Competition brief
Design Competition
iConcept Award 2023
Key Dates
*All times are in UTC
Prizes
Ideas for Change
Eligibility
Jinsu Park is an architectural designer currently working in Switzerland with previous work experience in S. Korea, USA, Canada and Japan. He has obtained his Bachelor's in Architectural Studies at the University of Waterloo in Canada and is in the process of obtaining his Master's of Science in Architecture at the Mendrisio Academy of Architecture in Switzerland. Jinsu has an interest in human scale design and the vernacular of different regions all over world. His work has been exhibited globally including in Canada, Japan and most recently at the 17th Venice Architectural Biennale in 2021.
Michael Fohring is a co-founder of Odami, a Toronto-based design studio. The studio’s work ranges from architectural design to interiors, furniture, and small objects, and has won local and international awards, including the Designlines Designer of the Year, an AN Interior Award, and a Canadian Interiors Award. Through challenging the conventions of typology and traditional building techniques, the studio’s focus is to produce work which is highly contextual and well-crafted, yet playful and unexpected. Prior to starting Odami, Michael worked in architectural offices in Montreal, Toronto, and Austria. In addition to the work of the studio, Michael has maintained a regular role as a sessional instructor since 2017, teaching at both the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Interior Design and the University of Waterloo School of Architecture. Michael completed his B.Sc.Arch and M.Arch degrees at McGill University in Montreal, where he was named to the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Honour Roll, and was awarded the AIA Henry Adams Medal and the RAIC Student Medal. Michael was also named amongst 30 international designers under 30 in 2018, awarded by the New York City-based One Club for Creativity.
Arancha González Bernardo (B.Sc.Arch, M.Arch: ETSAC, A Coruña, Spain; BCIN) is a Spanish architect and co-founder of Odami, an architectural and design firm based out of Toronto, Canada. Founded in 2017, the studio focuses on residential and commercial projects, supplemented with material experimentation and furniture and object design. Prior to co-founding Odami, Arancha worked in offices in Spain, Austria, and Canada, collaborating on projects in cities across Europe and North America. Arancha completed her studies in Architecture at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura in La Coruña, Spain, with a specialty in Theory and Design. In addition to Odami, Arancha is a Sessional Lecturer at the School of Interior Design of the Toronto Metropolitan University.
Mark is committed to the exploration of visual compositions and spatial experiences using digital tools. In addition to his architectural training, he has a background in oil painting and building envelope consulting. Having participated in and won multiple design competitions in his time as a student, he is keenly aware of - and always challenging - the boundary between virtual architecture and built architecture. Mark is currently an architectural designer at Henriquez Partners Architects in Vancouver. He Holds a Master of Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the University of Waterloo.
1st Place
The Last Vacation 'The Story of Journey and Death'
In collaboration with Arif Ismail, our project delves into the concept of the "human demise." We aim to develop a new procedure that harnesses the resources and energy generated from a human's death while exploring an alternative where these resources and energy form the foundation of a new architectural dimension within the Cumbria region, specifically in Penrith. Through this endeavor, we seek to create innovative building materials and expand the possibilities of constructing structures. We explored a holistic approach by not solely focusing on the physical infrastructure and operational systems of the premises. It delves deeply into the intricate nuances of human behavior, acknowledging the significance of spatial qualities, lighting, emotions, and cultural backgrounds that are inherently intertwined with the experiences surrounding funerals and death. Moreover, the project is keenly aware of the profound emotions and personal connections associated with funeral rituals and the concept of death. Cultural backgrounds, traditions, and beliefs are thoughtfully integrated into the design and implementation processes. By honoring and respecting diverse cultural perspectives, the project aims to create spaces that resonate with individuals from different backgrounds, fostering inclusivity and understanding. By deeply considering these human behavioral aspects and plug it into the designated infrastructure system, the project strives to create an environment that goes beyond mere functionality. It seeks to provide a profound and meaningful experience for individuals navigating the challenging and sensitive moments associated with funerals and the overall concept of death.
Aiman Hakim Rahman
June 27, 2023
2nd Place
From Fractals to Fabrication: Discovering a Novel Method for Grid-Shell Design
This is an architectural master's project that takes a deep dive into the fascinating world of fractals, and how a their study can enhance the built environment. With a passion for mathematics and a deep curiosity for the natural world, the aim of this project was to explore the relationship between geometry and modern fabrication techniques. As the research progressed, it became evident that fractal geometry holds a wealth of opportunity for digital design, particularly in the development of beautiful grid-shells. By using minimal surfaces and geodesic curves, the study led to the discovery of a novel method of generating grid-shells that are both aesthetically pleasing and efficient. Additionally, the process of increasing the surface area non-uniformly helped gain a deeper understanding of how to add complexity to grid-shells while maintaining their performance. Grid-shells are not only incredibly efficient, but also visually stunning when designed well. This project offers a glimpse into what the future of grid-shell construction could look like, and has even inspired further research into the application of Japanese Kagome Weaving techniques. The ambition for this project is also to encourage a deeper appreciation for the beauty and efficiency of grid-shells as light-weight structures in the built environment. The full project can be found here: tinyurl.com/Prokariopolis Supplementary project research can be found here: tinyurl.com/fractal-dimensions tinyurl.com/developing-fractals tinyurl.com/gridshell-form-finding
Nick Leung
February 26, 2023
3rd Place
TAM GIANG LAGOON CULTURAL ACTIVITIES CENTER
TAM = THREE GIANG = RIVER Tam Giang Lagoon is made up of three rivers: Huong River, Bo River and O Lau River ABOUT THE SITE - TAM GIANG LAGOON Hue is known as the "poem" of urban Vietnam. Following the Huong river to the sea, the intersection between the poetic river and the vast ocean is Tam Giang Lagoon, which contains the idyllic and dear beauty of Hue. Tam Giang Lagoon is also known as the "biological pearl" because it has many rich and diverse natural resources. The reason for the name Tam Giang lagoon is because it is the convergence of three famous rivers in Hue: Huong river, Bo river and O Lau river. Each river has its own characteristics, material and spiritual values, which contribute to creating a Tam Giang lagoon with a diversity of ecosystems and cultures. With the values of nature - culture - history, Tam Giang Lagoon deserves to be studied in order to preserve and promote its inherent values. Before I begin to analyze it further, I seriously outline four specific goals in this project that need to be achieved. The first thing is to protect the natural environment, the ecosystem of Tam Giang lagoon. The second goal is to preserve the traditional cultural beauty of this place. The third goal is aimed at people in the lagoon area, how to make them aware of the great potential values of Tam Giang lagoon, thereby helping to balance the development of the lagoon area and people's lives. My ultimate goal is to promote the image of Tam Giang lagoon to international friends. TAM GIANG LAGOON’S CULTURE Culture has a close relationship between man and nature. Culture is shaped by nature, so the customs and habits of local people here are also shaped very specifically, only Tam Giang lagoon has it. Every year, big festivals such as fishing festival, boat racing festival, art kite flying festival, .. are organized very elaborately, creating a solemn and joyful atmosphere, meaningful to help. connection between man and man, man and nature. In addition, the daily customs and habits in Tam Giang lagoon that often take place such as floating markets, spiritual culture, religion, production forms, .. are all expressed quietly, not too ostentatiously.
Tai Le
July 2, 2023
Honorable Mention
The future is Guarani
"For those who do not understand our language, I will translate. The Guarani people were like a river flowing slowly in its course when a giant stone was thrown into the stream. The water splashed into many corners. And the survivors are here today gathered together," says the Guarani-Kaiowá Anastácio Peralta, under the nodding eyes of his 'relatives' from Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. With this introduction I would like to talk a little about the Guarani people and how they can serve as inspiration for architecture in the future, forming a utopian relationship with nature. The Guarani people of Brazil have a rich cultural heritage that is rooted in their deep connection to the natural world. Their way of life, which emphasized harmony and balance with the environment, can provide inspiration for architects and urban planners as we look towards a more sustainable future. By studying the Guarani's approach to architecture, we can learn how to design buildings that are not only beautiful and functional, but also respectful of the natural world. For the Guarani, architecture was not just about shelter, but about creating spaces that facilitated social interaction and community cohesion. Their traditional buildings were constructed using local materials such as wood, bamboo, and thatch, and were designed to blend in seamlessly with their surroundings. They utilized natural ventilation and lighting techniques to minimize their energy consumption and promote healthy indoor environments. As we strive to create a utopia for our future society, we can draw on the wisdom of the Guarani to design buildings and cities that are in harmony with the natural world, and that promote social interaction, community cohesion, and a sense of well-being. By integrating these principles into our architectural designs, we can create a sustainable future that is both beautiful and functional. The Guarani people, considered the oldest indigenous group in Brazil, possess a rich cultural heritage that has been fragmented due to various social transformations. Understanding the configuration of the first dwellings in the national territory is not only important for historical and cultural memory, but also for understanding the relationship between humans and the living space in contemporary times. To this end, a qualitative research was conducted with a focus on narratives that describe, through documentary and bibliographic records, the customs and relationships that occur within their dwellings. The result is a brief documentation of the origins of cultural diversity, with an emphasis on behavioral approaches from the perspective of housing and the role of women within this society. By studying the architecture of the Guarani people, we can learn valuable lessons about their harmonious relationship with the environment and how to design buildings that are respectful of nature. The traditional dwellings of the Guarani were constructed using locally sourced materials, such as wood and thatch, and were designed to blend seamlessly into the landscape. Furthermore, the role of women within Guarani society is also an important aspect to consider when discussing their dwellings. Women were responsible for the construction and maintenance of the homes, and their knowledge of local materials and building techniques was highly valued. By understanding the architecture and social customs of the Guarani people, we can gain insights into sustainable and respectful building practices that can inform our own approach to architecture and urban planning. Throughout this project, I will not only be discussing the Guarani people, but they were the starting point for the idea. There are many other indigenous communities in Brazil that deserve recognition and attention, including the Xingu tribes, the Yanomami people, the riverine communities, and the isolated tribes. Each of these groups has unique cultural practices, customs, and ways of life that are important to preserve and understand. By exploring the diversity of indigenous communities in Brazil, we can gain a greater appreciation for their contributions to the country's heritage and identity. All images were created using Stable Diffusion Ai.
Matheus Rudo Antoniassi Pereira de Oliveira
April 22, 2023
Honorable Mention
Intentions for São Paulo: Minhocão rehearsal
Through a suggested route, “Intentos por São Paulo: Ensaio Minhocão” provokes all of us, subjects who use, consume and produce the urban, to reflect on the relevance of experiences, perception and spatial apprehension of the city in everyday life. The proposal takes shape by connecting four “intentos” (interventions) along the path of the viaduct Elevado Pres. João Goulart (Minhocão), in the city center of São Paulo. Each attempt seeks to sensitize individuals by sharpening the senses of those who connect physically and visually in these spaces. The aim is to remove individuals from the state of anesthesia in the real world caused by the hypervaluation of the virtual world, using, as an artifice, human physical experiences such as sitting, feeling, smelling, living. To this end, we work with the idea of decompressing passers-by in spaces that allow them to pause and perceive the dynamics around them. Each project is carried out in a unique way and adapted to its context, emphasizing the urban layer of communication and culture through shock, mixture and experiences. That is, it generates identity and belonging through the unique memories created between the individual, the collective and the urban space. “These spatial experiences are open ended, they form a network of overlapping perspectives.” Steven Holl.
Julia Getschko
May 2, 2023
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
ReCrete Park
Re:crete Park The project is named Re:crete Park, an upcycled sustainable structure for a new public exhibition space. The project is situated in Augarten, Vienna. The baroque garden, lying in the middle of the second district, is mainly associated with the cities second world war heritage: The flak towers. Our approach tries to find ways to reintegrate those foreign bodies into the park and the urban fabric. The project mainly deals with the flak tower in the Augarten, which stands there as an abandoned leftover from second world war, having no benefits for the society or the park itself. Neither it is integrated in the park. Our investigation aims to integrate the tower into the park and tries to dissolve the boundary between the park and the tower as a solid structure. The problematics of the climate crisis make the Augarten even more valuable, since green spaces are getting more important than ever. The proposal aims to investigate new strategies of reusing and reconfiguring building material and reorganizing structure to connect park and one of the flak towers. By breaking up the tower, we want to make shaded spaces accessible again, support green areas in its expansion and create natural ventilation processes, to counteract the more and more emerging heat islands within the dense urban areas. By Cutting into the flak tower walls, we do not only want to make its interior spaces accessible again, but our focus also lies on using resulting materials as a source for newly designed structures that are surrounding the tower to form a tectonic landscape that intends to blend the tower with the park. The project is generally raising the question of how to deal with abandoned, unused buildings. On a programmatic level as well as on the material side. In our opinion, the way we deal with abandoned buildings is very important when talking about the aspects of sustainable and environmentally friendly buildings. In particular, the reuse of existing structures as well as existing materials. Our spatial program therefore intends to create a new focal point in the green that brings people together and stimulates discussion and debate. The construction methodology and use of materiality, harvested directly from the existing object on site, rebuilt and reused, intends to show a responsible approach of how to deal with existing buildings and how these strategies will play an important role in the future. In our case, the project, or rather the concept of the project, contributes to better urban growth because it addresses very important topics like cement production and its CO2 emissions or making obsolete structures and spaces usable again. Also, we were looking at how an existing building can retain its qualities and historical values, but still be transformed into something new. Furthermore, the process of reusing materials will play a big role in the future. How can they be recycled and how far can they be applied and used meaningfully? Overall, the approach of sustainable urban mining is one that will concern us more and more in the future. The general aim should be to produce capable and sustainable materials as CO2 neutral as possible or to optimize our conventionally available materials in terms of emissions on all levels. University of Applied Arts Vienna Studio Hani Rashid SS22 Louis Braunger David Kipp Gaowei Zhou
Louis Braunger
July 10, 2023
Honorable Mention
PANO REHABILITATION PLACE FOR MS
Rehabilitation centers are not offering suitable settings for patients to heal physically. By confining physical therapy to a single room, these facilities do not encourage movement, stimulation of the senses, or aid in patients' recovery. Rather than limiting physical therapy to a specific space, the infrastructure of rehabilitation centers, such as hallways and corridors, could be utilized to create an interactive and dynamic experience for patients. To achieve holistic well-being, this project will explore the concept of designing spaces for physical rehabilitation. Theories of healing spaces will be examined in conjunction with the gradual healing process through mobility and exercise to create a circulation system for a physical rehabilitation center.
Anisa Cenaj
March 11, 2023
Honorable Mention
Cairo Breathing Sanctuary | A Living Pedestrian Bridge Over the Nile
The designed concept for the pedestrian bridge reimagines the futuristic landscapes as it unites the two banks of the Nile river: on one side, Egyptian Museum and on the other, Cairo Tower. The proposed design site is located in the center of Cairo, over the Nile River, connecting its banks. Due to the present development of Egypt’s administrative capital to the east of Cairo, there exists an inevitable scope for regeneration in the selected project site. The idea was to design a living pedestrian bridge over the Nile in Cairo, connecting Al-Tahrir square to Al-Zamalek, and to re-imagine the public space on the east bank of the Nile. The main objective of the living bridge is to maximize pedestrian exposure to the Nile, via stitching the urban fabric of the two banks together. The form was generated as a result of two main paths. Firstly, an unobstructed linear path directly linking the Egyptian Museum with Cairo Tower. Secondly, a semi-elliptical path was generated to embrace the two opposite banks; the Cultural Nile Plaza and the Elevated Garden. This path is meant to be pleasant, playful, and links successive attractions and socio-economic hubs. The paths incorporate together to create a single continuous leaning body blended into the land on both sides, offering panoramic views of the Cairo downtown, Nile, and the surrounding iconic attractions. Moreover, the bridge is acting as an urban park with two concealed lower floor levels above the Nile, including recreational, commercial, cultural, administrative, and social spaces. The six flowing structural columns maximize the visual connectivity between the indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as the natural ventilation and lighting. Besides, the top layer consists of concrete tiles and grass, driven parametrically based on pedestrian flow. For the sake of achieving the project objective, it is proposed to bury a 200 m stretch of road along the Nile River and build a park on top. Additionally, it is proposed to relocate the exit of the sixth of October Bridge. Accordingly, Cairo central downtown will be valued as a breathing sanctuary for people and will transform into pedestrian-friendly spaces.
Five Egyptian Architects
June 26, 2023
Honorable Mention
Safe Space
The project addresses and provides commentary on the safety challenges presented in this context. It utilizes the Olympic Park as a testing ground, a location that has already been shaped and planned with a strong emphasis on safety. Consequently, the park has been structured as a collection of enclosed spaces. My work reimagines the park's boundaries by introducing a variety of inhabited walls. These walls empower the student residents to establish their own sense of safety and security. This approach challenges the conventional understanding of privacy, asserting that safety can be achieved without isolation and excessive control.
Congyue Wang
July 10, 2023
Honorable Mention
The Scaff 'A Modular and Rapid-Adaptation Housing Solution for North Sea Offshore Workers'
In response to the limited presence of skill and training in the Grimsby town center and the unique temporal nature of the offshore labor force in the North Sea region, this project aims to propose and design a modular and systematic housing scheme. This innovative approach utilizes prefabricated construction methods that are easily assembled and repurposed to meet the dynamic needs of offshore workers, including those in the oil and gas, fishing, and wind energy industries Modular and Rapid-Adaptation Housing: The central goal is to provide transient housing for offshore workers while considering the ever-changing nature of their presence and the materials and services required in the area. It challenge the conventional concept of "temporary" in housing policy by creating a system that can adapt rapidly to environmental and economic crises. Scaffolding City serves as a prototype for a metropolis rooted in human development history but embracing future forms of synthetic urbanism. Economically Minded Design: Scaffolding City encourages resource-consciousness and economic sustainability. By maintaining low material costs and fostering a system open to novel applications and techniques, individuals are empowered to reinterpret materials and establish secondary and tertiary economies around material transfer and transformation. This approach supports a thriving local economy while minimizing environmental impact. Connective and Adaptive Urban Planning: Rather than relying on rigid urban planning, Scaffolding City's development strategy is guided by access to resources, local economic conditions, and environmental factors. This adaptable urban model prioritizes connectivity and proximity to resources, allowing it to evolve organically. Scaffolding City can be described as a mobile and customizable planning system that can be moved from site to location, making it a versatile solution for diverse environments and needs. Conclusion: Scaffolding City represents a visionary response to the housing needs of offshore workers along the North Sea coast. This innovative housing solution combines modular design, rapid adaptation, and economic sustainability to create a dynamic and resilient urban environment. By incorporating the principles of "Icelandic Lessons" and embracing the concept of Scaffolding City, we aim to provide a model that not only meets the immediate requirements of offshore labor forces but also contributes to the long-term development of the region.
Aiman Hakim Rahman
September 3, 2023
Honorable Mention
"Botos da Barra": the recognition of an ecosystem
This project aims to shed light on a singular interaction that takes place in the estuary of Tramandaí River, on the edge of the city and the water. This location, popularly known as “Barra”, is home to a group of dolphins of the Boto-de-Lahille species (Tursiops gephyreus), referred to as “botos” by the locals. When the river’s fresh water joins the salty water of the ocean, dolphins and fishermen connect and act together in a relation of mutual benefit called cooperative fishing. The proximity of a school of fish is easily detected by the dolphins, that proceed to corral them towards the margins, where it’s easier for the fishermen to catch them. In this approach, some fish are able to escape the fishermen’s nets, only to be captured and eaten by the dolphins. This phenomenon is one of a kind, occurring only in Tramandaí, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and in Laguna, state of Santa Catarina, both located in Brazil. This cooperation between species has been in place for generations as fishermen and dolphins have stablished a relationship of affection and acknowledgement while working together for sustenance. The environment also differs from the popular imagery of Brazilian beaches, considering that here the waters are calm, the wind blows smoothly, and the silence reigns over the dunes.
Laura Attuati
September 26, 2023
Honorable Mention
Building Hope
A growing number of children in Ghana are victims of trafficking, and the situation is rapidly aggravating from widening income inequality and the HIV/AIDS crisis. Affected minors from affected families are left vulnerable to kidnapping and recruiting from criminal organizations that prey on more than 200,000 minors living in the streets of Accra alone. Building Hope aims to house and empower children by providing them with the necessary tools to thrive. The project includes the construction of a network of buildings that can house, feed, provide medical and psychological attention and skill training to 140 minors in the neighborhood of La. Facilities such as large kitchens, makerspaces, art studios, and an improved soccer field will also be accessible to the community seeking integration and a strong sense of belonging to the orphaned children with the locals. The project gives minors the opportunity of being mentored and supported by locals willing to participate.
Nicolas Nefiodow Pineda
June 28, 2023
Honorable Mention
Su-Jin the Future of Sustainable Dining
Inspired by the three pillars of Biomimicry: Form, Process, and Ecosystem, Su-Jin was designed to not only challenge the status quo of fine dining, but to redefine the industry. Located in Seoul, South Korea, the restaurant strives to shift paradigms by reconnecting users to their food and the processes of regenerative cooking.
Jin Kim
June 28, 2023
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Bigkis: Transforming the Bocaue Public Market and Fish Port into an Integrated Communal Urban Space
CONTEXT OF THE PUBLIC MARKET “Palengke” is a large open-air public market where you can buy almost anything in the Philippines. More technically, the government refers to it as “a place, building or structure or any kind owned and/or operated by a city or municipality dedicated to the service of the public in general and where basic food items and other commodities are displayed and offered for sale.” All cities and municipalities in the country rely on public markets as their principal commercial hub. The advantages of functional public markets are numerous. Every “palengke” has a significant influence on local enterprises, governments, and citizens by boosting access to fresh, quality food and generating significant sources of income. But, perhaps on a deeper sense, a “palengke” functions as public gathering places for individuals of various ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds making it a civic center of our neighborhoods.
Mark Angelo Mendoza
April 30, 2023
Honorable Mention
Hotel REEF
Hotel REEF is a bio-structured building embedded in our oceanic ecosystem. The hotel is built as part of a reef that needed restoration and includes both over and underwater levels. The reef is the hotel and the hotel is the reef. The interior design is inspired by the complex and rich coral structures, and the outer part is an integral and continuous part of the coral reef formation. The hotel is built using 3D printing where the skeleton is used as a platform for coral growth in order to increase biodiversity. A guest in the hotel will feel as if he is surrounded by marine life and is part of a living and growing system. The interior design of marine environments together with the ocean’s natural views will allow a meditative and relaxing atmosphere that only underwater presence can give. I see a growing need for our society to strengthen its connection with nature and how we as humans use architecture to integrate with our surroundings. Bioarchitecture is an approach to designing buildings that are in harmony with nature. This growing field in architecture uses natural elements as part of the design and the main goal is to promote both functional and esthetic design that takes into consideration the urgent need to reduce the carbon footprint of human life. Hotel Reef will allow new marine life to thrive as well as help reestablish the bond between humans and nature.
Opal Naomi Markus Ilan
June 24, 2023
Honorable Mention
Variant Horizons
Variant horizons embed ideas of light, aperture, and horizon. Exposure to natural light aides in energy and focus as it enhances our connection to the ecosystem around us. New horizons are created within the building through a combination of solar orientation, shifting levels, and curated apertures. Light creates shifting moments across the building in response to climate conditions and time, providing flexible spatial and experiential qualities for the occupants as the sun moves through the sky. The design operates by removing the center bar of the H plan and reconfiguring the circulation of the school as a procession, with critical transparency between spaces that facilitate illumination and interaction. The central circulation becomes an anchor point for a new arrangement of classrooms that are heavily informed by sun exposure and dynamic moments of adjacency within the classroom scheme. In order to reduce embodied energy from the interventions on the building, most floor plates are to be preserved, and those that need to be relocated reuse existing materials.
Nicolas Nefiodow Pineda
March 28, 2023
Honorable Mention
Synergistic: The Interaction Between the Past and Future.
- If you lived in 1999 in Abu Dhabi you would have seen those buildings everywhere until you see those new modern glass high-rise buildings and towers start taking into shaping the city view. You can see how those modernist buildings represent the history of Abu Dhabi, what functions they serve and why should we preserve them. They connect to the historical aspect of the city design in Abu Dhabi and the preservation of architecture, heritage, and culture of the country and land itself. - The main function of the Central Bus Station is transporting workers and visitors using buses from Abu Dhabi to the rest of the emirates. Should we preserve the function of transportation? How about if this building is preserved for the next 10 years, you can't turn a blind eye to the future and economical aspect of Abu Dhabi with the advanced technology that will take over soon. The 2030 Abu Dhabi masterplan that included metro lines, was all located on certain points focusing on infrastructure, which will require a station for each node or point. - The metro station will encourage public use, infrastructure plays a role in its placement, economy boost, safety risk management induced, the increase of public buildings, but mainly to reduce traffic and carbon emission from vehicles. Buses are on four wheels and they hover in the street which creates more traffic than we can imagine. I believe in the future the buses will be less used and the metros will be heavily used. The bus stops will stay but not as much as the UAE is trying to invest in metros and railways as a serpent line as entity to the transportation smart plan framework. - When we come back to the original point, if the building have certain daily users or elements, the architecture will be replaced at one point. When it's going to be replaced it is going to be removed as an entity but still serves under the same condition, under one notion, one idea, a transportation hub. The function is the same, and even more advanced than the previous building, therefore the purpose of the old building is never replaced, just a more parametric facilitated building. - Synergistic is a multi-modal transportation hub that merges a metro station, bus station, and taxi stop coming together for the 2030 future of Abu Dhabi and connecting the busy urban context of Al Wahda Area of past Central Bus Station. The metro station epitomizes a pedestrian-friendly station and aims to preserve the old central bus station. The project proposal includes having a metro station as a transportation hub in the middle of downtown Abu Dhabi as a challenging context. The focus is redefining the relationship between preserving the past and history of the UAE with the future vision that we want to capture for a better forthcoming with the 2030 Abu Dhabi Master Plan. For the full project please check https://www.behance.net/gallery/132899445/Architecture-Graduation-Project-Synergistic
Duaa AlRifai
March 18, 2023
Honorable Mention
Central Athens Fruit and Vegetable Market
Located in Central Athens, this proposal is a redesign of an existing informal fruit and vegetable market and an underground car park. The building offers a range of functions that extend beyond traditional markets, with the aim of revitalizing the city and fostering economic growth. In addition to the core market activity, it is integrated into a new urban street network and public space system, providing urban farming as well as sports and educational facilities. This integration connects local communities with urban farming practices. Based on the existing underground car park grid structure, a shifted forest of columns has been designed to create space for these diverse activities. Above ground, a series of educational and recreational facilities provide spaces for local communities. These spaces encompass activities ranging from cooking and urban farming schools to multi-purpose rooms. Atop the building, a series of greenhouses are utilized for hydroponic farming. The rhythm and variation of these greenhouses allow different plants to grow optimally under their respective favorable light conditions. This pattern not only organizes the market spaces below but also supports hydroponic farming. Overall, the Fruit and Vegetable Market project showcases a dynamic fusion of market, community, and sustainable agricultural elements.
Lenny Lew
July 3, 2023
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Minimal Intervention
This project inquires upon ecological models of architecture within a rural Victorian context. Using a minimalist lens, the project challenges colonial perceptions of property and landscape. Through a series of interventions, the following questions are speculated: Can architecture extend beyond its property boundary? Can we see pathways and their relationship with buildings as an interconnected whole rather than means and ends? Pathways are intrinsic to our understanding of the world. First Nations Australians used song lines to record pathways connecting important sites; to them, the pathways and journeys taken across Country are something spiritual. However, in today’s post-colonial settlement, pathways are seen as purely means to an end. The site, once adjacent to the now-drained Great Swamp is situated in the continual violence of monocultural practices. The interventions address regeneration through the adaption of existing conditions and promote more responsive viticulture in an era of man-induced enviro7nmental transformations. The construction of space and infrastructure is rethought by focusing on how the byproducts of winemaking practices and existing conditions offer a new set of architectural possibilities. Little is added or removed; scars in the landscape, trimmed sedges, grapevine off-cuts, and tree trunks all become instruments of architecture.
Hao Liu
September 15, 2023
Honorable Mention
Lungo il Muro {Along the Wall}
While roaming the area of the Centurione vehicular station, someone can notice that there are many unutilized or abandoned areas, and there is no space for social gatherings at any point of the day. Children were seen playing on the roads, in between traffic, while well-located vistas and panoramas were unoccupied during the day. Through ‘Lungo il Muro’, we do not attempt to replace the functions of the new Lagacio area but to complement them. At the same time, the proposal has been designed specifically for the Vista Panoramica of Via Bari, the proposed design also attempts to activate a place-making mechanism which appeals to the neighbourhood's locals not only to the proposed areas but along the Linea Verde. A design toolbox was compiled by studying different areas of the Linea Verde, including both symbolic and functional elements, which slowly got integrated into the design. During the process of the proposal, those elements got translated to the playground, the meeting point (water element) and the watchtower with a summer open cinema. These additions are part of the extension of the existing retaining wall and create a new language between old and new due to the different treatments of masonry stone. A new language composed by interlaying polished and rough stoned as processed from the local quarries inspired by the contrasting colours of marble seen in different important buildings in the city of Genova, like the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo and the arcade of the Chiesa di Santo Stefano. The proposal goes along the existing retaining wall and extends where needed while leaving openings where the old meets the new. From afar, the monolithic character of the ‘Lung il Muro’ stands out. However, as someone approaches it, the three components begin to stand out through walking and pausing moments. From the playground to the watchtower, all along the wall. ‘Along the Wall’ first makes reference to regional physical and social archaeology, but it also raises concerns about architectural legacy and how it fits into a larger cultural context. Reminding us that recognizing and spreading via construction the poetic potential inherent within the structural and aesthetic features of all materials accessible that comprise the vocabulary of all architectural languages is the foundation of literacy in the built world.
Apostolos Spyropoulos
September 16, 2023
Honorable Mention
Re-mining Giali: A New Scenario for the Manufactured Landscape_Baths and a Power Production Facility
The project proposes a new scenario for Giali island’s manufactured landscape which has been irreparably altered by mining, causing many environmental and social effects. It explores the relation between energy production infrastructure and recreational facilities to reclaim the mine and create a new revenue stream for the local communities.
Dimitrios Mitsimponas
September 18, 2023
Honorable Mention
REWILD: Sowing seeds of nature from the death of a solar plant
Project by: Tanvee Thapa, Vinayak Bhattacharya Project Site: Canaro, Rovigo, Italy Under the banner of ‘Rewild’, this initiative extends a helping hand to nature, facilitating the reclamation of lands once teeming with willows, marshes, hygrophilous woods, and woodlands. At its core, this visionary project emerges as a response to the complex challenge of decommissioning solar panels by transforming it into an opportunity to rewild aging solar parks that might otherwise be abandoned at the end of their operational life. Established in 2013, the Canaro solar park showcased exceptional 90% to 100% efficiency. With the panels projected to reach their end-of-life in 2040, the project plans to decommission them. Pending government approval, a fresh panel array will be placed along the park’s perimeter every 30 years, sustaining renewable energy generation until 2100-the predicted “death of the solar plant”. Ultimately, the land will be returned to its original state, a sanctuary where the forest once thrived in perfect harmony. Furthermore, the retired panel structures will be repurposed to nurture the growth of forest trees, enhancing the eco-corridor and catalyzing the ‘rewild strategy’. This ecological transformation continues to expand, gradually maturing into a thriving forest. Additionally, central ditches within the park will be converted into a water canal, facilitating the eco-corridor’s formation through the transfer of water from nearby canals. This water will gradually seep into the spaces left by removed structural foundations, transforming the land into wetlands and revitalizing the water table.
Tanvee Thapa
September 18, 2023
Honorable Mention
Prod. Library
Ever since the genesis of libraries, their role as an establishment and their relation to their users have constantly shifted. Libraries in today’s society have taken on the role of a communal, civic gathering place where information is stored. This design of the Chelsea District Library seeks to take advantage of the diverse traffic libraries see today and propose a new role shift. Libraries are where history lives, where information is held and can be accessed. Looking at this from a critical standpoint inspired a commitment to shift the role of the library from just having history and information to creating it. This design introduces production spaces in the form of large objects that play a 3D chess game in their placement throughout the space of the library. These production spaces create tension between the old function of the library and the new function that is proposed as they coexist together in the library. Production spaces are spaces in the library that have transformed into areas where you can make or produce. Within the large objects is an auditorium open to professionals but also open to the community to be able to produce their own lectures, discussions, and performances. Within another object is an immersive room exhibition space accompanied by a project lab also open to professionals and the community, where users can learn and create media to tell their own stories to put on display. Lastly, there is a kids and teen space that contains screened desks where kids can write their own stories and comics and have them printed and edited with the help of library staff. The experience of going to this library is like taking out a book and putting a new one back. Overall the project seeks to bring the community to the library and promote a new way of experiencing a library in the society we live in today.
Ferras Coulibaly
October 10, 2023
Honorable Mention
Multifunctional Sports Hall in Jernbanebyen, Copenhagen
The project proposes the establishment of a new sports hall in the emerging urban center of Jernbanebyen, located in central Copenhagen. Its intent is to create a communal gathering space where sports amenities and various recreational activities act as catalysts for intergenerational interaction between the youth and elderly population The development of the project is based on the following philosophy: to exclusively use materials available from a carriage workshop located on site, which will soon undergo demolition. This constituted a requirement for understanding and respecting the unique strengths and weaknesses of various materials, with the aim of minimizing material usage as much as possible. For example, the load-bearing structure is not based on the preferred wood construction - instead, this choice was influenced by the presence of a significant collection of steel beams in an H-profile from the carriage workshop. These beams would require far less material and simultaneously possess significantly better load-bearing capacity. Therefore, my choices of materials were not made based on the inherent sustainability of the materials, but were determined based on the materials that were available. Subsequently, these materials were used in places where they could generate the greatest positive effect. Circularity is achieved through the use of the bricks that are dismantled from the carriage workshop. Preserving bricks intact is resource-intensive, as they need to be cleaned of mortar. As a result, I decided to construct my building using 1x1m standardized blocks, composed of bricks and remnants of mortar from the demolition. This choice was made due to the insulating properties of the bricks. The principles of separation design are also integrated, as the H-profiles serve as inserts for the standardized blocks. This allows for easy dismantling of the blocks and their transportation in a way that optimizes space usage. The architecture of the building encourages social communities through the way it fits into the landscape. Due to the transparent doors, an unobstructed view of the entire hall is achieved at eye level, naturally encouraging people to choose to pass through the hall instead of bypassing it during transit.
Simoneé Loekke
October 15, 2023
Honorable Mention
South Reinterpretation Center - Blood Stranded Land
A multi cultural center focused on the understanding of the general identidy of the southern brazilian people, also known as gauchos, and the reconnection with the stranding ties that bound nation, history, land and freedom.
Antonio Cornely
September 18, 2023
Honorable Mention
GAME OF LIFE: Dead or Alive
Existence started with the passion of curiosity, and after humans instinctively try to keep existence forever. Adaptation, evolution, and learning from failure have become the biggest strengths of humans. Now they try different ways of survival using the power of learning and adaptation to continue to exist in different places even interplanetary. One day some of us from different places will win a one-way ticket to Mars. It will be a game of life to complete the mission of human survival in the most isolated space. There are questions and uncertainty behind this settlement. Why does anybody want to live in this kind of abnormal environment? What was the idea behind the passion for the future mission of a permanent settlement in the middle of nowhere called Mars? How will humans survive? What about radiation? How will they get around? What will happen to the others on the Earth? What if it is suicide? And more. It is hard to get answers to these questions. To know if there is life on Mars, could Earth help to find it? Maybe it can be found on Earth, it could be in one of the most remote, empty places on Earth, Devon Island.
Leman Ozgur
October 29, 2023
Honorable Mention
The creativity center
Deconstruct cannot be defined. Because this work is basically in conflict with the spirit and word of Deconstruct, and defining and describing the word Deconstruct means exactly making a structure. But a clearer definition of this word can be to break boundaries and limitations and reach new perspectives, or in other words, to discover new territories, or to disrupt and uproot intellectual frameworks. Breaking the structure happens at a moment when we have a new and fresh movement. It is the definition of creativity. Creativity means having a new perspective. The main concept of the creativity center is the manifestation of the concept of deconstruction and creativity in the body. They have different and expandable functions, such as the role of a structure and the role of a collective space or green space. Another main element of this creative center that plays a role in the development of this concept is the existence of circular plates that in different parts of this center have the roles of It takes different forms such as terrace, canopy, platform, wall, structural element, etc. Not defining a precise structure for an architectural element was the design tool of this project and this is the concept of deconstruction and creativity.
sara jahed
November 2, 2023
Honorable Mention
A Vernacular Architectural Learning Centre, Sundarban, Sadar Dinajpur
PROJECT ABSTRACT: Vernacular architecture holds a unique and captivating beauty that emerges from its deep connection to local cultures, landscapes, and traditions. Dinajpur district is situated in the north of Bangladesh. To find comfort in the scorching heat and cold weather, people built their houses with mud and bamboo. But as modern materials crowd the marketplaces, people started to lose connection with their roots and abandon their ancestral homes. But their modern homes do not provide thermal comfort, nor does it provide spaces necessary for their cultural practices and social cohesion. In response to the escalating global environmental challenges, SAFE NGO recognized the need for sustainable architectural solutions tailored to the local context of Dinajpur. “The Vernacular Architectural Learning Centre” is designed to fulfil this vision. The project is conceptualized as a catalyst for change that will help foster a deep understanding of vernacular architecture in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. The project aims to design a space that can inspire the conservation of vernacular knowledge and provide opportunities for developing vernacular construction techniques. Spaces are designed to inspire researchers, architects, students and local people to work together and learn from each other. The designer had to compromise the aesthetic of the masterplan to showcase the versatility of vernacular construction techniques. The emphasis was given to exploring vernacular aesthetics in different areas of this open learning center. This initiative strives to empower individuals and guide them towards a low-carbon and environmentally conscious future through its comprehensive educational programs, practical demonstrations, and community engagement. CHALLENGES ASPECT: SAFE NGO has been working on this site for over a decade, and they realized early on that conserving vernacular wisdom is necessary to make the shelters disaster risk resilient. The form of vernacular architecture is often humble, yet it possesses an inherent charm and authenticity that is difficult to replicate. This project's challenge was to capture this region's aesthetic architectural traits and replicate them in the designed learning center. The designed spaces had to stem from their humble roots yet achieve grandness to showcase the versatility of vernacular techniques. The site area constraint also posed unique challenges. Different types of activities demanded different forms to be explored, and some aesthetic demand in the masterplan scale was compromised to make room for functional demand
Tanbir Hasan
December 12, 2023
Honorable Mention
Sion - Urban Transformation: The City of the Future
This project was born with the idea of looking beyond the known and seeing urbanism and architecture in a different way, through changes, using creativity and imagination as a driving force to bring forth a different proposal that offers future solutions to how humans could live. That perspective has its origin in its name, Sion, which means "City of God." In a dialogue at the South American Congress, architect Aravena mentioned that we were purely dependent on gravity, bound by it, and that made us terrestrial beings. It was then that a dormant dream awakened. Creating foundations for the city of Sion and reimagining urbanism from a concept as simple as flight allows us to question everything known and change the way we view the city. Cities that were conceived in two-dimensional plans would have to be rethought. Through thorough research, I discovered that there is no city with deconstructivist foundations. It was based on these principles and the understanding of designing beyond what is known that this proposal was born. Perhaps you wonder why it had to be so different. The answer is simple: if it resembled what was already known, it would be terrestrial. Therefore, in a challenging exercise, I ventured to explore the realm where the unknown began to take shape and, above all, the foundational concepts of future urbanism. Through a deep and complex study, questioning and drawing from the known, I gave birth to the initial sketches of a city with deconstructivist principles that should not be designed in two dimensions but in three dimensions. This questioned everything known, such as privacy, the way we communicate, our connections, and the speed of this city. It was a beautiful experience of thought and understanding, encompassing many parameters of architecture, which gave rise to the work I present to you now and will continue to advance in the future. It has taught me so much about what I already knew and even about things I was unaware of. I believe it was one of the best ways to look at architecture, to envision the future, and try to provide an answer. I don't know if this is the path, and I am far from knowing if this will be the future, but what I have learned within this study has enriched my experience in architecture and design. It has shown me that every lesson learned and every stroke made throughout my career was worth it. I present to you Sion, the City of God, and I express my gratitude to the educators who shaped me. It is thanks to them, my family, and my guiding God that I have been able to take these steps. Thank you.
Victor Alfonso Montañez
November 12, 2023
Honorable Mention
ROSETTA CULTURAL COMPLEX
"A Boat-Making & Crafts Museum in Rosetta" Brief: Rashid or Rosetta (dubbed city of a million palms), located in Egypt at the confluence of the Nile and the Mediterranean Sea, is renowned for its rich history, including the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799 Which allowed us to decipher and understand the history of ancient Egypt, in addition to its ship-making traditions, which have been passed down through generations. However, Rashid has faced challenges in preserving its cultural identity and adapting to modern times. Despite the city's cultural significance, its heritage has been neglected in recent years, and many of its historical buildings and traditions have fallen into disrepair. The city's ship-making traditions are at risk of being lost, as there are few opportunities for young people to learn these skills. In addition to neglect, climate change has also affected the city's cultural heritage. Rising sea levels and increasing temperatures have led to the degradation of historical buildings, the loss of cultural sites, and the erosion of traditional crafts and knowledge. My cultural complex aims to revitalize the city’s heritage, while preparing for the future. By creating a dynamic and innovative space that attracts foreign and local visitors, promoting economic growth, and showcasing the city’s vibrant past and promising future. Aims: -Revitalize Rosetta’s heritage & preserve its culture and cultural products. -Respect the city’s context and traditions while embracing contemporary design elements. -Become a symbol of Rosetta’s cultural revival and a landmark for the city. -Showcase the city’s vibrant past and promising future.
Mostafa Hossam
December 25, 2023
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Treehouses in different situatios
The Huge Treehouse between waterfalls is an architectural project that was designed by me with Midjourney. The treehouse is located in a scenic location and is made out of natural materials, such as wood and steel. It was built specifically for tourists who want to visit the area and see the beautiful waterfall and flora and fauna…
Torsten Skoetz
March 5, 2023
Honorable Mention
Le phare | A prototype for combating hunger in highly polluted regions in Africa
The project is a self-sufficient prototype for combating hunger and acts as a nucleus for urban development within its context. Due to soil contamination, the project employs unconventional food production methods, including spirulina pond and hydroponics, to provide fresh vegetables that effectively combat malnutrition. The project also addresses water contamination through three methods of water collection and purification: rainwater collection, dew harvesting, and underground water extraction and purification. Additionally, the project utilizes an in-situ bio-digester to produce biogas that can be used for cooking, lighting, and heat production from organic waste, biomass, and agriculture remains. The design program elements are embodied in a circular periphery that offers flexibility for expanding or shrinking the prototype according to the altering functional needs without affecting the main structural system of the overhead shed. The design program elements allow air circulation between them, and the intimate spaces between them offer a playful experience for enhancing children's physical and psychological health. The prototype is grouped into two main zones surrounding an asymmetrical courtyard: the familial zone and the productivity zone. Moringa and Neem trees surround the project area and act as a green belt. The project acts as a self-sufficient children's house and nucleus for urban development within its context. The prototype employs stabilized clay bricks to construct the conical frustums, and each space is covered by a reciprocal roof composed of bamboo, which is supported by columns and beams made of rosewood. The circular roof is constructed to reduce heat transfer and is covered with locally grown and harvested thatch. The prototype also utilizes waste materials in the construction process to save natural resources. Each space is constructed using stabilized clay brick, and the project foundation is composed of laterite stone.
Five Egyptian Architects
June 26, 2023
Honorable Mention
Frame & InFill is a new sustainable, modern, modular, prefab housing system.
Frame & InFill is to the housing industry what Tesla is to the auto industry. We are leveraging the precision of factory production to build homes that are not only cost-effective and high-quality but also customizable to meet the unique needs of each homeowner. Our approach is different from traditional prefab companies; we have reimagined the way homes are built from the ground up, keeping manufacturability at the forefront from the very beginning.
David Elze
July 15, 2023
Honorable Mention
swept under - looking under the surface of a city
Each city has a certain image, representing its identity - but what makes up this image? In his book “Invisible Cities”Italo Calvino describes the city of Eudoxia, which is displayed and represented on a carpet. The carpet takes on the role of a canvas portraying the image of the city. Incorporating Kevin Lynch’s theory of the 5 keypoints of architecture this thesis aims to provide an answer to the question how the image of a city is shaped through the perceptions of its observers. By conducting a modernized elaboration of Lych’s research the subject of interest is moved from the USA to Europe - the city of Lisbon is being dissected and analysed. Through a conducted survey questioning memories as well as expectations of the city, the contemporary image of Lisbon could be detected. Lisbon, being one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, is reaping the benefits as well as facing the problems that go along with mass tourism. Gentrification, overtourism and forced displacement are influencing the quality of life of the residents, but are mostly being ignored by tourists and neglected by the government. As if they were being swept under the carpet. This thesis is an example of the maximized and touristificated Lisbon that could emerge if no further action is taken. A faux image of a city that could turn into reality.
Elisa Hecher
September 25, 2023
Honorable Mention
INN
The vast desert does not offer multiple information about trace, sign, permanence; However, it contains potential for design with its natural conditions that are contrary to modern life and its unique structure. The Inn project is a retreat center design in the Libyan desert for people who want to get away from today's industrialized and fast-paced cities. It is the product of the idea of creating a stopping point, a sign, a landmark in the desert. The project was named Inn because it evokes the inn culture of the past. The Inn consists of accommodation units and social areas. Although seclusion conceptually mostly creates connotations of individuality, in this architectural project it is handled with both individual and collective content; It was discussed through 6 life areas: spiritual, physical, emotional, professional, social and mental. Users who want to use the 6 designated healthy living units have the opportunity for daily use and accommodation. Spiritually, individual areas where people can turn within themselves, emotionally, yoga and spa areas where people can reach serenity, physically, areas where people can experience the desert and desert activities, professionally, job opportunities for local people, and mental workshop and exhibition areas are designed. There is a camping area near the project area in the Libyan desert and rock texture is observed around it. Safari roads leading to and from the camping area also pass around the land. The dominant wind direction of the land is from east to west. Libya's traditional sunken-courtyard housing structure inspired the design. A buried area was created by taking advantage of the slope of the land and social spaces were designed around this courtyard. High walls were used to make the courtyard sheltered; Accommodation units have been placed between the two walls created, where users can retreat into themselves. At the same time, these walls create a shadow area for the courtyard. Overhead skylights were opened to provide sheltered light to the buried spaces. Skylights allow the northern light to enter the space in a controlled manner, allow users walking on the roof to see inside, and prevent sand from sandstorms from filling in. Parapets designed to protect the user when using the roof also prevent the courtyard from being filled with sand during a sandstorm. Wingless wind turbines were installed for energy needs. Wind turbines were preferred because they do not harm the surrounding animals and do not make noise while producing energy, thus providing a quiet and natural environment for people in seclusion. The shadow of the rock in the east in the morning was included in the design to protect the courtyard from the burning heat of the desert. At noon, the shadow created by the designed walls in the courtyard is used. In the quiet of the desert in the morning, people can do yoga, meditation and exercise in the courtyard; Workshops and exhibitions can be held thanks to the shadow falling from the wall into the courtyard at noon; The designed awnings can be opened and they can eat at the floor tables; They can watch traditional dishes being cooked; In the evening, around the fire in the courtyard, people can tell each other desert legends. Due to the lack of artificial light around the structure, the Bortle scale is low and offers a great opportunity for astro-observers and astro-photographers for Milky Way and stargazing. Social spaces are located around the courtyard for accommodation and daily use at elevation 0.00. Sand therapy, yoga-spa areas, workshop and exhibition areas and dining areas, which are not independent of the desert, where the sand of the countryside and the countryside, that is, nature, can be experienced, have been designed on this elevation. The areas under the walls contain storage, preparation areas and the lobby. Dining areas have been designed where you can watch the traditional dishes of the locals of the region being made. There are tents that can be opened and closed, suitable for different times of the day, over the dining period. There are hot sand therapy areas and workshops where traditional carpet weaving and ceramics are made and exhibited. Seating areas placed on the ground were designed at +4.00 elevation. A cool environment is provided thanks to the shadows formed by the superior accommodation units and walls. There is also a bar serving these areas, as well as preparation areas for exercise activities and gathering areas. There are accommodation units on the upper elevations. These accommodation units are single and suite; The rooms are designed as retreat areas. The theme of tradition and locality is emphasized in the accommodation places for people who escape from the city and retreat from the city. This atmosphere is created with the floor bed in the niches, traditional seating areas, lighting and cushions. Sustainable materials were used in the earthbag system on the walls. Filling material consisting of sand, clay and gravel is placed in bags to provide resistance to heat, wind and cold. Thus, interior spaces remain cool.
ESRA KARACA
October 3, 2023
Honorable Mention
THE NOMAD CARAVAN
THE NOMAD CARAVAN - AN ECO CLUSTER OF NOMAD CARAVANS - THE MOVING CITY - THE TRAVELLING CARAVAN COMMUNITY - THE SOLAR CARAVAN CITY - EPILOGUE : THE NOMAD COCOON CARAVAN - ECO CLUSTER OF CARAVANS - CARAVAN CITY - THE MOVING CITY In my perspective one of the main villains of the global warming saga is PLASTIC. Of the 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste created historically as of 2015, only 9% has been successfully recycled. Of what remains, 12% has been incinerated into the air, and 79% has accumulated as landfill or spread as trash across oceans and landscapes. Compounding this problem, international manufacturing and low transportation prices have grown a massive global waste trade industry. Plastic waste is dispatched from the world’s largest economies and makes its way to countries with lax regulations where it has devastating effects on public health and the environment. Despite local attempts at recycling, the problem of plastic waste is global in scale. How can we address the international state of global warming with a single design decision while also taking into account that plastic is everywhere? How can my concept solve this global problem through its tipology, materiality in a way that is understandable to both children, adults and the world at large? The caravan always took humans everywhere they needed to go and facilitated our evolution as a species. Whether in the beginning of time it was made of a wooden frame and had wooden wheels or stone wheels driven by bulls, horses or camels, or that nowadays the caravan has evolved and is part automobile with a metal structure and has an engine, its purpose has always stayed the same : to take you from one place to another. Even then, people were using caravans as living spaces, sheltering from the wind, the heat, the night, the cold and predators by always setting up camps after a day’s journey and all gathering around the campfire. They used to cover the caravan with a fabric, a piece of cloth, that would extend into a tent and provide them with safety and comfort. They used to produce food by doing agriculture, hunting and gathering, but they were always moving with caravans untill those caravans turned into settlements and then into cities. This concept is not so common nowadays since humans live mostly in cities, but what if we would bring it back and make it better? With these questions in mind, I choose to embrace plastics and not deny them. This proposal invokes an easily recognizable symbol of our global exchanges: the international plastics used everywhere around the globe. The recycled polyester fabric as an architectural object and as a literal representation of waste trade, enhances the project’s use and avoids common tendencies to aestheticize plastic waste itself. Rather than producing an amalgamated form made from waste or disregarding the use of plastic, we give it a new life by accepting that it is everywhere and that it is better if we work with recycled materials derivated from plastics, materials such as polyester fabric, denim jeans fabrics and cotton fabrics. I also embrace the ideea of using recycled car / caravan parts to build a solar powered electric vehicle, because cars are here to stay, so its better to reuse indefinetely their parts for the common good rather than to let it go to waste. Set as the underlying structural order of the building, the quotidian plastic bottle and PET yarn and polyester fiber is elevated to an architectonic level by using its recycled form. The caravan is threaded through several channels onto a repeating bay system made of recycled high strength Q 235 Steel tube frames that are interlocking each other and slide into 2 railings thus making the caravan expandable twice its length. Encased in a solar canopy / sail made from recyclable high strength polyester fabric, with holes in its for the windows and zippers to open and close them, the self-propelled building module is protected from the elements while allowing daylight to filter in. Conversely, the structure becomes a beacon for the community at night. The form seeks to promote an architecture of multiplicities: domestic, industrial, traditional, and contemporary by taking an old typology and optimizing it for the global warming that we are facing. What if the concept of the caravan responded to the bioclimatic design that is required in nowadays context of global warming and also be affordable?
Vasile-Codrut Iuga
October 2, 2023
Honorable Mention
SKYTOP SYMBIOSIS
The unexpected population increase in Antalya started with the settlement of 70 thousand immigrants in Antalya after the Russian-Ukrainian war. Then, as a result of a major earthquake disaster in Kahramanmaraş, Antalya, according to official records, it hosted 150 thousand earthquake victims. As a result of the uncontrolled population growth after the disasters, there has been an excessive increase in rental prices in Antalya Province and earthquake victims have been placed in student dormitories. As a result, university students studying in Antalya had difficulty in finding accommodation. The project, which addresses this unexpected population growth, aims to design micro-houses suitable for students within the Akdeniz University campus. These micro-houses are placed on top of the existing parking area using steel construction, prioritizing sustainability from energy production to charging electric vehicles. The microhouse is built using structural wood and hemp concrete, the roofing is finished with titanium zinc, and the exterior cladding is completed with hemp and sugar composite corrugated sheet. Each micro-house contains a sleeping area that can accommodate two students and common living spaces designed as fluid spaces. There is also a patio and terrace that can be opened and closed for users to enjoy. Project; Within the perspective of aiming at a sustainable future, it is emphasized that micro-houses built on top of existing parking lots are proposed rather than occupying green spaces. (Design Team: İlsu Cemre Alkaç, Hüseyin İkbal Soylu, Zeynep Yenigün, Rabia Sultan Durkaya)
İlsu Cemre Alkaç
October 2, 2023
Honorable Mention
OFFISEA
A floating office project that does disaster research and relief work in Tuzla Shipyard Region, İstanbul. The project consists of self-sufficent mobile units which can be connected with each other in different plan variations that provides not only flexible spaces but also a chance for the units to be independent. This independency allows the units of the office to be taken to disaster-affected locations and carry on their reserach work, or be used as helping centers in these places.
Tuğçe Gül
October 2, 2023
Honorable Mention
RAMPRARY
With Ramprary, we aim to be a center that can serve the people of Maraş in the event of a disaster. There is no library in the immediate vicinity and once the city is operational it will fill the educational gap around it. The library is divided into four main units. These units are supported by open spaces. At the lower level of the mass, there are administration, WC, open activity area and book collection-distribution area. Incoming book donations are collected here and distributed to those in need. At the same time, educational games such as chess can be played on this level. This jeans is a meeting place for people. There is a silent reading area, a digital reading area and a children's library on the upper level of the mass. This area of the mass is reached by climbing the ramp around the book wall. People coming out of the ramp next to the book wall can take their books and read their books by sitting in the seating areas inside the book wall.
ESRA KARACA
October 3, 2023
Honorable Mention
Le Torri di Governolo
The overall design strategy moves from the idea of reconstructing a scenario now underlying, ancient, The "Seraglio"; Etymologically: serràglio1 s. m. [Latin late serracŭlum, der. of serrare: v. serrare]. - 1. a. ant. Shelter, barricade of shelter or defense. A territorial portion of the Mantua area, the Serraglio anciently was garrisoned by forts, towers and walls that together with water (a structuring element of the territory) defined a sharp caesura between the inside and the outside. An inside also constituted by the city of Mantva, which with the remaining part of the territory, circumscribed to the northeast by the Mincio to the south by the Po' and to the west by the famous floodable canal of the Serraglio, precisely, constituted one great machine, a hydraulic machine. This is because the innumerable chiaviche pre-sent in the territory allowed the water to be regulated, flooding it. From this are defined six gates for an eccentric city, Manto-va, which arise from the rereading of historical traces but not only: Forte Paiolo, Porta ponte dei mulini, Porta San Giorgio, Porta Po', Forte Frassine and finally The Towers of Governolo. Six gates linked two by two by a single Theme: The Garda Dam (Forte Paiolo- Porta ponte dei mulini), The outposts of the menagerie (Porta San Giorgio-Porta Po') and the Landing from the Adriatic (Forte Frassine- Le torri di Governolo). The gateway ''Le Torri di Governolo,'' lands in the village Governolo and is located in the eastern part of the Serraglio, in which it has always played the role of pivotal carrier, both from the historical point of view, for its defensive system, both natural being the mouth of the Mincio that flows into the Po, and artificial with its system of marinas, bridges, roads and hydraulic machines, which regulate the flow of the Mantuan waters. Through the study and interpolation of historical traces with contemporary ones, the most concrete conclusion was to turn this territory toward a closer connection of its parts, in particular, to tie the ancient village with the northern part, bathed by the artificial canal, Tartaro Canalbianco Po, proposing here a new landing place with its lighthouse and a fair area for the citadel and the whole Serraglio. It was interesting to understand how anciently the embankments near the harbors were inhabited in Mantua and to find parallels between these elements with the design of pure forms of Aldo Rossi's arrangement of the Fiera Catena area. The project, then, restarts through a bicycle and pedestrian connection through the old town, crossing over the ancient bed of the Mincio River, then, connects the tip of the mouth from the south retraces the inner embankments and canals and reaches the area reserved for the landing site project to the north. Taking up the shapes of the references, the square and the circle, the project encloses the part of the commercial warehouses to the east, dividing the agricultural field and the commercial landing, and to the west a new circular inhabited embankment, on one side circumscribes, the reservoir of the new marina, and on the other leaves behind the space for the fairgrounds, and it is here that the subdivision of the double embankment like the ancient Mantuan ports is resumed. The first embankment separates the dock from the river and the second, retains rainwater, which is collected in lamination tanks to cope with, excessive rainfall. The elevation of the porticoed architecture bordering the dock is punctuated by arcuate forms, and the structure involves the use of exposed cast-in-place concrete. The port gate is punctuated on one side by the tall tower and on the other by the staircase suspended over the water connecting the two levels of the embankment, both distinguishable elements made of patinated steel. The complex arrangement, with the new distinguishable elements attempts, therefore, to evoke a landing on a new island in the Serraglio¸ plain that the ancient village with its castle once was.
Nila Pontecorvo
October 4, 2023
Honorable Mention
SKOAL ! & Spa , Iceland
The project is regarding a proposal for a Beer spa right next to an existing hotel in Iceland. The proposal houses a Beer Spa , brewery, and tertiary functions that enhances the experience of visitors of this space with respect to Beer and Iceland and its culture. Beer in Iceland likely dates back to the Iceland's settlement by Norsemen. Beer is an important part of every celebration in Iceland which reflects in our proposal also. The site is located in the Mývatn region of Iceland , adjacent to an existing Hotel of Iceland. This region is located to the north of Iceland, it boasts some of the country's most breathtaking natural wonders and is considered the Northern Lights Capital of Iceland. As part of the Diamond Circle—a popular travel route in northern Iceland—Lake Mývatn and its surrounding area offer visitors an idealistic setting for birdwatching, fishing, relaxing in natural hot springs, and exploring the enchanting lava fortress of Dimmuborgir. Not to mention, the Northern Lights are more frequently sighted in this region of Iceland. Among these astonishing attractions, the Skútustaðagígar craters stand out as a remarkable geological feature which is in sight from the site. The sole of 'SKOAL' beer spa lies on the fact of “CHEERS”, be it the brewery, the lounge, the therapy room or the beer bath. “Skoal” is used to express friendly feelings towards one’s companions before drinking. The word comes from Old Norse word called Skal - which means a tradition of passing around a bowl often filled with beer among friends. Irrespective of the space, users are encouraged to have a cheers and sip down on the freshly brewed in-house beer and thus the note of the beer spa has been defined with this sole character which has developed the framework of spaces thus formed.
Pe +B
June 26, 2023
Honorable Mention
Automated play of the machine. Melting away the fundamental elements.
My project looks at the factory automation process and attempts to make it visible considers how recent technology challenges old industrial processes involved in demolition waste recycling, and tests the implications of that on the new tectonic elements that will be produced as a new product of architecture. By taking cities undergoing the demolition of mass housing - I am proposing to consider both a physical dissection of the buildings due to be demolished, and a speculative imaginative dimension of that, through the recycling of the fundamental architectural elements by an automated robotic process. Given that my work is both imaginative and procedural, I wanted to approach it from the view of curatorial strategy and display. Generally, nowadays architecture that is being built consists of typical prefabricated housing that is restrained by fixed industrial and engineering processes. In this project, I aimed to deliver specific uniqueness to the ordinary systems of recycling and glass construction by formulating a new continuous flow of automated processes of material recycling that rejects linear and repetitive industrial production methodology and introduces new modifications to the end product of material transformational flow. of interiors and exteriors, as well as orchestrate emotions and present a unique opportunity for glass construction.
Anastasia Fedotova
June 24, 2023
Honorable Mention
SOxCO :Integrating Solar into Community
Project by: Tanvee Thapa, Vinayak Bhattacharya, Silvia Caremoli Project site: Parco Piazza D'Armi, Milan, Italy Solar energy, with its profound significance in nature, takes center stage in propelling mankind’s evolution in this project. The thesis takes the opportunity to unite modern-day solar parks into the urban fabric, aiming to forge a new and sustainable form of landscape. The primary focus is to decentralize energy production by creating a ‘zero-mile local energy smart grid’. Its core objective is to create a harmonious alliance between energy systems and the diverse natural environments within the abandoned military area by opening its edges and inviting the city to become an active and integrated participant in this sustainable endeavor. To achieve this, the proposal entails choosing a site based on the criticalities of setting up a PV plant followed by categorizing it into heterogenous spaces as per their morphology. Depending on each typicality, it adopts sustainable solutions for the cohesive integration of PV panels in a multi-faceted urban landscape. The outcome encompasses: a community solar park inviting users for a unique experience, revitalized military barracks transformed into a thriving hub igniting economic growth, and former illicit orchards reshaped into solar-powered community gardens. By forging a unique alliance between the natural environment and architectural technology, the park not only cultivates resilience, social integration, and sustainability but also serves as an educational platform, empowering and involving the community in the adoption of sustainable practices.
Tanvee Thapa
June 27, 2023
Honorable Mention
Hydrological Territories
The project is focused on exploration of the novel way of living on water boundaries with the implications of memory and myth that may shape new behavior towards our relationships to the planet and to our environment. Using new ecological form and space as mediator to shape a more respectful view of the ecosystem and mythological view of the landscape. Hydrological Territories aim to use ceremonies and ritual spaces as the main drivers to embed values that ensure the long-term ecological restoration that is linked to the future of the local communities.
Thanh Tran
June 29, 2023
Honorable Mention
The Cocoon
It is aimed to design a retreat center taking into account the recent Kahramanmaras earthquake in Türkiye , the effects of a possible new earthquake disaster and the psychological problems of people. While designing this retreat center, İstanbul, which is seen as a possible earthquake zone in Türkiye and has the highest density of people, was chosen for the interesting location selection expected by the competition. When you go deeper into the city, İstiklal street in Beyoğlu district, which consists of crowded and historical texture, was chosen as the location of the design. İstiklal street, one of the most famous streets of the city; It is on the historical taksim tram line as well as containing many inns, commercial areas and consulate buildings. It is located in the center of a dense concentration of people and buildings in a cramped and contiguous order. Unlike most of the retreat center projects done so far, instead of escaping from density and congestion, it was aimed to address this problem and enable people to meet with retreat. A retreat center was designed to invite people to a peaceful journey away from the chaos, congestion and density on İstiklal Street. The form of the building was determined by taking into consideration that it is in a contiguous order and within the historical texture. Considering the floor heights of Narmanlı Han and Terzi Han, a gradual three dimension was created. This gradation also flows into the building itself. The building consists of a core with service units and mobile cocoons. The concepts of withdrawal and self-orientation in the basic meaning of seclusion are handled with the cocoon metaphor. In the phase of being in a cocoon, it is aimed for people to get away from the outside world and enter the healing process. Cocoons are conceived as spaces that offer alternatives to people with functions that change according to the wishes of the person using technology. The user profile of the building is determined by the users of the surrounding area. Users get away from the chaos and crowds of Istiklal Street and meet the retreat center designed within the congestion. While experiencing the interior of the building, they encounter vertically moving cocoons. Users retreat with the movement of the cocoon they prefer. Digital therapy cocoons offer the opportunity to embark on a journey of individual discovery. Online and face-to-face therapy sessions are accompanied by an expert. With the terrace on the last floor, it is aimed to experience the city and istiklal street from a different perspective. A wood forest is created within the site, referencing nature. This universal architectural approach combining modern wooden structures with natural and contemporary elements gives the center a characteristic atmosphere. When we look at the plans, the interaction between the front and back of the building is ensured by connecting the density and chaos on istiklal street to the garden at the back with the axis designed in the center of the building. A core with service spaces is designed on the right side. The starting movement of the cocoons is provided from the ground floor. While the user is informed about the space with the help of the introductory brochure received from the information desk, he/she can choose the location of the cocoon, the type of therapy he/she prefers in his/her cocoon (for example, individual or with a counselor) and the sound view of the environment with the tablet. Catwalks have been designed for the user to experience the space when they stand in the cocoons, which start their movement on the ground floor. The floor plans show the cocoons at different levels. There is a water wall and a green wall on the left side of the building. The service core provides circulation between the ground floor, basement and 14.00 level. The terrace at 14.00 level functions as a social area. Solar panels on the roof of the building contribute to the self-sufficiency of the building. In order for the user to feel safe inside the cocoons, the cocoons are connected to the carrier columns on the sides with a roller system so that they do not oscillate. Thus, users can experience the space safely with the cocoons during vertical movement. The four facades and ceiling of the cocoons consist of glass panels. This gives the user the opportunity to experience the space while inside the cocoon. And the glass panels are connected to the tablet screen and can optionally transform into different spaces and virtual environments. Thanks to the gradation in the building, the 4 cocoons on the left side can move between the ground and 10.50 levels, while the other cocoon on the right can move between the ground and 14.00 levels. Inspired by nature, the wooden structure forest is designed to be earthquake resistant by rigidly connecting wooden columns and beams by overlapping each other. Glulam laminated timber is used in this structure system. In the corner junction formed by the vertical axis system built inside the building in the adjacent order, a wall where green and water stand together has been built. The wall is staggered between the axes and a forest perception is created within itself. The wall contributes to the atmosphere and air flow of the space. This wall contributes to the healing power of the space. Social areas such as the backyard created on the ground floor and the terrace designed on the 14.00 level contribute to the experience of the space and the healing process. In line with the requirements of the adjoining order, the gradation from Narmanlı Han to Terzi Han has been decisive in the shape and exposed structure of the building. The vertical movement in the interior space is reflected on the facade of the building by exploding the wooden panels towards the street. The gradation in the three dimensions of the building is also read on the facade of the building. In the part where the core is located, the facade is left more open so that the core can be read from the outside. In the part of the building that touches Narmanlı Han, the natural light coming directly into the building from the exposed structure part of the building has contributed to the healing process while healing the building itself.
Firdevs Aydın
October 2, 2023
Honorable Mention
DESIGN OF A CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM
Here, my goal was to allow people to go on a FUTURISM voyage or to provide a futuristic way to view modern art. We are all aware of how diverse, vibrant, and EXPERIMENTAL contemporary art is and how it has no boundaries. It challenges us to reconsider/rethink how we normally perceive certain things. The entire project is basically a journey or loop that begins at the grand plaza, where visitors enter a pavilion-like space (under the canopy) and get the reception (as well as some ancillary amenities like a cafeteria, souvenir shop, etc.). When a visitor first arrives, they will notice a straight ramp that leads up to the plinth of the art museum; this is where they need to go right away. The most wonderful experience takes place here; the art gallery in Sylhet, Bangladesh, not only performs the function of an art gallery as is customary but also one of a watch tower because the location is graced by mother nature and surrounded by stunning mountains. The Art Gallery itself is basically a circular ramp-like walkway, and once the visitor has completed their internal adventure, they return to the entering reception by using the geometrically organic ramp and get the ancillary facilities once again. The journey ends.
Tasfia Tabassum Noshin
October 5, 2023
Honorable Mention
The Knitted Mind
Today, 26 June 2050, due to uncontrolled global warming, the earth's temperature has risen above 2 degrees Celsius and increasing areas of land are facing severe drought. Most of the remaining arable land has been set aside for food, and strict regulations are in place to protect the planet's dwindling water resources from further pollution. Humans have unconsciously caused an increase in the number of microplastics in the oceans. Oil, once seemingly limitless, has run out and unfortunately reached its last drop, leaving behind huge unused structures. "The Knitted Mind" aims to re-functionalise abandoned oil platforms and become a research base and an answer to the problems that people will face in the coming years. In 2020, the COVID-19 virus, which shook the world, mutated and came back in the coming years in a metamorphosed and inedible form. Humanity will have to cope with bigger pandemics...
Merve Hilal Aktas
October 9, 2023
Honorable Mention
Celand in 2040
2040 is a future of flexibility, a world where people can live in the state of ‘permanent nomadism’, unlike other micronations Celand is a community that live a life of self-sufficiency and flexibility. The proposal question how can we envisage and redesign the nature of domestic space in a new era of nomadic living. In the future, the boundaries between work and domestic life are no longer clearly defined. And privacy doesn’t mean being alone in a space, it is a critique on the idea of co-inhabiting, collective dwelling and embodies ideals of socialisation. The existence of micro-society challenge domestication of society; the patriarchal logic of domestic space, and modern neighbourhood ecology. It is the year 2040, new laws on nomadism is passed on for people, where home can be anywhere, Celand is an micronation that claims Charleston estate as part of its territory. The nation stages and celebrate notions of privacy as the possibility of freedom. The proposal is a micronation, a micro-society, the design strategy is like designing elements of a small city, building the nation as a microcosm. The nation comprises distribution of inflatable structures, using lightweight, flexible, and adaptable plastics. The structures can be replaced, suggesting a process of continuous growth and replacement. Each unit serves a function and is intended as a small community. Each structure of the microsociety consists of particular domestic and social functions. Such as dining space, bedroom, bathroom, workspace, passport control, prison, hospital etc, locates in the land of what was originally the farmhouse. The structure is both inside and outside, protected and exposed, in Celand domestic space can also be a work space, kitchen can contain activities of preparing, cooking and eating in the same space. People can choose to inhabit alone or together. The project propose a new system for nation’s own growth and atomization. It embodies ideals of collective dwelling, modern living, where socialization could occur.
Anqi Liu
October 8, 2023
Honorable Mention
a m p h i b i o u s
Through the holistic lens of nature, climate change is a constant concept. It has caused more frequent and intense floods and inundations, as well as sea-level rise. Many countries around the world cyclically suffer these consequences, considering that most of their occupancy models are incompatible with the natural water cycle. In this context, the idea of a flood-resistant microhome redefines human habitation. Inspired by long-established natural mechanisms, it aims to shelter the most affected. Its' resilient form, defined by aerodynamics, is capable of withstanding natural cycles as a whole. It primarily operates with sunlight, wind power, and rainwater, while wastewater and organic waste are harnessed through methanogenesis for water heating and stove energy. The slightly twisted envelope is primarily based on 3D printing, using recycled plastic and a combination of flax fiber with recycled carbon fiber (rCF) to form hybrid composites with advantages in terms of mechanical properties, providing buoyancy and vibration damping. Therefore, it not only allows sustainable construction but also promotes recycling as a fruitful activity in modern society.
Ana Cavalcante
October 9, 2023
Honorable Mention
Market’s Antidote: Designing Food Waste to be integrated as byproduct for Market
Food wastage has become a raising concern in cities exacerbated by the convenience of food accessibility, which amplifies wasteful habits among urban dwellers. Kuala Lumpur being the most urbanised city in Malaysia, with staggering 9,600 tons of food waste being disposed of daily. One particular significant food waste generator is the wet market, contributes a substantial 27% of the city’s total food waste. Despite representing a major waste stream, food waste treatment remains minimal, with only 5% recycling rate compared to other waste categories. The current food waste management follows a linear cycle, which solely removes this large amount of waste from the city to landfill. To addresses the pressing issue of food wastage in urban wet market, the thesis Market’s Antidote proposes a resilient solution by designing food waste to be integrated as a byproduct for market. A specific investigation is underway in Pasar Chow Kit, one of the largest wet markets in Kuala Lumpur. Chow Kit is a mature commercial area with numerous of F&B premise, hotel cafeterias, school canteens and a hospital, all disposing significant amounts of food waste. The market itself consists 445 merchant stalls, generating an average of 400kg of food waste daily. However, unsystematic waste management and poor planning have led to irresponsible hygienic practices, resulting in the market deteriorating into an unpleasant environment.
Joeey Lee
October 10, 2023
Honorable Mention
A City Cloister
"It is necessary at once the projective vision of what above all is lacking in our big cities: silent, ample and dilated places to reflect, places with long and porticoed walks for bad weather or for when the sun is excessive, where no noise of vehicles or criers arrives; where a correct delicacy would veto even the prayer in loud voice to the priest." Friedrich Nietzsche The project is located at the end of Carrer de la Marina, one of the most important axes of Barcelona, not only because of its transversality but because there are three of the few buildings in height of the city. That is why this must be a space that delivers the city to the sea with the dignity and power it deserves. Starting from this premise, it has to be a space that speaks the language of the city. A regular and serene space that delivers Barcelona in a firm way to the existing chaos of the sea, the beach and the port. That is why I take the decision to place the building and the space that this one generates at the arrival level. Even so, this is not intended to be a point of tourist interest or crowded but a space where the individual relationship with the place prevails and where the community dimension is left in the background. A space where the social dimension can also have a spiritual dimension.
Pol Cuscó
October 11, 2023
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Library and Senior Residence
This project is an exploration of the many dimensions of society life: public environments such as a library, semi-public spaces like a chapel and private ones like a senior residence. The, now abandoned, plot is located in Setúbal in the neighborhood of Troino, old neighborhood of fishermen. The batch was composed by several industrial fragile buildings and a workers' village. In the project, these first buildings were demolished and the last one was rehabilitated, maintaining the openings, changing only its height and the roof. This project was developed in a gesture that surrounds the batch, embracing it and thus creating an interior patio, which allows lighting. The streets were widened invinting an entrance to the residence reserved for the elderly. In the low corner, a square was created with the intention of being a place of breathing space that precedes the library auditorium and the chapel, intended for the general population. The senior residence develops from the upper right corner to the lower left corner in an L shape, being closely linked with the chapel. In order to give the chapel a certain spirituality, beams of light were cut out at the roof. The library emerges from the extension of the ancient workers' village. The patio created by the buildings is intended to be a fusion between a green and a paved space. In this way, a central water elementd and a strip of gravel were placed, what makes the transition between the grass and the pavement in a more natural and organic way. This project was designed in cooperation with my colleague Mónica Sobral Leonardo in Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon.
Inês Marques
October 15, 2023
Honorable Mention
The 5th room
It is a programmatic intervention of the patios, which promotes the connection between public and private space; with a modular construction made by a polycarbonate skin held by steel uprights and crossbars, that create a free grid with indefinite internal configurations to place furniture, and at the same time allows its partial or total opening in the form of windows, door and a tilting wall. It give the patio daily and seasonal versatility depending on the use you want to give it. On the roof there are oscillating photovoltaic panels, adjustables depending on whether you want to let in the sunlight and ventilate or not, which also provides energy to the house.
Oriol Sánchez
October 10, 2023
Honorable Mention
The 5th room
It is a programmatic intervention of the patios, which promotes the connection between public and private space; with a modular construction made by a polycarbonate skin held by steel uprights and crossbars, that create a free grid with indefinite internal configurations to place furniture, and at the same time allows its partial or total opening in the form of windows, door and a tilting wall. It give the patio daily and seasonal versatility depending on the use you want to give it. On the roof there are oscillating photovoltaic panels, adjustables depending on whether you want to let in the sunlight and ventilate or not, which also provides energy to the house.
Oriol Sánchez
October 10, 2023
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