COMPETITION SOFIA, BULGARIA, April 2011 NEW LIFE FOR PREFAB PANEL RESIDENTAL COMPLEXES ArchModule, the platform that organizes architectural and thematic competitions as well as industrial and interior design competitions, has the pleasure to invite architects and designers to participate in the international competition NEW LIFE FOR PREFAB PANEL RESIDENTAL COMPLEXES Sofia, Bulgaria which will take part in the period 11 April, 2011 – 15 June, 2011. Below you can find information related to the subject matter, the method of registration and the possibility to ask questions at e‐mail address info@archmodule.com. We would like to wish good luck to all participants! Let us create together, let us make our life more interesting and imaginative! ArchModule Team International Platform for Competitions General Introduction After the 9th of September 1944 and in connection with the plans for industrialization of Bulgaria, a need arouse in Sofia to find solution to the severe housing shortage in the capital city resulting from the mass migration of people from the provinces to the city. The construction of pre‐fabricated (or as they are widely known, panel) buildings became the very foundation of the housing policy as that was viewed as a fast solution to the problem. The first pre‐fabricated panel buildings in Bulgaria were erected back in 1958 as an experiment. As a result of the experience accumulated from the first buildings a catalogue of standard designs for mass application in Sofia was developed as well as a Unified Nomenclature 2‐63, 2‐64, etc. which served as a basis for the development of the design of such residential areas as Svoboda, Mladost, Druzba and others. Panel residential complexes are an inseparable part of the appearance of almost all Bulgarian towns where 23% of all dwellings in the country are located. In the towns, 33% of these dwellings are located in panel apartment blocks. In Sofia there are approximately 190,000 such dwellings covering a total area of more than 15,000 decares with a more than half a million tenants. The main criteria applied in the construction of these buildings were the quantitative and economic indicators. Bad maintenance of panel complexes combined with the fact that many of them were built more than 40 years ago raised the issue of their durability. Based on specialized research carried out in the end of the 20th century a prognostic expert assessment was developed which identified the general physical condition of panel buildings as good ascertaining that it may remain such in the next 50 years. Evidently that period may be extended or respectively shortened depending on the manner of utilization and maintenance taken. One of the main problems for this type of buildings continues to be their energy efficiency as they literally waste energy. Heating losses are huge with the main culprit being the external walls. If correct designing and proper measures are applied there may be savings of heating energy of over 35% which will lead to a similar level of reduction of CO2 emissions. Such results will make it possible for our country to be included in the common European living environment – with uniform, widely‐recognized norms and requirements for achieving sustainable, environment‐friendly development. The National Program for Renovation of Housing Buildings in Bulgaria /January 2005/ provides guidance with respect to future goals that also take into account the importance of the aesthetic features of housing buildings and their harmony with the surrounding area. General Project Information, Goal The purpose of this competition is to generate ideas not only from the professional community of architects but from anyone who thinks creatively and cares about the state of panel buildings in Bulgaria. That includes anyone who would like to see Sofia, this young European capital city accommodating and employing over 2 million people, come up with a new modern appearance that will secure the city the respectable and well‐deserved position that she used to have in the past. The winning projects will become a basis, a pilot project; they will be analyzed from a financial standpoint with the aim of implementing them onto a set of panel buildings. In this context the team of ArchModule together with Sofia Municipality, Mladost District have selected a specific panel block of flats situated in the territory of the Municipality adjacent to a metro station of the first diameter of Sofia underground. Companies which are manufacturers/importers of commodities and articles applicable in the implementation of such projects participate in the initiative. The selection of this specific panel building was determined by the following factors: it was built in accordance with the Zemlyane system which is widely used in the territory of the Municipality, it is located on a major city boulevard; the appearance of the facade is rather monotonous which requires the application of fresh ideas in the search for a distinct modern vision. Key information regarding Construction System 2‐64 – Zemlyane: The system has been developed for earthquake‐prone regions as Sofia and Plovdiv. The designs have been developed by NiproITIS. The construction scheme consists of external and internal bearing wall panels. All internal, floor and ceiling panels were made of B20 concrete, while all façade walls are one‐layered, made of light B10 concrete. The buildings stand at up to 8 floors, with individual floor height of 2.70 m., flat, ventilated, double roof with internal drainage. The conceptual design should address the issue of conceptual architectural solution to the appearance of the building by taking into account the potential of the proposed ideas for mass application. Partners СТОЛИЧНА ОБЩИНА – РАЙОН „Младост” Media Partner Sponsors With the support of Location The panel building in question is located in the city of Sofia, Mladost 2 Residential complex, on Alexander Malinov boulevard, close to Sofia metro station No14 the construction whereof is imminent. This building complex is situated in the north‐eastern part of the city at the foot of Vitosha mountain. 9 Total built‐up area: 1997,00 m2 9 Total façade area : 10195,00 m2 9 Coordinates: 42˚38`N and 23˚22`Е 9 Altitude: 605 m 9 World time: GMT + 2 9 Climate – mild continental with four seasons; average monthly temperature for January /winter/ from ‐5˚ to +3˚С, and average monthly temperature for /summer/ from +15˚ to +27˚С Contents of the project The package of measures /”Extended – optional package”/ of the National Program for Renovation of Housing Buildings in Bulgaria provides guidance for the future goals that encompass a wider range of supplementary measures covering the construction of buildings, installations and surrounding area. That includes construction of additional balconies and loggias; replacement of flat roofs with sloping roofs, superstructures; supplementary constructions. It is possible to have all these implemented in the future following expert assessment of the condition of each specific site. The proposed architectural concepts presuppose following that interpretation which allows for some freedom in looking for viable solutions to the future of panel buildings. Applicant projects should offer clear treatment of the following components of the building: 1. Improvements of façade panels, selection of appropriate material: plasters, claddings, ornaments, place for mounting advertisement; 2. Glazing: proposals for supplementary glazing of certain parts; 3. Solutions for railings, balustrades, integration of sun‐protection solutions, overhangs, eaves; 4. Roof improvements: proposals for superstructures, new shapes, integration of advertising devices. 5. Ideas regarding the surrounding area: possibilities for supplementary constructions: residential buildings, shops, etc., landscaping, sports facilities, changes in the purpose of ground floors; 6. Ideas relating to resolving the issue of shortage of parking space are expected; 7. The solutions proposed must comply with the current legal regulations in force in the country. The coefficient for heat transfer of the façade elements must be as follows: for walls bordering with external air 0,35 W/(м2К); for windows and doors ‐ from 1,7 W/(m2К) to 2,2 W/(m2К) depending on the material of the frame /the acceptable value for curtain walls is 2,2 and 1,7 for PVC frames/ . Requirements to the presentations Applicant projects should be presented as a single digital image. During assessment projects will be examined electronically. The minimum scope of the project is as follows: 9 Facade and/or façade fragments 9 Cross section 9 3D representation 9 Narrative part, rationale behind the proposed solution 9 All other clarifications, charts, graphs, descriptions Each digital image must contain the personal registration number; no variations on this rule are acceptable. Any subsequent project solution requires you get a new registration number. All narrative information must be written in English. 9 Parameters of the digital image: Digital format jpg, ZIP or RAR File name only the Registration number Size No more than 5 MB Size of image Rectangle 4966 х 3500 pixels, 150 dpi Size of the margin with the registration number Rectangle 150 х 20 pixels Font to be used for the registration number Arial /normal/ 18 pt Eligibility This competition is a one‐phase competition. Both architects with rich professional experience and young professionals and students are eligible for participation in the competition. Artists and designers are also eligible since creative ideas and concepts are sought which at a later stage will be analyzed in terms of their constructive feasibility and building costs. Team participation is also acceptable as long as the number of team members does not exceed 5 /five/. When a company or a team decides to register, they need to appoint a leader. In such cases payment of only one fee is required. Awards 1. First prize: 9 1,500 Euro 9 Return plane ticket from the closest to the applicant’s address international airport with direct flights to Sofia 9 Hotel accommodation, breakfast and dinner included – 1 night 9 Publication in Stroitelstvo Gradat (Construction The City) newspaper 2. Second prize: 9 1,000 Euro 9 Publication in Stroitelstvo Gradat (Construction The City) newspaper 3. Third prize 9 500 Euro 9 Publication in Stroitelstvo Gradat (Construction The City) newspaper After the jury’s assessment all projects submitted, together with information about their authors will be published at www.archmodule.com in the order in which they have been submitted. Downloading the complete competition information All files will be accessible via www.archmodule.com and downloading is free of charge. To that end the data required in the DOWNLOAD section is to be filled–in. Registration Registration for participation in the competition is possible only via the website www.archmodule.com. You have to follow the instructions provided in the section on REGISTRATION for the specific competition, pay the required fee by choosing one of the two possible modes which will entitle you to get a personal registration number for participation in the competition. This will guarantee the anonymity of the participants until the completion of the evaluation process. Step 1: By filling‐in the herein enclosed registration form you express your willingness to participate in the competition. The form contains a list of the team members /a maximum of 5 people/. The contact information of the Team Leader shall be entered on the first line. If the applicant is a legal person, the data regarding the head thereof and the legal name of the company shall be entered. If the applicant is a consortium of companies, please contact the Organizers prior to filling‐in the registration form in order to get a registration form relevant to your structure. Step 2: Confirm that you accept the General Conditions regarding the use of the website. Step 3: Read carefully the information regarding the different options for Online and Offline payment of the competition participation fee and select the most suitable one. Offline registration enables you to pay without using a credit card via a wire transfer to : CIBANK PLC Head Office 1000 Sofia 2, Slavianska Str SWIFT (BIC): BUIBBGSF Account holder: „А 2 Format” Ltd IBAN: BG83 BUIB 9888 1026 2510 00 BGL IBAN: BG65 BUIB 9888 1426 2510 00 EUR Important note: The participation fee is denominated in Euro (VAT inclusive) but does not include fees and commissions incidental to the selected mode of payment. They are due payments and form a different end price. The date of the payment document and the paid‐up fee shall be in accord with the period of registration and the respective price thereof. The registration process is to be continued depending on the mode of payment you have selected. Step 4 for Offline payment: If you haves selected that mode of payment, your registration shall continue by assigning you with a Temporary Registration Number at the e‐mail address provided for the Team Leader. You must clearly state your Temporary Registration Number when effecting the payment. Once the payment is made, you have to submit a copy of the payment document to info@arhmodule.com. Step 5 for Online payment: If you have selected that mode of payment, your registration shall continue by providing you with instructions which you should follow carefully and after having filled‐
in the necessary data should confirm the transaction. Step 6: You shall receive a message at the e‐mail address provided for the Team Leader which shall contain the OFFICCIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER. Your work shall participate in the competition under this number. Organizational Timeline Start of competition 11 April 2011 Early registration 11‐30 April 2011 Regular registration 30 April‐ 15 June 2011 Registration deadline 15 June 2011 Proposal submission deadline 15 June 2011 Deadline for asking questions 20 May 2011 Deadline for posting answers 11 April ‐ 20 May 2011 Jury works 16 June – 24 June 2011 Announcement of the results 01 July 2011 Awarding and exhibition of projects ‐ Sofia September 2011 Jury 1. MSc. Architect Boyka Kudreva – Chief Architect of Mladost Department, Sofia, Bulgaria 2. MSc.Architect Petko Simeonov, graduated in architecture from the Higher Institute for Architecture and Construction. He has worked for Metalurgproject, KNIPITUGA, Glavproject and Torgoproject. Since 1992 he has been working as a free lance architect. He has rich professional experience of 32 years. Since 2007 he has been the Chairman of the Pгofessional Activities Commission to the Board of Directors of Architects’ Chamber in Bulgaria. He’s been a member of the Board of Directors thereof since 2008. 3. MSc.Architect Ilko Nikolov, graduated in architecture from the Higher Institute for Architecture and Construction in 1981. He has rich experience both as a designer and a manager. In 1994, 2002 and 2010 he was awarded the Plovdiv prize for architecture. He was the Chief Architect of 4th county, Central region of the city of Plovdiv; Member of the Expert Council on Territorial Development for Plovdiv municipality; Member of the Advisory Council to the Chief Architect of Plovdiv Municiplaity. Currently, he is the President of the Plovdiv branch of the Union of Architects in Bulgaria. He chairs the Association for Sustainable Development and Analyses; Member of the Board of Directors of Business Expert Council, city of Plovdiv and Vice President of Union of Architects in Bulgaria, city of Sofia, for Property and Finances Unit. 4. MSc. Engineer Veneta Novakova, graduated in Industrial and Civil Construction from Sofia University for Architecture, Construction and Geodesy. She has been working as a façade engineer since 1996. In 2002 she started working for Stilmet and in 2004 became the Head of the Design Department and the Department for Research and Creation of New Architectural Systems ETEM in Stilmet. The Department is involved in innovative engineering work in the area of curtain walls, ventilated facades, doors and windows both for the domestic and foreign markets. All new systems pursue increased energy efficiency and sustainable development. She takes part as a presenter in international conferences in the area of façade engineering. She also organizes and the International Architectural Symposium ‘Aluminium and Glass’’ with the purpose of raising the awareness of the professional community with respect to the innovations in the sector. She is a member of CIBSE and the Society of façade engineering London. 5. Lyuben Genov, Artist, graduated the Jules Pascin Private Academy of Arts in Sofia and specialized at "Cite Internationale des Arts" in Paris, France. He has organized many one‐
man exhibitions. He was awarded for his participation in the National Competition for Wall painting “Bulgarian spiritual and material culture ‐ our identity on the way to Europe” and received a Diploma of Honor from the Biennial of Small Forms, Pleven. He has taken part in many joint and international exhibitions. At present he is a member of the Executive Board of the Union of Bulgarian Artists. Evaluation Criteria and Methods Every member of the appointed jury will review all applications and will assess them on the basis of his/her own individual professional experience and beliefs. Assessment will be done via the Internet. At the final comparison of the evaluations made by every juror, a representative of ArchModule will examine the process in full to check the correctness of the procedure. The following will be taken into consideration during the evaluation: 1. Overall conceptual approach to the task 2. Deployment of solutions that reflect the modern trends for sustainable architecture 3. Applicability of the design to the specific conditions and possibility for its mass application. 4. Originality of the architectural solutions 5. Proposals for additional design elements which will build up on the subject matter of the competition task. 6. Originality of the presentation Disqualification Applications with broken anonymity, i.e. such that contain information about the author which goes beyond the registration number, will not be evaluated. Projects received after the deadline and such that do not comply with the initial information will not be evaluated either. Submission/Confirmation of receipt of applications All designs should be sent to info@archmodule.com no later than midnight local time on 15 June 2011. Applicants bear full responsibility for the timely arrival of their materials. Projects that arrive later than the quoted date and hour will be disqualified. The applicants should attach a ZIP or RAR file bearing the abbreviated name of the competition, i.e. PANEL COMPLEXES, and their registration number. In the subject field they have to fill‐in the abbreviated name of the competition, PANEL COMPLEXES, and their registration number. The applying projects must be e‐mailed from the e‐mail address provided at registration. Otherwise, in case a problem arises, it will be difficult to get in contact with you. All information must be provided in English and in the format described above. Whilst applicants are allowed to submit an unlimited number of projects, they have to make a new registration and get a new registration number for each project they choose to apply with. Confirmation of receipt of applicant’s individual materials is not envisaged. Each participant can personally check whether their registration number is present in the special section which will be active from 23 May to the end of the competition. Questions Only questions coming from applicants who have successfully registered and have been assigned a registration number shall be addressed. When applicants send questions to info@archmodule.com they should write the abbreviated name of the competition and their registration name e.g. PANEL COMPLEXES 10012 in the subject field. Answers will be sent to applicants from 11 April to 20 May 2011. In the course of the competition the most frequently asked questions will be posted on the website in the QUESTIONS section. The whole correspondence in the QUESTIONS section will be conducted in English. Copyright The participants and the authors who have been awarded at the competitions agree that the Organizer, the Contracting entity and the Sponsor shall reproduce their material fully or partially free of charge and free of due payment for copyright. At the request of the author the Organizer, the Contracting entity and the Sponsor shall be obliged to publish the author’s name, pseudonym, or another identifying sign on every reproduction. Participation fee Early registration: 11‐30 April 2011 Regular registration:30 April‐ 15 June 2011 40,00 euro 55,00 euro The participation fee is denominated in Euro (VAT inclusive) but does not include fees and commissions incidental to the selected mode of payment. They are due payments and form a different end price. Awarding and exhibition The exhibition of the projects and the discussions on the obtained results will take place in Sofia, in September. Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend. Information about the date and place of the event will be published in the Schedule subsection of the Theme Competitions section by 15th August 2011.