Held annually since 1998, the Arquine International Architecture Competition explores important and relevant topics for society as a whole, creating a space for dialogue and promoting active participation of both national and international architects. It has become one of the best architecture ideas competitions, with over 400 teams from more than 21 countries participating last year.

This year, Arquine is asking: What could be the vocation of the [future, ex] International Airport Benito Juarez of Mexico City? Following the announcement that Mexico City’s new international airport will be constructed in Texcoco, this competition aims to generate proposals for the [future] urban zone. Comprised of a total of 746 acres, the area has the potential to become a catalyst for development and growth of the eastern part of one of the most complex and populated cities in the world.

Determining the future use of the space now occupied by the International Airport Benito Juarez in Mexico City is one of the most interesting urban development challenges worldwide. The public competition offers a way to dig into the potential use of the area and explore the possibility of creating a large green area in the eastern part of Mexico City.

Proposals should look at strategies for the area’s renovation, transformation and densification, taking into consideration that the area is a floodplain. The area’s potential as a center of operations should also be considered as well as its potential to be a space for international exhibitions in order to promote investment and the constant flow of local and foreign capital. The area also requires an intelligent densification plan with an area for housing. In addition, the project should propose solutions for optimizing connectivity with peripheral and major roads in the city, the historic center and with the new airport that will be located in the adjacent area of Texcoco.

About the Competition

The referred competition, judged by a jury, will be international, anonymous and of open character; it will be single-staged and governed by the dispositions hereby established in the following rules. Contestants are committed to accept and comply with each and every part of the governing dispositions (technical and procedural) established in these rules, from the moment they formalize their participation.

The invitation is open to architects and architecture students all over the world. Teams, collective and individual participants are welcome. The groups may incorporate professionals or students from other disciplines so long as the team leader or representative is an architect or architecture student.

No registry of confirmation from the participant’s college is necessary.

Under no circumstance are members of one team allowed to participate with a different team.
Participation is not permitted to:
• Members of the Jury or Arquine staff.
• Next to any kind of Jury members, spouses or any person maintaining a stable friendly, familiar or professional relationship with members of the Jury.

Inscription and Registration

A fee will have to be paid by each team or individual contestant in order to be officially registered.
First registration period: October 1st to December 20th, 2014; Amount: US$90.
Second registration period: December 21th, 2013 to February 17th, 2014; Amount: US$120.

No other fees will be charged, as all methods of participation and exchange of proposals material will be done online.

Anonymity

All projects will be identified by a code that the system will generate at the moment of registration. This code must be visible on the upper right corner of your project board (digital) and the file sent in will only be named with said code. All projects handed late or that do not meet the anonymity requirements will be automatically excluded from the competition.

Documentation Needed

Digital image (digital board) of the entirety of your project. This Board must contain all the necessary information to explain and understand the proposal. The image will be identified by a code that the system will generate at the moment of registration. This code must be visible on the upper right corner of your project board. It is essential that the image submitted at least contain the following:

• General plans and layouts of the project, including floor plans and sections, scaled adequately to ensure reading and comprehension of the plans.
• Diagrams, views, sketches, renderings, or any other form of visual representation that will help explain the project.
• A 250 word-long (max) descriptive text. Any text or description can only be delivered in either Spanish or English.
• The image or board must comply with the following format: rectangular in shape, 60cm high by 90cm long (i.e. horizontal display), 72 dpi, and only .JPG will be accepted. The file must be no larger than 5MB in order to facilitate uploads and downloads. Remember that the file name must be the same as the user code you will be given upon registration. No other format or delivery style will be accepted.

Exhibition

Once the competition has ended, the projects that stood out the most will be shown in a public exposition that will travel the country. This exposition will showcase the projects along with the identity of the authors. The place and date for the beginning of the exposition will be posted online 30 days after the results are published.

Prizes

The prizes will be the following:
• 1st Prize: $100,000.- MNX and a collection of Arquine Books.
• 2nd Prize: $60,000.- MNX and a collection of Arquine Books.
• 3rd Prize: $30,000.- MNX and a collection of Arquine Books.
• Honorable mentions: The Jury is allowed to give out four mentions to four ! projects that they feel deserve this recognition.

Contest Timeline

Launch of the bid announcement – Sept 1, 2014
Start of entries – Sept 12, 2014
Jury announcement – Oct 16, 2014
Start of consultation period – Oct 20, 2014
End of consultation period – Nov 20, 2014
Publicación of FAQs – Nov 24, 2014
Completing first registration stage – Dec 19, 2014
Start of 2nd. stage of entries – Dec 20, 2014
Closing date for entries – Feb 6, 2015
Deadline for sending proposals – Feb 13, 2015
Beginning of Jury deliberation – Feb 16, 2015
Jury session – March 6, 2015
Jury’s verdict – March 11, 2015
Awards and exhibition – May 12, 2015

More information is available on the official competition site here.

http://ift.tt/1zxg1SK

Architects: MDR Architectes
Location: Montpellier, France
Architects In Charge: Sancie Matte, Arnaud Rousseau, Frédéric Devaux
Team Design: Frédéric Ganichot, Géraldine Savelli
Area: 2800.0 sqm
Year: 2014
Photographs: Mathieu Ducros

From the architect. This thirty flat housing project is located in the heart of Montpellier, in a confined plot, in the middle of protected wooden area.

The challenge of the project was to successfully integrate two dense buildings, of respectively six and four levels stories, in a preserved and heterogeneous environment: the architecture had to fit in with surrounding traditional style houses but also with modern buildings built in the seventies. These buildings are in tune within this complex context due to their architectural language, volumetry and contemporary style.

The narrowness of the plot is intended to best set up the buildings to get interesting frames while concealing them from any nuisances. Buildings face each other, have different heights and are oriented to improve views and natural lighting.

The facades shelter, behind a game of crinkles conceived to limit view of the building opposite, large and private loggias but also balconies made to provide tranquility for residents by removing co-visibilities. Attics are designed like vast petals made of textured and stained concrete in analogy of the immense pines of the site.

Thus all flats benefit from large exteriors and the top floors are seemingly nested in the trees where you can get a unique panoramic view of the city. Flats are bright and are never mono orientated. A focus on openings, orientations, solar protections and thermal performances fit with the environmental approach of the project.

The characteristic moulding on the façade is embodied in an interplay of material and contrasted colors.  Materials are nobles and perennials: concrete, thermo-lacquered steel, roof tops and gravels.

The project enjoys a specific conception of the landscape design which reinforces the original qualities of the site: bamboo, mulching, gramineaes and Mediterranean plants that offer a qualitative base to the architecture.

http://ift.tt/1zwYs55