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The competition
submissions generated robust debate amongst the judges, Sarah Calburn,
Tshego Moiloa and Solam Mkhabela. Whilst the
decision
was not agreed upon immediately, there was no doubt about the quality
of the
winner. The judges debated facadism, and whether the forms generally
were well justified.
1st:
Rudolf
Naudé - UFS
It was felt that
this project was directly related to formation of students’ communal
space. The
winner’s scheme clearly displayed incredible subtlety in its handling
of the
figure ground relationship. It dealt successfully with a field project
and the
formation of public space. The judges found it very elegant, a well
resolved
project and handled detail scale very well. The concept was well
resolved and
excellently interpreted in its materiality.
2nd:
Mfundo
Maphumulo - TUT
Tshego
appreciated the warmth of this project. The judges enjoyed the fine
grained
subtlety and its poetry, although it was “slightly
uncooked”. There is a great
sense of intimate scale and it was
felt that the sense of community could easily be imagined. However the
development of materiality was insufficient to hold the concept.
3rd:
Reynard Bester - TUT
This too
generated much debate. Sarah Calburn was concerned that the scheme was
too
rigid although it held much promise in terms of its setup and a fluid
internal
world; slightly naïve and in
anticipation was too rigidly realized. Tsegho Moiloa appreciated the
materiality. The scheme would have benefited from further fluid
realization.
C&CI
Architectural Students Competition 2008
What defines
South African Architecture?
The weather? The landscape? The
people? The materials?
Introduction
The
structural strength and design flexibility of concrete remain
unsurpassed, making it ideal for a wild variety of buildings across the
world. In South
Africa,
the opportunity to explore new designs and fresh ideas is endless.
Consider our
amazing mix of people and cultures. Our breathtaking scenery, our
dynamic
cities and our superb sunny weather, which lends itself to an exciting
range of
design possibilities.
Concrete as
a structural element has been used for over 7000 years.
However it is only in the last century and more specifically, the last
50 years
that it has been used expressively.
Climate and
Sustainability
The reality - building
impacts. Sustainability has become a trendy
byword. Perhaps as humans we have to be close to destruction before we
notice
the consequences of our actions. On a large scale, there are few
building
materials that could honestly be described as sustainable. So now it
the time
to evaluate our impact on the world with our building, in the choice of
materials and how we design our building to respond best to climate.
The aims of
this project are:
- to raise
the profile of architecturally expressed concrete
- to
stimulate architectural dialogue within architectural education
- to
encourage students to improve their architectural skills beyond their
local domain
Various
forms of concrete are at your disposal. These include in situ
and precast. Other areas of concrete you need to consider:
Texture
- Exposed aggregate
- Smooth
- Coloured
Form
Technical
pouring
The
objective is to find creative an innovative ways in which concrete
and concrete products can make a significant contribution to South
African
architecture. Submissions should:
- Demonstrate
designs that are appropriate to South Africa in terms of
what??
- Be architecturally
challenging
- Be socially
empowering
- Be
environmentally sensitive, especially in terms of sustainability and
choice of materials
- Explore the
properties and best qualities of concrete
The
competition is open immediately with the closing date being noon on
Friday 1 February 2008. Updates and changes are available on our
website.
National Judging
Panel
The work of
the finalists will be adjudicated by an independent panel of
judges, which will comprise prominent architects and the C & CI
will have
an advisor on the panel.
Judging Criteria
The judges
will be looking for a :
- technical
understanding of concrete
- creative
interpretation of the material
- development
of design ( current SA intelligence of use)
- Completeness
- Consistence
- Clarity
- Delight
Prizes
The
finalists will win the following:
1st
prize: R30,000
in cash. Prize for the
supervising lecturer - R10,000
2nd
prize: R10,000
3rd
prize: R
5,000
Prizes
are issued
at the discretion of the judges.
Have you any
questions? If so,
please contact John Sheath at the Cement and Concrete Institute
on 011 315 0300 or email him at
Inspiration
Although
difficult to access for some students, the Cement and Concrete
Institute has a substantial library of information in books and
electronically.
Please feel free to visit or access the Information Centre section of
this website.
www.jimjenningsarchitecture.com
- see his rather fabulous Visiting
Artists House
www.manuellegautrand.com -
she has done rather interesting plant implants on a toll road in France
www.holcimfoundation.org -
input on sustainability
www.concreteexchange.com -
Fu– Tung Cheng and his very
successful concrete funiture
www.concretethinker.org -
technical issues like acoustics et al
www.acsa-arch.org - association of
collegiate schools
of architecture, see their student concrete competition
www.greenglobes.com - an
on-line auditing tool for architects
www.greenbuildings.co.za -
supported by the CSIR, advises on environmental issues
CONCRETE/
south
africa/CLIMATE/inspire
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