New Architecture Competition - 2023's Edition
Primary School in Africa
An architecture competition that protects right of education. The winning project will be built in southern Senegal.
1st Prize: 5.000€ + Internship at Kengo Kuma + Construction
The ‘Children’s House’ should be a welcoming place where activities aimed at preventing child malnutrition can be carried out in a rural environment of Sub-Saharan Africa. The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow; allowing them to develop properly is essential in order to build a better future. Nevertheless, today, 149 million children in the world suffer from growth retardation resulting from nutritional difficulties caused by poverty, conflicts and the environmental crisis. An adequate diet, especially in the first 5 years of life, means facilitating the psychological and physical development necessary to develop all of the fundamental abilities to participate in social life.
The right to education is one of the fundamental and inalienable rights of any person, as well as a principle established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, yet for more than 600 million children worldwide, this right is not guaranteed due to fragile economic, political and health conditions, the presence of conflicts, natural disasters, stereotypes and socio-cultural prejudices. In Sub-Saharan Africa, most schools are not able to offer services that can protect the student, make them feel safe, and foster the development of their potential. Without a quality education, children will not be able to acquire the necessary skills to cope with life’s problems and find useful employment to make them independent, and they will not be able to participate in the decisions that affect them, thus putting their future at risk.
The “Kaira Looro ” is an international architecture competition for students and young architects, the objective of which is to grow up careers of new architectural talent, raise awareness in the international community regarding the topics of emergency, and support humanitarian projects. Participation is open to architects, students, designers, engineers and anyone who wants to propose a solution to the theme. It is possible to participate in the competition individually or in teams, with one requirement: the presence of under 35 years old on the team.
The entries received will be evaluated by a jury made up of prominent architects: Kengo Kuma (Kengo Kuma & Associates), Benedetta Tagliabue (EMBT Miralles Tagliabue), Agostino Ghirardelli (SBGA | Blengini Ghirardelli), Manuel Aires Mateus (Aires Mateus Architects), Raul Pantaleo (TAM Associati), Mphethi Morojele (MMA Design Studio), Mphethi Morojele (MMA Design Studio), Emmanuelle Moureaux (Emmanuelle Moureaux Architecture + Design), Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani e Mohamed Amine Siana and an scientific committee made up of Raoul Vecchio (Balouo Salo), Sebastiano D’Urso (University of Catania and other specialist in architecture and humanitarian actions.
Awards will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, 2 honourable mentions, 2 special mentions, 20 finalists, and 20 Top 50. The winning project will receive a cash prize (5.000 €) and an internship at Kengo Kuma & Associates studio in Japan, as well as the construction of the project as humanitarian intervention. The other internships will be awarded to the 2nd place team at the EMBT Miralles Tagliabue in Spain and to the 3rd place at the SBGA Blengini Ghiradelli, and respectively 2.000€ and 1.000€. Furthermore, all of the projects will be published on the competition’s website and in its official book, transmitted to 30 of the competition’s global media partners, and shared with institutional partners.
The aim of the selection process is to select an architectural model of a primary school that can raise the level of education for children, secure the right to study, ensure health and provide the psycho-physical and health conditions necessary to develop each student’s potential. A facility that is not only limited to school courses, but that can host cross-curricular activities is ideal, a place that is not only a school but also a community. Through architecture, shapes and colours, the aim is to create a model that inspires confidence in the students, the community and the authorities. A unique and symbolic, yet simple, place of identity in which every child can find themselves and begin to build their future.
The project must be conceived as feasible in a process of a humanitarian intervention and self-construction, i.e., without qualified personnel and with the direct participation of the local community; it must, therefore, meet certain construction requirements. The competition is organised by the Balouo Salo Non-Profit Organisation, engaged in charitable projects in Africa, and all proceeds (obtained from the registration fees) , will be entirely donated to the implementation of humanitarian projects in Africa to improve the living conditions of communities in rural areas. Registration will begins on 13rd January 2023.
Calendar & Deadlines
Early registrations : 13rd Jan - 28th Febr 2023
Normal registrations : 1st March - 9th Apr 2023
Late registrations : 10th Apr - 15th May 2023
FAQ answer deadline : 1st June 2023
Submissione Deadline: 11st June 2023
Jury evalution : 2rth June - 01st July 2023
Winners announcements : 10th July 2023
Info and registration:
www.kairalooro.com | facebook
