Non Architecture Competition: ’Social Distancing’ – Housing Block

by Irena Sibila on 28 May 2020

Expired on 29 Aug 2020

Non Architecture Competition: ’Social Distancing’ – Housing Block now is over!

CALL FOR ENTRIES: Non Architecture (NonA) recently has announced ’Social Distancing’ - Housing Block, calls for alternative housing models to disrupt the real estate market in a scenario of prolonged social distancing.

The ’Social Distancing’ – Housing Block, one of the Non Architecture “Pandemic Society” competitions, now is calling for entries! Non Architecture (NonA) is looking for alternative housing models to disrupt the real estate market in a scenario of prolonged social distancing.

According to the United Nations, the world population is expected to grow by almost 25% in the coming thirty years. Such growth will most likely occur in urban areas, where the housing shortage is already becoming an urgent issue. Additionally, a large part of existing and future buildings will be destined for residential use, leaving a huge impact on the way people live, experience, and affect cities. In this context housing models have been frozen into standardized solutions that leave little or no room for innovation. Such solutions are often perpetrated as a convention, missing a wide range of unexplored opportunities.

The COVID-19 outbreak showed how our way of living can quickly change, while dwellings suddenly became the main stage for this transformation. Imagining a society where social distancing is the new normality, how should housing models change? How can we introduce a valuable change in the established model, to disrupt the real estate market and benefit dwellers, the environment, and the city? Social Distancing Housing Block aims to answer these questions. ’Social Distancing’ Housing Block is part of a Competition series, developed to imagine new dwelling models through a variety of creative architectural designs and feasible innovation. Considering the limits of the current housing market, what could be the domestic architecture of the future?

Organizer asks for a creative approach to architectural design, departing from a given users, program and extension.

Program and site:
Organizer proposes an abstract plot of 25m x 25m (625sqm), to be located wherever you prefer. You can keep it undefined or you can choose a specific city and apply its cultural context and climate. Within this plot, the housing block footprint must not go beyond 20m x 20m and a maximum of 15m height. Do not build anything beyond the building envelope limits. Plot accessibility and orientation are free and can be adjusted according to the design. The surrounding context should be considered flat and empty, but not accessible. The design cannot exceed the 25m x 25m plot and can’t extend underground.

The required program is structured as follows:
➜ The proposed block should accommodate a minimum of 40 permanent residents. Age, gender and family status of the residents is not specified.
➜ The designed complex should cater to the residents’ basic needs, like rest, personal hygiene, and food preparation. Designers are free to add any function they might consider relevant.
➜ Number of residents per single dwelling is up to the designer. Size and layout of the dwelling is also flexible, and so is the extension of private and shared spaces with all the residents in the block.
➜ There should be minimum 3sqm outdoor space per permanent resident. This surface can be increased according to the design. Outdoor space can be private, shared with all the residents or publicly accessible.
➜ There is no need to consider parking spaces in the proposal.
➜ A space for visitors and workers can be included, but it is not required. Similarly, technical and storage space can be taken into consideration only if the designers see fit.
➜ There should be one main access to the housing block. Additional or secondary accesses can also be included. Each dwelling and functional space should be accessible through circulation.

No accessibility or safety regulation is taken into account for this competition. Technical feasibility and construction materials are not relevant for this competition. Main focus is on the organization of spaces and the functional layout. Nevertheless, the building designed should present a realistic structural organization.

Submission requirements:

The participants are in fact asked to submit one ZIP folder:

● A Housing Block Image (JPEG) an image showing the configuration of the whole complex. The image should fully display the relation between all the units and shared spaces in the block, highlighting qualities and innovative features. It can be a floorplan, a section, an axonometric view or any other drawing that might suit the designers’ vision. Scale and technique of representation are free.

● A Single Unit Image (JPEG) an image showing the layout and organization of one single apartment, highlighting qualities and innovative features. It can a be a floorplan, a section, an axonometric view or any other drawing that might suit the designers’ vision. Scale and technique of representation are free.

● A Concept Image (JPEG) showing the main innovation and qualities behind the design. The image can highlight a specific functional aspect of the project and show the relation with the design brief. For this image organizer leaves full freedom of choice regarding drawing typology or representation technique. It can be a diagram, a rendering, an abstract impression, a technical drawing or any other format that might suit your storyline.

● A text document in Word (.DOC) that clearly states the title and subtitle (maximum of 10 words) + 1 to 5 key words from the given list that better explain your project, followed by a short description (maximum of 200 words). The text must be written in English.

All the images must be A4, oriented portrait (vertical), 300 dpi (equals 2480 x 3508 px), high quality, 5 MB maximum file size.

Evalutation criteria:

➜ Innovation - In terms of program management, technology and originality of the formal solution proposed.
➜ Communication - Clarity, appeal and experimentation in the presentation of the proposal.
➜ Relevance - The degree to which the proposal is related or useful to the proposed theme.

The winners will be announced from 21 – 27 September.

Entry Fees:

Enty fee starts from 30 Euro if you submit before Special registration period (1 — 17 May 2020) ends. After that day the fees will increase.

Who can participate? ⇣

Non Architecture Competitions are open to all human beings, from every age and cultural background, working in groups or individually. Teams can be formed by a maximum number of 5 people.

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