NEWS

Shelter – Designing within a hurricane shell

ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION

arch out loud challenges participants to design the hurricane resilient home of the future.

Register: APR/02/2021, Submit: APR/03/2021, Eligibility: All designers, professionals, students; individually, teams up to 4 members, Fee: 45 USD (DEC/18/2020 – JAN/26/2021), 65 USD (JAN/27 – MAR/02/2021), 85 USD (MAR/03 – APR/02/2021), Awards: Overall Excellence Award: 5,000 USD, Minimal Home Award: 1,000 USD, Vertical Home Award: 1,000 USD, Extended Home Award: 1,000 USD, 10 Honorable Mentions, Director’s Choice Awards

The year 2020 was officially the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record. Since 1950 the National Hurricane Association has assigned names to each qualifying storm beginning with the letter A and working towards the end of the alphabet. Tropical Storm Arthur began the Atlantic hurricane season in May 2020 and five months later the alphabetical naming system had been exhausted with the formation of Tropical Storm Wilfred. 2020 is only the second year where the Greek alphabet has been required to supplement additional storm names.

Kaira Looro 2021 – Women’s House

ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION

The objective of the competition is the creation of a “Women’s House” in southern Senegal, Africa.

Register: APR/30/2021, Submit: MAY/30/2021, Eligibility: Students, graduates, freelance professionals; individually, teams up to 5 members (at least one member must be between the ages of 18 and 35), Fee: 60 EUR (JAN/16 – FEB/28/2021), 90 EUR (MAR/01 – MAR/28/2021), 120 EUR (MAR/29 – APR/30/2021), Awards: 1st Prize: 5,000 EUR + construction + internship at Kengo Kuma & Associates, 2nd Prize: 1,000 EUR + internship at Miralles Tabgliabue EMBT, 3rd Prize: 500 EUR + internship at SBGA, 2 Honorable Mentions: 100 EUR each, 5 Special Mentions, 20 Finalists, 20 Top 50

The objective of the competition is the creation of a “Women’s House” in southern Senegal, Africa within a symbolic and environmentally friendly structure that is inspired by local traditions. A space in which associations and members of society will be able to meet and discuss the topics of equality and human rights, guaranteeing involvement and emancipation of the female community in favour of the region’s social, economic, and political development. Gender equality is, in fact, not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary condition for a prosperous world. Ensuring that everyone has equal access to education, medical care, and employment, as well as a presence in decision making processes, will promote a sustainable economy that benefits society and humanity as a whole.

House in Tsukuba

ARCHITECTURE PROJECT

Location: Tsukuba, Japan, Architects: Aisaka Architects’ Atelier, Photographs: Shigeo Ogawa

Overview, site, and key characteristics. Located on a relatively spacious corner lot in a residential neighborhood in the city of Tsukuba, this residence with a number of hobby rooms was designed as a place for the client to live while working in a different city from his family. The client, who is athletic and enjoys playing squash and working out, plans to use part of the house as a members-only gym in the future, making the design brief similar to that for a combined home and business. Although there are apartment buildings and other residences to the east and west of the lot, it is bordered on the north by a restaurant parking lot and on the south by a lush, quiet park, and naturally the client wanted to take advantage of these views.

Ancient Tree Civilization and Residence Future International Architectural Design Competition

ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION

Building or a cluster of buildings should deal with the relation of trees.

Register: APR/11/2021, Submit: APR/11/2021, Eligibility: Individually; teams with an unlimited number of members (team leaders must be professional architects), Fee: Free, Awards: 1st Prize: 1,500,000 CNY (Chinese Yuan Renminbi) (approx. 229,880 USD) (pre-tax); 2nd Prize (5 entries): 200,000 CNY (approx. 30,650 USD) (pre-tax) each; Top 30; Top 100

Trees are doubtlessly deemed as a natural symbol, but we have always abstractly held a discussion on how architecture should treat the issues of the nature. If we directly interpret the abstract issues to concrete ones, the discussion would be how a building or a cluster of buildings should deal with the relation of trees. Trees are the embrace of the earth. If trees disappear, humans will disappear too. Forests have existed since the time when humans were born. Ancient trees or famous trees are all the precious capital of the nature which are witnesses to the evolution of the nature. We shall guard these ancient trees or famous trees throughout the world and create a coexistence future of sustainability both for humans and trees and forests. Ancient trees and humans will continue to breed in an endless succession.

Tiny Library 2021

ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION

Participants are to design a Tiny Library optimized for 100 users with multifunctional spaces for all ages.

Register: APR/22/2021, Submit: APR/30/2021, Eligibility: Everyone, professionals, students; individually, (interdisciplinary) teams up to 3 members, Fee: Indians: 1,800 INR, foreigners: 70 USD (JAN/04 – MAR/12/2021); Indians: 2,400 INR, foreigners: 85 USD (MAR/13 – APR/22/2021); +18% Tax, Awards: 1st Prize: 2,000 USD, 2nd Prize: 1,200 USD, 3rd Prize: 800 USD, 10 Honorable Mentions

The Tiny Library is to be equipped with traditional reading material including modern formats like e-books, audiobooks, audiovisual books, etc. The space designed should function as a centralized think tank for the local communities with an aim to boost public interactions and community development. Participants are to consider a ordability and optimum usage of space while designing. The designed space should be augmented to hold a maximum number of books in a limited space. The structure should not exceed 400 m2 of built-up area and should also be easy to maintain by its users. With libraries being a landmark to their surroundings, the design proposal should be iconic, inviting, and should create a statement of its own on the chosen site. Energy-saving components and sustainability are to be taken into account as well. The proposed design should be able to strike a balance between humans and their natural surroundings.

Meeting point MEXTRÓPOLI 2021

ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION

Arquine Competition No.23 invites you to design the meeting point in the public space, where we will keep a safe distance.

Register: JAN/25/2021, Submit: JAN/29/2021, Eligibility: Architects, architecture students; individually, teams (may be interdisciplinary with professionals or students from other disciplines – recommended with architect or architecture student), Fee: 1,250 MXN (Mexican peso), international registration: 60 USD (AUG/17 – OCT/19/2020); 1,500 MXN, international registration: 75 USD (OCT/20/2020 – JAN/25/2021), Awards: 1st Place: 100,000 MXN (around 4,492 USD) + construction, 2nd Place: 50,000 MXN (around 2,246 USD), 3rd Place: 25,000 MXN (around 1,123 USD), Mentions

In uncertain times, we ask ourselves what to do in the public space during MEXTRÓPOLI 2021. For the past five years, the Arquine Competition has called for the design and construction of a pavilion that, temporarily inserted in the city, would allow the interaction between architecture and the citizenship. We know that the pandemic has changed and will continue to change how we live, but to what extent? After twenty-two years summoning specific ideas and proposals, Arquine (Mexico City) invites you to speculate on new ways of using the public space, focused on the design of a meeting point where proximity and encounter are the mail characteristics.

Beirut Terraces

Location: Beirut, Lebanon, Architects: Herzog & de Meuron, Photographs: Iwan Baan, Bahaa Ghoussainy, Trevor Patt

ARCHITECTURE PROJECT

The city of Beirut lies in the heart of the developing Middle East. Having always been a cosmopolitan city, it is a focal point of the region as a cultural and geographical link between Europe and the Middle East. The history of Beirut could hardly be more diverse; remains of Phoenician, Roman, Mamluk, Ottoman and Colonial rule have shaped the city and its buildings. The design of Beirut Terraces was quite literally influenced by the layers of the city’s rich and tumultuous history. It is a history now also marked by inescapable traces of an eventful present. For generations to come, the people of Beirut will remember the assassination in 2005 of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, when a car bomb detonated in front of St. Georges Hotel. The resultant devastation is still visible as a daily reminder. Despite a scarred history, there is a clear vision to rehabilitate the area, with a master plan well under way that aims to rebuild and revitalize this part of Beirut.

Between Two White Walls

Location: Quarteira, Portugal, Architects: Corpo Atelier, Photographs: Ricardo Oliveira Alves

ARCHITECTURE PROJECT

Empty plots of similar shapes and sizes are aligned along a golf course, setting a frame for new urbanization of detached houses. Nothing was built. Due to the degree of uncertainty regarding future constructions, the house becomes introverted. Two white walls (almost) completely withdraw any direct contact from future neighbors, setting clear boundaries. Between them, an architectural inner landscape of cubic shapes, each arranging a single function, provides a sense of security and protection while carefully framing the distant landscape. Only a horizontal volume, containing the swimming pool, contradicts this logic projecting itself to the South, emerging from the walls to offer a possibility of volunteered exposure, for a brief moment, before returning to the house.

Franklin Mountain House

ARCHITECTURE PROJECT

Location: El Paso, Texas, United States, Architects: Hazelbaker Rush, Photographs: Casey Dunn

The Franklin Mountains extend into the north end of El Paso like a peninsula of rocky wilderness into the urban landscape of the city, rising 2500 feet above the Rio Grande river valley. The home site is set in the foothills of the Franklins 800 feet above the city perched just above a small canyon with unobstructed views of downtown El Paso and Juarez to the south. As the raw and rugged native landscape comes down the slope and meets the masses of the house the land starts to feel more controlled and cultivated. The steep site becomes a series of terraces that catch and slows the flow of water and the flow of life here. This mountain side oasis becomes enriched with native succulents and cacti, colorful grasses and aromatic herbs. A sustainable ecosystem on a small scale for a family that has turned a “hard” site into their sanctuary on the hillside.

Cantilever House

ARCHITECTURE PROJECT

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Architects: Design Unit Sdn Bhd, Photographs: Lin Ho Photography

The steeply sloping site for this 7000 sf house, orientated approximately east-west, falls by 11.5 m from the road to the rear with rainforest views to the east of this 7000 sf house. The house is designed to ‘float’ over the site – touching it lightly, and allowing the natural slope to remain, heightening our awareness to & informing us about the natural site contours. Consisting 2 independent structures – a 2 storey living & bedroom block constructed of exposed structural steel supported on a ‘forest’ of irregular spaced columns that enhance the feeling of ‘floating’. This steel structure is cantilevered over a lower independent structure housing an art gallery & cinema and is constructed of off-form concrete and includes a green roof garden and swimming pool.