1.0 Invitation
Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation and North Hertfordshire Homes, invite submissions for an international open design competition for the design of an affordable 21st Century house.
The competition is organised with the support of the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Competitions Office.
2.0 Aims
The competition seeks a housing design updating the original concept under-pinning Letchworth Garden City and the Garden City movement, incorporating new technologies and approaches to home and environment design to help meet the challenges of the 21st century, ensuring the homes will be environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.
3.0 Intention to Build
It is hoped that from the entrants an entrants or a number of entrants can be appointed to take the design through to completion subject to successful funding and planning permission.
4.0 Competition Format
Designs will be assessed anonymously by the Jury Panel. The competition will be judged in two categories - one for the professional entries and one for student entries.
5.0 Eligibility
The competition is open internationally to architects, property and built environment professionals and students of these disciplines. Collaboration between disciplines is actively encouraged. No member or employee of the promoting bodies nor the jury panel shall be eligible to compete or assist a competitor.
6.0 Jury Panel
The Jury Panel are:
Stuart Kenny, Director General
Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation
Kevin Thompson, Chief Executive
North Hertfordshire Homes
Peter Chlapowski
PCKO Architects
Lynne Sullivan
Broadway Malyan
A fifth member of the Jury Panel is yet to be appointed. Click here for further information about the Jury Panel.
The Jury Panel will be supported by a Technical Panel. This panel will shortlist the entries for the final jury panel. The panel is still to be appointed but will include:
Peter Chlapowski
PCKO Architects
Lynne Sullivan
Broadway Malyan
Nick Wright
Head of Development, North Hertfordshire Homes
Tracy Harvey
Head of Planning and Development, Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation
Roger Godden
Head of Property Services, Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation
In the event of a jury member being unable to continue to act through illness or any other cause, the promoter in consultation with the RIBA will appoint another assessor.
7.0 Assessment Criteria
The proposed designs will be assessed against the following criteria:-
- Design quality
- Relevance to the Garden City movement and the character of Letchworth
- Value of what the design achieves and offers occupants in the quality of size and amenity
- Quality and deliverability of innovative ideas
- Economic building solutions and buildability
- Provisions for maintenance and durability of designs
- Feasibility of delivery, to cost to build and long term occupation costs
- Sustainable technologies
Additional Considerations
This competition brings with it a number of design challenges. These include:
1. Density
The traditional view of garden cities is low-density housing, which is inconsistent with current national planning policy for higher densities. How would your proposal reconcile these tensions?
2. Space
Garden Cities promised to meld man with nature - as one early Letchworth marketing campaign put it - the combination of ‘the comforts of the town with the health and beauty of the country’ realised. How does your proposal reflect and encompass this?
8.0 Prize Money
A total prize fund of £25,000 is available for the jury panel to allocate as they see fit.
9.0 Timetable
The timetable for the competition, which may be subject to variation, is as follows:
Brief available :
Thursday 1 February 2007
Question deadline :
Thursday 28 February 2007
Answers to questions :
by Friday 16 March 2007
Submission deadline :
Thursday 31 May 2007
Initial Assessment:
w/c 25 June 2007
Final Assessment and prize giving ceremony:
Wednesday 18 July 2007
Announcement of result :
19 July 2007 onwards
10.0 Submission Instructions
Drawings on 2 A1 boards should include and illustrate:
- Dwelling plans/group of dwellings at 1:50 or 1:100 scale showing furniture arrangements
- Elevations and sections at 1:50 or 1:100 scale
- Information on construction and materials
- 3D visuals
- Explanatory sketches, and diagrams to explain design approach, interesting aspects of construction and sustainability strategy and how innovative proposals would be achieved.
- Drawing illustrating relations to other dwellings i.e. terrace, detached etc.
- Suggested Solutions for dealing with the micro-climate, refuse/recycling, storage and cycle storage.
- Separate text report (maximum 8 A4 pages) should include design philosophy, outline specification, construction concept.
- Building costs for individual dwelling, excluding external works and services.
- Life Costs.
Declaration :
The declaration form signed, and placed in the ‘official envelope’ provided with the competition documentation.
See ‘anonymity’ section below.
Please note models will not be accepted.
The promoter and the RIBA Competitions Office will exercise all reasonable care but will not be responsible for loss or damage to drawings that may occur either in transit or during exhibition, storage or packing.
Competitors are advised to retain copies of the designs submitted.
11.0 Submission Method
Submissions should be contained in a single package and sent, carriage paid, addressed to the RIBA Competitions Office, 6 Melbourne Street, Leeds LS2 7PS, clearly marked ‘RIBA/Letchworth’ to arrive no later than 4.00 pm on Thursday 31 May 2007.
Competitors requiring proof of delivery should enclose in their package a stamped, sealed envelope addressed to a third party (to preserve anonymity). This will be posted on receipt of submission.
12.0 Anonymity
Packages and the designs they contain should be sent in without name, motto or distinguishing mark of any kind and be accompanied by the declaration form provided, which should be placed in the ‘official envelope’ provided. The RIBA will place a number on each drawing and on the official envelope. The envelope will not be opened until after the selection has been made.
A successful competitor must be able to satisfy the assessors that he/she is the bona fide author of the design he/she has submitted.
13.0 Disqualification
A design shall be excluded from the competition:
- If received after the latest time stated under submission method;
- If, in the opinion of the assessors, it does not substantially meet the requirements of the brief;
- If a competitor shall disclose his or her identity, or improperly attempt to influence the decision;
- If any of the mandatory requirements of the competition conditions and brief are disregarded.
14.0 Copyright
The ownership of copyright in the work of all competitors will be in accordance with the Copyright and Patent Act 1988, that is copyright rests with the author.
15.0 Announcement of Award
At the conclusion of the competition the RIBA will publish the winning names after communicating it individually to each of the competitors. The shortlist of entrants will be invited to the presentation and announcement ceremony on 18 July 2007.
All the designs will agreement, be retained by the promoter for the purposes of exhibition and publicity.
The promoter or the RIBA may publish illustrations of any design, either separately or together with other designs with or without explanatory text.
16.0 Questions
Questions relating to the competition brief and conditions must be addressed in writing to the RIBA Competitions Office to arrive on or before Wednesday 14 March 2007.
A statement in response to all questions will be circulated to all competitors by Friday 23 March 2007.
17.0 Registration Fee
The registration fee is non-refundable. Registration fees are inclusive of VAT.
18.0 Enquiries
Any enquiries relating to the general conditions of this competition should be addressed to the RIBA Competitions Office and not the competition promoter.
RIBA Competitions Office
6 Melbourne Street
Leeds LS2 7PS
Tel : +44 (0) 113 2341335
Fax : +44 (0) 113 2460744
e-mail : riba.competitions@inst.riba.org
www.ribacompetitions.com