

authors

La Balzana

Nicola Paternuostro, Marianna Mento Italy

ACY ∙ 2021

199

How we won that competition

How we won that competition

How we won that competition authors

Barbara Fonseca, Joao Aires Neves, Francisco Gomes, Carolina Claro Portugal

About us We met during the first year of the architecture course in Lisbon at Instituto Superior Técnico. By what we believe to be forces of circumstances, from early on we started to work together on several occasions. The different paths that each one had taken until then, as well as different ways of thinking, perspectives and ways of understanding and apprehending the world, ended up coming together. From there arose the desire to search for a cohesive language that would reflect all this diversity. The explosion of ideas and opinions gave rise to works and ways of thinking that have marked our path since the beginning. The will to create a common ground that embraced and integrated us all, with the time we inevitably shared (and still share) together, gave rise to a strong friendship. Besides the time we lived and shared together in Lisbon, in the academic environment and not only, also the autonomous experiences that each one had since then, contributed to our growth as a collective. We left for Munich and Lausanne, where we had the opportunity, through independent experiences, to study architecture and live in the cities different from ours. If there is one thing we value, it is to get out of our comfort zone; to be constantly challenged and confronted. We feel that each one’s experiences have contributed significantly not only to the way we relate to each other but mainly to the way we see architecture, the role it plays in our lives and the path we want to follow together, the four of us.

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We are interested in the confrontation and symbiosis between the city and the countryside. We recurrently explore the relationship of architecture with the perception of the rhythm of life and the cyclical character of nature. We consider that these themes are often at the basis of the evolution of our thinking. We often try to respond to the importance of both, space and time, by creating projects that combine ideas of sustainability, permanence and freedom, articulating and celebrating past experiences with a conscious vision for the future. Being aware that we are only at the beginning, we feel that from our inexperience may arise opportunities to further exploration the themes that fascinate us. The Inspiration Hostel competition was one of them. Context/Process The decision to participate in the Inspirational Hostel competition came from this desire and was developed between Lisbon and Lausanne, as we were not together at the time. We found it challenging to work partly at a distance. We found ourselves in a situation that we think may be recurrent in the future and was important as an experience. The freedom, as a main characteristic of the competition, was something that captivated and motivated us from the very beginning, especially regarding the choice of the intervention site. Furthermore, the possibility of thinking about an introspective and creativee refuge for artists also attracted us. – Perhaps because we thought of ourselves as architects and the opportunity what it would be to experience and live in a place with these characteristics. The most decisive moment in our process was the choice of the place where we would intervene. This choice arose during searching for a place that would balance the will to explore the symbiosis city/countryside, and the ideas of production, reproduction and cooperation. It was known that the theme of artistic production would underlie the whole project. More precisely, the cycle of artistic production, which quickly led us to the cycle of agricultural production and to the rural environment as the ultimate refuge of interiority and intimacy. After several conversations, debates, and research, we came across the Lavaux wine region in Switzerland. Area is located just a few minutes away from two picturesque villages. This region is characterized by vineyards organized in terraces that follow the slope of the land between the mountain and the lake. This place represents an in-between state, combining topographical and natural reality with what we imagined to be a possible social condition achieved through those who would temporarily inhabit it. The main attraction were the vineyards organized in slopes, apparent terraces of regular and rectilinear but simultaneously organic design. We were immediately drawn to the inspiration that this place could bring to the artists passing through, as much or even more than it inspired us. The walls defining the different terraces appeared, in our subconscious, as walls that could define different programs. The paths created between these walls have already suggested different ways of passing through the hostel. Fusing the cycle of artistic production with the cycle of agricultural production was what gave meaning to the idea

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of a hostel integrated into this landscape, where both shelter and conviviality would be essential conditions. After choosing Lavaux as the stage for the exploration of this hostel, we started intense research about this region. We were analyzing not only cultural aspects but also its morphological character. We dedicated ourselves to a study model of the terrain, which allowed us to better understand its constraints and possibilities. Besides the model, we collected all the elements that helped us in better understanding the territory, such as images and plans that represented the rough terrain. They let us synthesize and better recognize the whole area and its surroundings. We came to several conclusions while researching. If we wanted to integrate and merge the hostel into this landscape, into this wine production system, we would also have to create an architectural system; an organism defined by simple and clear rules that would be reflected in its appropriation and use. This was followed by a search for existing projects references. They allowed us to understand how other, different ways of approaching this theme had been realized. A project by Correia/ Ragazzi, from 2016, Agrotourism in Melgaço, explores characteristics that interested us: the combination of a specific program with a rural context, characterized by vineyards, and agricultural production spaces defined by walls. Another project by Bergmeisterwolf Architekten from 2014 also addresses these themes summarizing the program in the approach entitled Stuctures in the Slope. After studying and understanding the references we had at our disposal and which we considered pertinent in this context, it was time to move forward with our approach. In an attempt not only to overcome the characteristic slopes of this territory but also to use them to our advantage. The aims, of connecting the mountain to the lake and a transversal axis emerged to the development of the wine terraces, were defined. From this axis, which organized and stabilized the whole activity, the rest of the program would emerge. We thus arrived at the first sketch. It was a single gesture that represents our main intention. From then on, we were trying to synthesize and minimize the maximum impact that an eventual construction would have on this territory. We continued, through sketches that always represented intentions, figur-

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ing out how this idea could be materialized. We used a cross section of the terrain to understand that one of our main objectives would be to camouflage the construction of the hostel. It can take advantage of the slope and create spaces that would only occasionally stand out from the surface, as landmarks. The remaining spaces would be built into the terraces. With no program defined yet, the plan was outlined. The next phase was to realize the space that each element of the hostel would occupy. Using the areas pre-defined by the contest’s announcement, we prepared collages that overlapped the previously defined intentions. They were as following: the collective program would be directly adjacent to the central axis – reception, living room, library, exhibition gallery, among others; the program with a more interior character would move away from the same axis, allowing for moments of greater refuge – the rooms and group rooms associated to each one. We felt that resorting to these collages unblocked doubts and restlessness that were remaining until then. Once again emphasizing the freedom we felt throughout the competition process, we decided to add to the program certain elements that would give cohesion to the whole project. For example, we proposed the winery directly linked to the wine production in that region, as well as the train station that already existed and which we decided to redesign. By incorporating them in the project, we would create a point of access, of departure and arrival to the hostel, as well as the way to export what would be produced there. The organism that we intended to create with our intervention is succinctly characterized by three cyclical and transversal phases, both in agricultural production (in this case wine production) and in artistic production, merging them and making them subsist and survive in the same field: a new common field. Introspection, production, and sharing are the three phases that we recognize as making up this system. Introspection refers to a first moment in which each one withdraws and turns to oneself. It is a moment in which time passes slower, in which the search for inspiration combined with rest and calm settles down. Production takes place always in search of creating something new. The wine and artistic expressions are the main products. Sharing focuses on the collective moments in which what has been created is finally made known, in moments of congregation that bring together all those who have been part of this project. There is not only one way to experience this organism.

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These three phases that we imagined are interchangeable, offer different freedoms and make this hostel a world that everyone has the possibility to discover at their own pace. The organism created here offers a base for occupation and experimentation, and from there, any way of living it is equally valid. The more diversity and freedom that characterizes experiences, the more striking they become.The system was complete. The challenge now was to find the best way to present and communicate it, both to the jury and, mainly, to ourselves. Production Due to our geographical separation, it became even more pertinent to organize a work system based on a division of tasks. Because some of us were working remotely, the need to have a clear, structured, and divided work plan became even more evident and crucial. In order to transmit maximum energy into the production part, it was important to establish a sort of base in Lisbon, where we developed the core of our ideas and where we started producing the physical elements, like the scale model. We started by throwing down on paper the first ideas, researching similar works and diving into images and texts about the place. We posted them on the wall and surrounded ourselves with information. So, in that room, over a defined work matrix, we knew that all the conditions to attack the statement were met. Since it was a competition, it was essential to understand, from the beginning, which information was the most important. We were looking for the best solution to expose it in a way that the passing message could be understood. The awareness of the support, of the space occupied by the drawings and elements to be produced and of their assertiveness was important for us to launch ourselves into the program and not to open too much space for deviations. In this initial phase, no matter how many elements we produce or how many ideas we have, we believe that the power of synthesis and the capacity for pragmatism should always accompany us. Furthermore, we believe it is an additional value to look at other competitions, other peers’ panels, or even previous editions of the competition we are entering. So, we defined a layout, a work base. We knew how much space we had available and in what scales we could work. From then on, the discussion was about the choice of language, typology, the position of the drawings on the sheet and, in fact, the choice of the elements themselves. In a very pragmatic way, we arrived at the plan-elevation representation. We knew - because the model had already helped us in this respect - that the question of topography was quite revealing. From the particularity of the terrain being organized in terraces, where it was possible to guess a kind of common aspects between agricultural and artistic practice, emerged the ambition to develop the hostel program along its topography by using it, subtly forming it, and finally becoming part of it. Basically, our idea was to fix the program along a large slope, in a kind of territorial acupuncture. While we were defining our expectation, the increase in direct proportion, the dimensions of the drawings and the number of elements that we wanted to present, started being visible. In this sense, the plan-elevation revealed itself to be an exceptional element. Not only

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did it allow us to combine two elements of representation into one but it also helped us to transmit (in a more assertive way) this intention that the hostel was going to develop down the mountain, respecting the natural slope. Besides the production of these more traditional architectural representations - such as the plans – we felt the need to add a kind of narrative of the place we

were creating. We started by imagining what it would be like to exist in that place and what impact it could have on the artistic production of the visitors and inhabitants. So, in a spontaneous way and through quick sketches with some detail, we decided to idealize a kind of atmospheres of that place. Basically, through this kind of experimentations on reality, we realized that the most appropriate way to transmit the experience of that place and context would be through a more plastic language as opposed to creating a set of hyper-realistic images. Because we had come across David Hockney’s work on another occasion relatively recently, it seemed to make sense to refer to this author. The plasticity of his works and the ability to portray in the middle of the reality and abstraction fascinated us. Since this was a refuge for artists in search of inspiration, the space we were creating should also be permeable to different interpretations, as

the work of artistic production and creation is. Furthermore, we believed it to be purely our interpretation of a created narrative that we were sharing with the jury. We also were leaving the possibility for those who saw our panels to feel either familiar with our interpretation or available to dream. Communication The way we would communicate our ideas was the subject of many discussions. We knew that we wanted to show the project with distinct elements but, at the same time, they could transmit the notion of continuity and complementarity. Each one was revealing a part of the project but together - its totality. In this way, the plans and the section, with a hermetic and mathematical language, intend not only to respond to the programmatic needs imposed by the competition but also to formalize the architectural project. Thus, they reveal the relationships created between the project and the site. They clarify the functioning and articulation of the system created. With the application of textures, which bring the drawings closer to the intended reality, we sought to amplify the relationships between the built and natural environments so that they would become as evident as possible. In the atmospheres, we searched for the daily appropriation of the spaces. The insertion of common objects, plants, books and, mainly, characters reflect the needs. On one hand, they help understand how the spaces can be used. On the other, they communicate their habitability and intimacy. The process of collage, with images, textures, and characters, organized layer by layer in photoshop, distances itself from the realism of rendering, connoting perspective, deliberately, with a pictorial tone. Thus, the representations aspire to a figurative dimension that makes them able to tell their own story. The literal references denounce our intentions and are decisive to understand the ambiente of the idealized space. In our opinion, this technique proved to be effective in communicating the potential use of the spaces, as well as highlighting and valuing their main characteristics: volumetry, geometry, matter, texture, light and shadow. In the descriptive narrative we chose to transmit the spaces we projected through a first-person discourse. The creation of a fictional character is born from the same curiosity to live and feel the spaces we create and, at the same time, the will to invite the reader to a personal experience, aspiring to a direct dialogue between us and those who visit us.

What remains The way we approached this competition was crucial for our development. In fact, the will to put into practice ideas that the four of us had been exploring for some time, twitched in our fingers. We might wonder which came first, the idea or the sketch, since the first drawings were already vibrating, (almost) unthinkingly, inside us. But the question we faced at the end was: what remains after this experience? Really, we only now stopped to reflect on this question. Most of the time we assimilate things as natural in our subconscious but when we relive the moment, we quickly come to the conclusion that it was not just any experience. It was, in fact, our first real competition. A backstage where we could share our sensations. There were no teachers, no students. There were four great, different friends, with a common ambition: to stage ideas, experiences, desires. We dare to say that the “target audience” would not be the jury of this competition, but ourselves, in a feeling of wanting to go as far as possible and to exceed our expectations - high, but still timid. For us, it is clear, that everything we do, both as students and in our professional life, is an open-ended process. Just as architecture is not watertight, we tend to believe there is no one modus operandi, no one model for all competitions. The sharing of experiences that resulted from this competition will naturally be different from the next, and so on; each competition is singular, but the method adopted is plural, mutable, and adaptable to circumstances.Therefore, we do not want to wrap this experiencie up with a list of things to do (or of things we did), but rather our true perception about this project, about facing this specific competition, which will certainly lead to many others.

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1st prize

project name

A Night at the Museum author

Tatiana Skorduli

The Living Museum With the aim of imagining a museum capable of breaking with the conventions of the traditional, the challenge of this competition was to integrate an accommodation program in the heart of the Nivola Museum’s park. Competitors were therefore asked to imagine and design creative and unconventional proposals to host those tourists intent on traveling through the Sardinian inland, and the international artists who periodically reach the museum to set up their own exhibitions. The awarded projects were able to interpret the context in a highly sensitive way, experimenting with different architectural approaches capable of creating unique and original scenarios. It is clear to notice that both the history of Costantino Nivola and his works of art, as well as the natural features of the site, have been key factors in the design of the best proposals.

Russia

T

he heritage of the italian artist Costantino Nivola is concentrated in his homeland, Orani. The Nivola museum’s collection is growing and the body of the museum are constantly expanding. Both the museum’s program and new contemporary features are being integrated: ‘today the Nivola art collection is becoming more and more the cultural and social reference point of the town and the entire surrounding region’, as stated in the brief. The large territory of the Sardinian olive grove overlooking the panorama of the city of Orani is perceived not only as an opportunity to accommodate tourists-visitors overnight and thereby keep them in the area. In my proposal, this area is primarily an extension of the museum, and the main function remains to exhibit the

Organized by TerraViva Competitions, in collaboration with the Nivola Museum, the competition was open to students, architects, designers, artists, makers, activists and anyone interested in the fields of design an architecture.

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magnificent works of art of Nivola, but in a more natural environment – in the open air among the olive trees. As the art garden in his courtyard on Long Island. For each sculpture I propose a special stylobate that emphasizes and articulates the sculpture. And the rooms are located in the thickness of this stylobate. A night at the museum is a unique experience. A night at the museum should be remembered as something special. Therefore, I do not strive to comply with the standards and rules for designing rooms for daily rent, but on the contrary, I try to get away from the usual forms, inscribing the living space in the “back room” of the museum. Each room has a window towards the city and a door yet to be found. In my proposal, 7 artifacts are presented, loosely placed on the territory, depending on the relief, view axes and the location of olive trees. Living spaces are hidden in five artifacts, the remaining two are common spaces intended for leisure and communication of guests, social and cultural events etc. The stage with a breathtaking view of the city serves as a platform for performances not only in the museum, but also for the comune of Orani.

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2nd prize

2nd prize

project name

Almost Commemorative authors

Maple Lin Xinwei Chen (Atelier XX) USA

the past – the future The town of orani is at a state of instability, brought by the confrontation between its past and present, between the abandoned mining activities and the growing yet interrupted tourism, between the decaying local villagers and the rising yet seasonal visitors. During the last century, mining activities had played a central role in the villagers’ everyday life. As time passes, the town’s social role changes, so do its demographic features and core value: as local villagers move out to seek new opportunities, tourists are attracted to orani by its new core value built upon memories – the Nivola Museum. the monumental – the ordinary The new spatial condition is the transformation of the ordinary to the monumental. As the act of mining lose its substantial value, it becomes a symbol that is given commemorative significance. While the museum celebrates commemorative significance as a form of monument that is differentiated from the ordinary, the project proposes an alternate interpretation of the confrontation between the ordinary and the monumental: apposition. The present ordinary is captured within the form of monumental, where both are given commemorative significance, where the otherwise unrecognized ordinary becomes just as memorable as the monumental. The detached – the collaged While other landmarks in the village follows rows of houses organized along topography, the museum’s distant location and strong geometric forms detach it from the village’s spatial fabric. The museum is a collage of adaptively used pitched roof houses, an added stone-walled pavilion, and an outdoor artificial garden. These different spatial collages are anchored on the artworks exhibited, on their commemorative significances, when the village and the museum are collaged, anchoring on commemorative object, a new special condition is produced.

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2nd prize

The object – the non-object When the ordinary and the monumental are confined by the same spatial dimension, monumentality is no longer defined by scale, but solely by its properties as an object. As the regular grid cuts into the hill, the topography is divided, and individual monoliths extracted. These monoliths become objects while voided unitary space within the grid becomes non-object. Extracted monoliths are sculptured, then placed back into some of the unitary spaces created by the grid. They are now object to be viewed. The appreciated – the experienced The blocks of grid that cuts into terrain creates two realms. It defines, within itself, identically dimensioned space created from excavation – the experienced realm. Fully enclosed space are four guest rooms, two studios, a resting lobby and a public restroom, while the open space become courtyards that host the excavated and sculpted monoliths. Here, spaces are experienced in the form of ordinary wander and encounters. Spiral stairs in some of the courtyards connect the experienced realm to the upper platform - the appreciated realm. Here the monoliths are monuments, protected, controlled, to be viewed at distance. It is a living museum where sculpted monoliths anchor the two realms: the ordinary “living” experienced in space within the grid coupled with the monumental “museum” above where objects are appreciated.

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3rd prize

3rd prize

project name

Becoming Landscape authors

Nicolò Galeazzi Martina Salvaneschi (Associates) Collaborators: Pietro Alfano, Leonardo Brancaleoni, Vladimir Boaghe, Alessandro Martin, Carlo Tamai Italy

T

he proposal for the Nivola Museum’s accommodation facility is the result of a careful study of the site, of its history and of the analysis of the spontaneous architecture that dots and has dotted the Sardinian hinterland for centuries. This Architecture is characterised by a strong introverted and defensive character, based on the profound bond between man and the land. It is precisely this link between man and land that gives rise to the idea of designing a reception structure that allows the user to live the authentic and symbolic experience of descending into the bowels of the earth. A long retaining wall, built using the local raw earth construction system, unfolds like a line that follows the curves of the land. The line physically and metaphorically connects the museum to the pre-existing dry-stone wall, where a small cavea for outdoor meetings has been added. Our intention is to design a narrative sequence of experiences that have to do with the memory of these places. Leaving the museum square to the south, one -flnds himself in a walk among the many olive trees, in which one can recognize stairs leading up to the rooms. Descending symbolically and physically into earth, we find ourselves inside rooms that has a relation with the outside, framing the landscape. The project does not insist on defining a particular form, but rather conceives architecture as a question of relationships generated by geometry and perceptions. An architecture conceived to disappear and become landscape.

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Golden Mentions

Honorable Mentions

project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

ZARRA PAVILIONS

MAKING RETREAT

Inhabit Edges

Porte Aperte

ground // cut

Casted Cabins

authors

authors

Enrico Vito Sciannameo Edoardo Daniele Stuggiu

Man Yan Milly Lam Ziwei Paula Liu

authors

authors

authors

authors

Benedetta Badiali, Gloria Aiolfi

Zsuzsa Peter

Italy

Hong Kong

Silvia Diaz, Emma Filippides, Quinn Giroux, Benjamin Rea

Nathaniel Banks, Yidian Liu (BLDG), Daniel Asoli, Dongmin Shin

Ilaty

Austria

Italy, UK, USA

USA

project name

project name

project name

project name

Working Materials

Living Museum

Folding Connection

TO (GATHER) ORANI

authors

Natasha Lvova

authors

authors

Martino Bonfioli, Carlo Giovanni Bernyak

Maria Arez Lopes, Sarah Malinowski, Vicente Mateus

Italy

Portugal, Germany

Karine Szekeres, Nicolas Wicart (études) Klaudia Adamiak

authors Russia

Belgium project name

project name

Living Studioli

Standing Stones

author

authors

Marlene Sophie Mezger Sophie Marie Schmidt Natalia Wyrwa

Louis Bauchet Julie Siol (l’atelier basic)

Germany, Poland

France project name

project name

Ia Sophia

UNDER

author

author

Juan Pablo Lopez Isabella Uruguay

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Sébastien Bonnerot (SUPER BUENO STUDIO) France

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

How we won that competition author

Tatiana Skorduli Russia

in all its manifestations. I realize how careful interventions should be, especially considering the current location – a small town in the middle of the Mediterranean island in Italy. In Russia, where I come from, on the contrary, reverence for the new and neglect of heritage prevail. Knowing the two extremes gives me special professional vision – so it is a challenge for me to be able to find a balance between those, a compromise. Sometimes the familiar location and theme of the competition prompts you to participate. In contrast, unfamiliar subject can discourage you. But looking from the other side, this could be an occasion to learn something new for yourself. Getting started is always a research including a standard list: natural, historical, social, and other contexts, characters, probably visiting a site. While gathering information, I find it very important to hear and track my own reactions in response to each studied feature of the topic: feelings, memories, references, experience.

Architectural competition is a great opportunity to strain your architectural brains on a clearly articulated task. It is almost impossible to receive such a task from a real client in your professional life, but this is exactly what you are dreaming about. On the websites of architectural periodicals, you can find descriptions of current competitions - tasks, jury composition, geographic locations, requirements for participation, awards, the possibility of realization. All you have to do is go through them and choose one according to your taste. When your work and your idea is rewarded - it becomes the best motivator, the engine for moving forward! After my recent graduation and the Master’s, which usually takes place in a stressful mode at a maximum capacity, I had a feeling of creative vacuum: no tasks, no deadlines. Due to the circumstances and the inability to work at that moment, I decided to try myself in the architectural competitions. Previously, I had experience of participating in competitions in collaboration with friends or colleagues, but I never did it alone. This was an important psychological step. The Living Museum Competition organized by the TerraViva attracted me with its program and location. The idea of integrating an accommodation program together with a small-scale museum got me hooked. It perfectly reflects trends and meets modern life changes: mix everything with everything, multi-functionality, mobility, blurring boundaries. The COVID added fuel to the fire - the pandemic has pushed the world for a re-thinking and re-evaluation of such fundamental life concepts as housing, home, temporary housing, etc. Typology of accommodation, very standardized and therefore boring, could undergo an amazing transformation. Transformation both in the physical sense, responding to the already existing structure program of the museum, and in the ideological sense, entering into a cultural dialogue with the theme of the museum. Breaking standards is always an intriguing challenge for an architect. The second feature was the geographical context of the museum. I am more or less familiar with the location of the competition: living in Italy for 5 years, I see that here, as nowhere else, there is a special attitude to history

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Costantino Nivola. Honestly, the artist was not familiar to me. The museum’s website provides a lot of materials about his personality (a detailed biography) and his art (an archive of works). As a versatile artist he had several stages of creative evolution, followed by various works: from huge wall murals for modernist lobbies to intimate terracotta figurines. Here are some of the keywords: paintings, nature, femininity, stone sculptures, terracotta figurines, sand-casting technique, sculpture, art garden, the open-air room, friendship with modernists, Sardinian fireplace, pergola and more. Doubtless, there was a lot to be inspired by. That’s why at first there was a strong desire to imitate one of his creative ideas (I hardly restrained myself from it). After studying these materials, a strong impulse arose in relation to this artist. I felt the strength and harmony in his works and I could not stop downloading the images of his works. In total, the very first impression that I noted was the eyeworship caused by his works, an honest admiration. Taking into account the growth of the collection and body of the museum, initially I interpreted the task of the competition as another “extension” of the museum, another chapter in its history. I respected the layering created by past contributors, each author enriched the museum with his own touch, both inside and outside. To understand these connections, it was necessary to model existing buildings and place them in the urban and natural context. Finding and understanding this relationship also gives possible directions for the development of the idea. After analyzing the existing structure of the museum, I highlighted this particular fragment, shown below, about the composition of three: sculpture, olive tree, rocky ground. Since my attention was focused on his works, I wanted to emphasize, literally lift them to a pedestal. I did not perceive them in a white enclosed space, typical for a museum voids, I needed a certain background and an open air. A large area with rows of olive trees, rough stone landscape,

hilly slope and panoramic view of the city - the perfect background was already there! The competition brief called for small-scale detailed elaboration of units, rather than a conceptual rethinking of them, but I decided to follow my sensory perception and propose another extension of the museum. A night at the museum is a unique experience. A night at the museum should be remembered as something special. It means engaging in secrecy, trespassing, risking. Reflecting on this topic, I remembered films about fraud and theft of art objects

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from the museum, when the characters hid in the back room to remain unnoticed, and waited for the nightfall. The title of my project - “Night at the Museum” - was taken from the title of the Hollywood movie that instantly conveys a sense of mystery + entertainment. Keeping an atmosphere of secrecy in my head, I came up with the idea to hide the living rooms so that the residents could go unnoticed, dissolve in the museum garden. Even the entrance door has to be found. Thus, the required accommodation program was deliberately hidden, inserted in the “back room” of the museum. The obtained space for temporary living in the thickness of the stylobate is intended to be tense, awkward and unusually tight. I deliberately take the tenant out of their comfort zone as I have defined this experience of the user as my goal. For me, the task of the competition was not only to provide a connection between the living rooms and the museum, but also between the residents and the artist. As an option, I thought about the possible physical contact of the tenant with the piece of art by placing it in the rooms. But this idea did not work, because in this case the private space became public and vice versa... As a result, the resident lives inside the base of the sculpture. In my opinion, such a spatial relationship gives a sense of engagement, makes the resident feel that he is also a hidden part of the exhibition. After that the concept was confirmed. It was necessary to think over an illustration that would immediately explain my idea. Stylobate is an extended volume cut into a steep terrain. An extremely narrow rectangular space is formed in its thickness. A full-wall window allows you to break out of this compressed space and relieve tension. The width of the accommodation unit is equal to the width of the double bed with a side passage, the height is about 6-8 meters. Everything that remained was to add the tenderness of the fluttering transparent fabric by the window and let the light in. I used a collage technique in Adobe Photoshop. The model was primitive. The mood and perception of the picture is transmitted through space, light and view to the landscape. This is the key view, it pops up in the head immediately after the main idea is developed.

How we won that competition

to intensify the narrowness of the space. Thick walls keep warm in winter and cool in summer. In my proposal, the 7 artifacts are presented on the site. All of them are placed on the territory depending on the relief oriented towards the city and are located between the rows of olive trees. Living spaces are hidden in five artifacts, the remaining two are common spaces intended for leisure and communication of guests, social and cultural events, etc. This includes an open-air communal room and an event area. In the communal room, I put together items that directly refer to the artist. It is a closed perimeter room with an open ceiling and 3-meter high wall. Looking above one can see the sky and olive branches hanging down on the sides open. The floor is covered with sand drifting from the wind and changing pattern (sand-casting technique invented by Nivola as a reference). There is also a Sardinian traditional fireplace, which is going to work as a gathering place for residents, artists or visitors due to the activities, workshops. The second common artifact is the scene. It is a flat square open to the city. The stage with a breathtaking view of the city serves as a platform for performances not only in the museum, but also for the commune of Orani. In my proposal, the 7 artifacts are presented on the site. All of them are placed on the territory depending on the relief oriented towards the city and are located between the rows of olive trees. Living spaces are hidden in five artifacts, the remaining two are common spaces intended for leisure and communication of guests, social and cultural events etc. This includes an open-air communal room and an event area. In the communal room, I put together items that directly refer to the artist. It is a closed perimeter room with an open ceiling and 3-meter-high wall. Looking above one can see the sky and olive branches hanging down on the sides open. The floor is covered with sand drifting from the wind and changing pattern (sand-casting technique invented by Nivola as a reference). There is also a Sardinian traditional fireplace, which is going to work as a gathering place for residents, artists, or visitors due to the activities, workshops. The second common artifact is the scene. It is a flat square open to the city. The stage with a breathtaking view of the city serves as a platform for performances not only in the museum but also for the commune of Orani.

When the concept with stylobates and inhabitable rooms in their thickness was formed, I determined the main viewpoints which better represent the concept. I’m interested in verticality of the pictures (a sculpture and a bed below it). In the end I got 3 vertical pairs in a row, and I placed axonometric drawings of the rooms on the sides of the panel. Next, I was engaged in a design of the general axonometry and the master plan. As mentioned above, the artifacts were scattered over the steep relief, so the important part was to show the contrasting terrain with shadows. Rows of olive trees also should be shown, because the units are situated between the trees and not vice versa. To summarize, I would like to say that the main outcome of the design process is a strong concept. The architect’s message must remain clear and readable. Regardless of the scale of the project. If the components of the design organically follow the concept, if there’s a visible and noticeable hierarchy of the techniques, it is a true sign that the idea is good. All subsequent methods must be subordinated to the main idea, nothing must appear out of nowhere, otherwise the hierarchy may crumble and all the work will lose its ideological framework.

According to the competition brief, the number of rooms should not exceed 8. I had different types of stylobates I could design: a flat stylobate, a stylobate at an angle, a stylobate with stairs, filled with water or with sand, carved into the rock. The interior space of each room was similar. Moving on to the planning solution, each unit has a basic “hotel” set, which includes a shower + toilet, a storage room, a double bed, and a desk with a chair. The entrance zone, storage and toilet were lower while the height of the living space was exaggerated. The material of my intervention is a stone. The stone wall, which can be seen in one of the buildings of the museum, seemed to me a very organic solution - the volume is disguised as a terrain. This is exactly the property of the material that I needed to dissolve the living units into the landscape. I also leave the raw stone inside rooms

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project name

Elementary School authors

Senegal Elementary School Archstorming keeps working on humanitarian architecture and this new competition takes us to Senegal (Africa), a country with regions where only 50% of school-age children have access to education and where classrooms are often crammed with up to 80 students per class due to the limited number of structures. In this project Archstorming collaborated with the NGO Let’s Build My School (LBMS), a UK registered charity which was founded in 2016 to build schools in developing countries with a particular focus on remote areas which lack educational facilities. Beyond delivering structures built using locally sourced, sustainable, recycled materials, LBMS researches and applies construction techniques which do not require any prior technical skills in construction so that the local community may be able to replicate the process and help to further develop their village long after LBMS has left. Archstorming was calling for proposals to design an elementary school in Marsassoum, Senegal. The school that is currently being used is built using bamboo walls and zinc roofs and it is in very bad conditions. The classrooms rarely survive the rainy season and that results in the cancellation of classes and students failing their academic year. This competition looked for innovative and low-cost construction techniques in order to replace this temporary school with built structures. One of the most important aspects of this competition was to inspire people so they can build their own houses using the same technique once the construction of the school has finished.

Santiago Osorio Carlos Peña Mauricio Suárez Colombia

idea What is the duty of architecture in developing areas? Trying to solve this question, we challenge ourselves to develop a project that would seek to weave society, that could benefit, become an important center and enhance the quality of the community. Consequently, the project proposes an outdoor space that welcomes the visitors, a small square open to everyone that serves as an extension area for the school and the library which is carefully located to be a knowledge platform not only for the students but the whole community outside. general description The project is planned on one single level to reduce the construction cost; the spaces are arranged so as to create an open central area aiming to respect and highlight the existence of the tree where different kind of activities take place. The spaces are also designed to conform the perimeter of the plot, giving an image of unity and defining clear boundaries easy to

The new school will need 7 classrooms, a library, two offices, and latrines. In addition, each contestant could optionally include a canteen, an orchard and a small corral in the facility. Expert judges with experience in Africa, such as Francesca Vittorini and Andrea Tabocchini from Italy, Tore Grimstad from Norway, Ulrich Röhlen from Germany, Zani Gichuki from Kenya, ColectivoMEL from Portugal or Marc Thorpe from the USA thoughtfully selected the five winners and ten honorable mentions of the competition.

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1st prize

control. The orchard and corral areas are located in front of the canteen, thus facilitating the provision of the necessary supplies in the preparation area. construction process Foundation: A linear foundation made with sacks filled with clay, sand and cement is proposed to obtain an optimal transfer of loads to the ground. Enclosure: The walls are made of bricks manufactured on site by Cinva Ram machines with a mold that allows each block to be anchored and thus minimize the use of mortar; these blocks offer enough thermal capacity to keep the interior spaces cool. The wooden doors and windows have frames that allow air circulation even when they are closed, in this way and with the sloped roofs we aim to free the hot air from the inside to the outside. Roof: The metal sheet roofs are subdivided into independent spaces, each roof lays directly on the walls with a system of metal beams that allows us to obtain a large space without additional supports depending on the area planned for each classroom, the roofs are connected to a system of gutters that store water under the surface. In each of the steps we have sought to develop the maximum possibilities of each material in order to obtain the greatest benefit from them in terms of economics, practicality and climate comfort but we have also looked for the creation of a singular architectural image

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2nd prize

project name

The River School

clay, sand and straw, stabilized with a small amount of cement to further speed up the process. Locally-grown bamboo can be used to make trusses supporting the metal roof. The restroom places the latrine pit close to the street, where it has a service door for easy access by cleaning services. Specialty toilets like the SaTo system can provide a more hygienic experience for the latrines at low cost.

authors

Prathyusha Viddam Tina Gao Amy Zhang USA

L

’Ecole du Fleuve draws its inspiration from the river along whose bank the village of Marsassoum sits, while paying homage to the tradition of making and using buckets and baskets in Senegal. Just as the river is central to the region’s cultural and economic life, the school becomes a new hub for education, culture and economic opportunity through its use of local materials, affordable construction techniques, and programming. Adopting the idea of a river bend, the building arcs to form a protective courtyard accessed through two delta-shaped entrances. Every classroom and program faces the courtyard, where collective life and community-building unfolds. At its heart is the existing tree. School members can comfortably assemble underneath the tree’s extensive shade, whether informally between classes or for more organized events and celebrations. The doors of the classrooms are made of bamboo screens which can fully open and extend the classroom into the courtyard itself. The school accommodates a small kitchen, where nutritious meals can be made with vegetables grown on-site. Water can be harvested through two methods. The ground in the courtyard is gently terraced to channel rainwater into two percolation ponds. An up to 5m deep hole is drilled in each pond, and a PVC pipe with slots cut along its side is inserted. The pipes recharge water into the ground, rehydrating the existing well. Gutters can also be installed along the roof to collect directly into a tank located in the restroom. The undulating outer façade features adobe bricks made using plastic buckets as molds. The bricks are stacked in a pattern evoking the iconic way women in Senegal balance baskets on their heads, and pay tribute to a humble everyday object from local life. The façade interplays solid material thickness with the lightness produced by the gaps between the bucket-bricks’ tapered silhouettes, letting in sun while ensuring steady ventilation. The load-bearing walls are made of adobe cast in-situ using T-molds, which is a simple and fast way to build using

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3rd prize

3rd prize

project name

Tyoha School authors

Nicole Niava Aude Meissane Kouassi CÔTE D’IVOIRE

spatial design Two phases complete the school’s construction. Phase one provides the maximum number of classrooms (six) with the teacher’s room and the director’s office. Phase two completes the program requirements with one additional classroom, the library, a kiosk/kitchenette, and a sink-in courtyard around the tree for eating and social interaction. The typology of the roof structure brings value to the project by facilitating the collection of rainwater on-site. This architectural element inspired by the Senegalese vernacular construction of the “impluvium” guarantees 4000lts of water to be collected and stored in two water tanks located within the school. Our strategy’s efficiency in materiality, construction, and programmatic distribution will ultimately create a sustainable community while setting an example for future buildings to improve Senegal’s rural construction quality.

design Intent Providing access to education in rural areas, alongside reducing the environmental impact of the construction sector in Senegal, is imperative. With this project, we do not wish to only build a school. We aim to transform the construction process into a training program for the Senegalese youth, bringing awareness to the potential of traditional building materials and the architectural methods of their cultural legacy. Our proposal highlights the use of vegetable fibers associated with recycled and affordable materials into a culturally driven, low technology architecture. introduction to Typha The Typha reed has become invasive in Senegal’s hydrological areas, making it a significant problem in terms of biodiversity, water resource management, health, and economics. Through regional precedence, our proposal formulates an innovative way to reduce Typha’s invasion in the ecosystem. This abundant vegetable fiber is used to produce environmentally friendly building materials on-site. Typha provides excellent thermal insulation in the wall and the roof, eliminating the need to ventilate the classrooms mechanically. Moreover, the use of Typha in construction instead of traditional straw will considerably improve the longevity of the architecture at a lower price. From flooring to the roof, including bricks and finishes, Typha is transformed and associated with recycled materials (tyres, plastic bottles, paint buckets, etc.) as well as locally sourced sustainable materials (Bindura bamboo, sand, laterite clay, fine and coarse aggregate.)

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Special Mentions

Honorable Mentions

project name

project name

project name

project name

project name

The New School Sambou Toura Drame

Sambou Toura Drame School

High School Marsassoum

The Equilibrum

Francesco Casini, Federico Caserta, Fiamma Ficcadenti

Senegal Elementary School

authors

author

Italy

authors

Thiago de Paula Nardelli, Natalia Fernanda Vieira Zoilo, Ana Luiza Devito Cuenca, Marcela Ferro Agulhão

Felix Exton-Smith

authors

Cristina Iordache Ana Dinca Romania

UK

authors

Guillermo Biondo, Javier Cabello, Sebastian Murillo Chile

Brasil

project name

project name

project name

project name

From the Ground Up

Chorale

The AllRound School

Learn, Play, Build. Co-Exist

authors

author

Thomas Grannells, Johnny Sprunt

Gurdev Singh

authors

David Villegas, Paula Castel, Nicole Stephanie Cardona Barbosa

authors

Ludovica Cassina, Cristian Rancati, Antonio Paoletti​ The Netherlands

India

UK

Mexico, Spain, Colombia

project name

Explore, Empower, Experience authors

Kushal Shah, Aasish Janardhan, Edwin James The Netherlands, Italy

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project name

project name

Sambou Toura Drame School

Impluvium Garden

authors

authors

Sean Anderson, Tobias Jimenez, Zaky Ramadhan, Akkarawin Valinluck

Jules Burguet, Julien Sarale, Remi Merchat, Jonathan Tholoniat

USA

France

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How we won that competition

How we won that competition

How we won that competition authors

Santiago Osorio, Carlos Peña, Mauricio Suárez Colombia

Here is our first tip for those who want to participate in architectural competitions or dedicate themselves to the design practice: Do not rush to get to the form. The form of a project or its image does not need to be always extravagant or so different. It is not enough to do a good project and a winning proposal. It is more important to understand what the project is about and around that, what we define as the idea of the project to carry out explorations which in the end we like and generate positive feelings. During the documentation process we study the project from three different contexts: social, cultural and geographical.

The importance of architecture competitions For us as architects, architecture competitions represent a great opportunity to learn, explore and think about projects that we do not always have the chance to design due to the dynamics of our local markets. These competitions also might be understood as the synonyms of a challenges. Their structure doesn´t allow for a frequent interaction with those who promote the project, thus the whole design process is an exclusive reflection and interpretation of the design team. This factor enriches the experience and at the end it is possible to see very clearly the vast variety of proposals and interpretations that can be developed around the same topic. Our interests in the competition For the SENEGAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL entry, we were motivated by every thought described previously as well as by the meaning of creation of an educational project in a developing country. This idea made us even more passionate. Even though Marsassoum (the city for the project in Senegal) is located very far away from our homeland Colombia, we could perceive many similarities with our own context. It made us feel very close to the problem and helped in understanding it better. With all of this in mind and with the faithful conviction that education is the greatest engine for change, we entered the contest organized by ARCHSTORMING. An additional factor that prompted us to participate was the certainty that the winning proposal was going to be materialized. Beginning of process While we are approaching an architecture project, we usually start by questioning ourselves about it. We look for the key questions - what is relevant and what can boost our proposal. In this case, before asking the questions about the project itself, we decided to start by trying to understand the place where our project would be located. Inquire about its history, its geography, its culture, its traditions, the way in which they inhabit and many more allowed us to immerse ourselves in the local culture. In this way we capture the values that the project should have. We had not drawn the first line on paper up to this point. Nevertheless, we felt closer to the design.

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Social context Researching about the social context, we discovered a strong tradition of grouping by families. The territory is occupied by small buildings that grow around a common space. When children grow up or a member marries, they become independent by forming small villages of organic shape and dispersed volumes. For this, the work called “La Vivienda Senegalesa Actual” by Elena Re Tarrero was important for us to understand how these relationships are reflected in their architecture and way of living. Cultural context In our architectural practice we faithfully believe that architecture is a cultural representation and that the built environments communicate a wisdom that reflects our own understanding of the world. Therefore investigating other cultural aspects such as crafts, dances, music, painting, etc. is essential to abstract transferable concepts to the project. For this reason, the project was conceived with a coherent image inspired by traditional architectural expression associated with local materials that have specific characteristics of color and texture. Geographical context The understanding of this topic is essential because the project is a physical element that interacts and is affected by the physical conditions of the place in terms of sunlight, rainfall and wind orientation. All these factors must be resolved. This is not negotiable in architecture. Water management was an essential aspect. The place presents seasons of high rainfall followed by seasons of intense sun, thus creating channeling and storing strategies of water was part of the proposal. The envelope of the project had to allow the passage of the wind while protecting the privacy of the internal spaces. In order to assure these conditions, openwork walls were implemented. It was supported by the materials selection, seeking for solutions obtaining comfort through high coefficient of thermal mass that would keep the internal spaces cool. The lot After understanding the general aspects of the place, we focused on the lot to recognize its relationships with nearby buildings, contiguous

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roads and the role that the project would play in the composition of the city. In this case, one of the main determinants was the presence of a large tree in the middle of the lot. It conditioned the development of the project and defined an intervention path. Pragmatic approach The tree in the lot represented a great opportunity. When we had seen it, we understood that it was a must to keep it and give it the important role it deserved. For this reason, we decided to organize the project around a central courtyard that would structure a pleasant environment generated by the shadow of this great tree. At the same time, we studied different forms of organization. The first exercise we carried out was to transfer the entire program requested in the competition brief to the lot. There we realized that the large amount of area that it occupied was not going to be easy to accommodate under a concept of dispersion which was one of the first ideas related to the construction tradition that we investigated in the documentation stage. In this way, we began to explore the different possibilities of organization. First trying - but without much success - a dispersed distribution, quickly discarding it. We also tried a two-story model to free up more ground space, parallel blocks, small consecutive patios, etc. At this point we can share another tip or advice: Never rule out any possibility. Always try to explore each option and push them to the limit. Only then we can take our projects beyond the limit and be able to make decisions understanding the different results. These explorations are always accompanied by an intrinsic exercise of analysis that allows us to make decisions about design strategies. It means that when we identify access points, visuals, neighboring volumes among other factors, solving the program based on these determinants permit us to analyze, evaluate and decide the system that best responds to the place. During these exercises we agreed to position the entrance in the corner of the lot. It was the space that best adapted to the mobility conditions of the surroundings. It had the ability to better respond to the congregation of several people at a certain time of day - when students enter and when they leave facilitating the dynamics that this moment suggests in a place where parents meet their children, or where students form groups to go home, or even where many will choose to stay for a while to share with others. Therefore, the entrance to the project is more than a threshold. It is a space that welcomes people and serves as a meeting place. After interpreting the relationships between the different uses of the project, we determined the cafeteria positioning. It should be close to the orchard and the corral due to the direct relationship that these spaces had in the production and preparation of food. We also decided to place the bathrooms as a loose volume that would facilitate its maintenance without interrupting other activities. The classrooms,

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due to their large area, occupy most of the lot surrounding the central courtyard which is insinuated as an extension of the interior space of each classroom. While developing the different schemes based on the position of each element and its use, we didn´t only try to look inside the lot but also asked ourselves how this building could serve the people of the community and work in relation to the external elements as well. This is why the library and the restaurant are located on the facade of the project. When it comes to library, it has an auxiliary entrance directly from the street. We wanted to highlight the value of the learning environments in the development of the communities, because we visualize an entire community beneficiating from the project and not just some of them. Formulation of the idea Once we had defined the most convenient scheme for the project based on the conditions of the place, the environment and the program, we examined the work and we wondered about the identity of the proposal. We asked questions such as: Does this project belong to the place? Does this project actually respond to the way of living of local people? And what is this project as an architectural idea? Among many others, they were part of the conversations in the workshop. Another advice that we can mention involves a personal vision. For us, making architecture is about exploration, and this exploration is more fun and fruitful when it is done as a team. We believe that architecture should be debated, discussed. It should be dreamt and drawn. This is why we must be open to share our thoughts without shyness. Something we say can detonate an idea in the mind of another person and help to form a project with bigger value, as a team. While all these questions were going through our heads, we made explorations in 3D models, sketches by hand and talked about the project. Step by step we got closer to the idea that pleased us. We finally decided to compose the entire project as the development of a single constructive element as a single and continuous wall that was developed by creating a series of dynamic spaces, (characteristic of contemporary educational spaces). This, in turn, expressed a constructive clarity ideal for local self-construction. After looking for the most appropriate development of the structure system, we started adding other elements according to it, such as complementary enclosures, openings and doors and their arrangement within the project, among others. As we approached the development of the roof, we were very clear that it had to solve the collection of water for the use of the school. For this reason, we looked for different ways to channel the rain and solve the roof. We tried independent structures, for example continuous roofs, overlapping roofs, etc. Finally, we decided to look beyond the function and find a way to integrate this element to the identity we were looking for. This is why we thought about subdividing each space with a different roof slope. The variation allowed us to have a less monotonous and

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richer image of the project. Differentiating each roof granted us the possibility to resemble traditional constructions that are based on the dispersed grouping of various volumes on the ground. Therefore, we decided that this roof option was the most conducive to solving the water collection requirement in small areas and to convey a project idea closer to the place and culture. Technical and constructive development When the general concept and design strategies in terms of form, function, etc. were defined, we passed on the technical development. It is important to state that we had already considered technical aspects in the beginning of the project and this first technical approach had an influence in the architectural image. Nevertheless, at this point these details were developed with more precision and depth. WALL: For this project we wanted to explore texture in the walls. We looked for a resulting image that would clearly express the construction technic and serve as a reference for the local inhabitants in terms of new ways of building while preserving an appropriate aesthetic for the project. Therefore, we proposed the development of blocks of compacted earth mixed with cement. The technique uses CINVARAM type machines seeking to allow the self-manufacture of bricks. We thought of adding a new mold to the existing machine. As a result, the blocks could have holes that would facilitate their anchoring and round shape terminations allowing continuous curved walls The proposal of this construction system provided us the aesthetic we were comfortable with. Additionally, that would also reduce material costs. TOILETS: The toilets were designed as a dry system that permits the production of compost for agricultural use. The latrines system is at a higher level of the ground allowing the waste to be deposited in a series of chambers that can be accessed from the outside area in order to to remove the compostable material and re-enable the upper latrine. This system is ventilated by means of pipes that aerate the interior space above the roof level. This entire module is isolated from the other spaces of the school in order to facilitate maintenance and correct operation.

How we won that competition

Project representation When the design was complete, it was time to think about the representation of the project. In our case, we wanted to include diagrams with plans and renders, we began by explaining with some graphics the volumetric transformations of the building, the generalities of the composition and the so-called genesis of the project as well. Then we showed general plans covering the necessary information to explain and express the ideas of the entire proposal. We wanted to be strategic with the use of graphics and texts, so we didn´t saturate the boards with too much information. We go from the general ideas to the particular ones, which is a strategy that we recommend, but that will really depend on each project and what each competition is looking for. After preparing the general diagrams, we continued with the explanation of the construction details of the building, the development of the technique and the operation of some important areas and elements such as latrines, walls and classrooms, clarifying concepts that are not shown in the general plans. After defining the series of graphics that strategically best explained the proposal, we sought to unite them in a general composition for the board. Here we can provide another advice: Never forget that we communicate with everything we do. Pay attention to every detail of a presentation, such as choosing a color palette, looking for correspondence between the proportions of different graphics, minimizing the amount of text to the fundamentals and creating a clear and well-organized composition. This part of the work is also part of the design process. By this we mean that the boards were subjected to discussions, design changes and improvements but once each piece fit into the right position the proposal was complete. The importance of the process Each of the previous steps led us to discover the project we were looking for. We firmly believe that the process is sometimes more important than the result. Even before knowing the results of the competition, we already felt enriched by having absorbed the ideas and concepts in the definition of this project. By daring to explore solutions in an unusual context and think of the capacity, we all have to empathize with the needs and conditions of people from another place.

STORAGE TANK: Location of the underground storage tank that will capture all the water from the roofs next to the orchard area is proposed. It has a series of channels that are connected by the use of downspouts. This tank has access from the top and is positioned to favor its maintenance without interrupting the transit to other spaces or the development of other activities. CLASSROOMS: Complementary to the continuous enclosure of the project, a series of openwork walls was proposed. These walls enable the necessary ventilation and lighting for the classrooms. Considering that hot air rises and cold air descends, we set a series of openings in walls in the upper areas of each classroom to favor cross ventilation and air renewal.

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ARCHSTORMING HUMANITARIAN ARCHITECTURE COMPETITIONS ECONOMIC PRIZES + CONSTRUCTION for winning proposals Visit our web site to get more information @archstorming

www.archstorming.com

@architecture_competitions

www.competitions.archi