Architecture Competitions - DO... OR DO NOT

Kevin Hui and Andrew Maynard was joined by founder of Wikiarquitectura, Guillermo Carone, discussing about architecture competitions and whether they are worth entering, why and how.
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Bauhaus Campus 2021 Competition
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The Competition (2013) Trailer
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I have won competitions, lost competitions, applied for competitions and forgot about it until after the deadline, started working on competition projects and forgot to apply until was too late as well. Oh, I also started working in a competition only to later finding out I wasn't eligible to join in the first place. Anyway, consider if you really can dedicate your time, if that's a side project, if you are able to organize your routine to put in the required work, READ THE RULES and all the provided material, look up who are the jury members, submit questions for the organizers, GET INVOLVED with the project and the subject. This is how I got the best results, regardless of winning or not.

[@Archimarathon]

Great advices!!

The time I got the first prize, it was in an urban design competition for students. I was in a team of 3 and our proposal was about 60% text. Of course, we got lucky that a juror took the time to read and then defended our work to the others - but that was also because, in the final rush to submit, we decided to not leave anything out, even though there were things we were able to just say in the text and hope someone read it.

[@Archimarathon]

Must have been intriguing enough for the jury to want to read more though

[@gabybordino6024]

In my opinion, definitely do. At least once. It´s a great and different experience of how to manage ideas. I agree with all the concepts you´ve said on the video. I particularly remember a huge competition I´ve participated in my last year of Uni, and what I´ve got from this experience was so interesting. What impressed me most was that all the senior architects (whom in everyday life were my professors) worked hand in hand with the group of students (just a few) included in this event. And all ideas were taken into consideration no matter who expressed them, I mean, no hierarchies among the people. Speaking about this particular competition, Bauhaus Campus 2021, what I´d like to share is that I´ve been teaching Architecture History (Contemporary History) for more than 20 years now, and a huge amount of students says how much the Gropius building impresses them, how it responses to the time and the necessities of the moment, and so on... Well, I think this is an opportunity to go further, to explore new ideas for a new world and I´m going to spread the voice and encourage students to take part in it.

[@Archimarathon]

Bravo. Thanks for the story

[@WelcomeToSteph]

Too scared to enter any competitions... Also just hard to find the energy to design something that's not for a class or "real" purpose. Now that I've written that down I realise how lazy I sound!

[@Archimarathon]

you said it ;)

[@prawiraagung4011]

Absolute mood! But imho the more we try something new, the more we can learn about Architecture. Just make sure what we try is something that we can do at 100%.

[@Dev1nci]

In varsity my lecturer, Heinrich Wolff, organised a competition. It was an exploration of technology really so lightweight tensile, gridshell, folded plate etc. He organized with an Ironman company. It was to be the finish-line for a race. Then he ran it as a competition in class. So we had the opportunity to get something interesting built and a bit of prize money too (this guy is actually on another level as an architect and lecture 😅) It was great you could decide where to position yourself- did you want something built or did you rather want to explore something more theoretical in the sense that buildability would be a slight problem for the client so probably get axed. Basically there was no pressure but there was the opportunity to engage in something a little more real-world. That for me was great. It has a purpose and added a bit of excitement 👌

[@paulgasparro9364]

Much similar to the notion of adapting competitions into Studio I've thought about working on a competition, generating ideas based on the brief and so forth but not actually submitting. Time management and cost aside some competitions seem appealing to want to work on them in your spare time as a design outcome generating exercise. You don't necessarily want to outlay cost and time to the competition bit rather see what you come up and how you can best answer the brief. It always makes for great folio additions. The good thing about adopting into a studio is that yes you do learn good time management skills. Think up the ideas, draw them, and refine them to make sure you meet the deadlines.

[@Archimarathon]

No my argument is that when it’s adopted into a teaching studio (not Deakin MasterClass model), it’s prescribed and you don’t have the environment where you must discipline yourself in the management of a project.

[@janaahmad768]

So glad I found you guys !!

[@Archimarathon]

Thank you. Enjoy

[@thestrategicarchitect7314]

Great video, and if you guys want to learn more about the story behind the Sydney Opera House, I made a video just about this, explaining why Jorn Utzon won and what can young architects learn from this success :)

[@suffianshahabuddin113]

We entered a competition once where we didn't win, but beat Andrew Maynard! We told ourselves we were first in the southern hemisphere and that set us on the path of setting up our own practice. lol.

[@Archimarathon]

Great story. Be sure to let Andrew know. LOL.

[@markhogan77]

Only recently found this channel - really enjoy the content and topics covered .. thanks guys !!!

[@Archimarathon]

Glad you found us. Please spread the word

[@1xm_mx1]

I've participated in 2 local competitions, and I would say I can gauge by the competition guidelines and scope and intention and size of the prize whether I should jump both feet in or just dip one foot in, knowing the likelihood of the project getting built. I put a lot more effort in a competition which has a higher likelihood of getting built, and I partnered up with a larger studio for a competition which has a high likelihood of getting built. We won the competition which I partnered up with a larger studio, and the project did get built, despite the pandemic throwing a wrench in the construction process.

[@davidbithell8705]

Back in the day here in the UK many Architectural Practices were launch on the back of a competition win. Their use seams to have diminished and now if the winner is a "junior" member of the profession they are teamed up with a large practice where often their talent can easily disappear without trace. For me the scourge of the profession is when clients invite a number of practices to submit design ideas as part of the bid process, then cherry pick the best bits using the cheapest practice, why anybody gives away their most valuable asset - creativity - is beyond me. Favorite competition experience was with a practice that for some reason received two set of entry documents, so a sub-group submitted a second entry, which was ridiculed by the principle partner, the practice won but there were a few tense days before we found out who's entry had won, luckily it was the official entry.

[@Archimarathon]

Great story. And yes, in the extended version of the discussion, we talked a little bit about these competition/tenders and other bits where developer even fishing for ideas they can use hence the comment about reading the fine prints.

[@johnkellett7797]

By the time you have a wife and mortgage you realise that the only thing competition organisers want is free work. Even those with ‘honorariums’ never cover the cost. Before you have a wife and mortgage only the independently rich can afford to enter, in the U.K. anyway. Do doctors or lawyers compete in competitions in order to work? No? Competitions as anti-professional and ignore the fact that architecture is a science and a technological business not just an art.

[@Archimarathon]

Great comments.

[@timothytan6750]

nice tshirt kev

[@Archimarathon]

You know it? 💪

[@cositasdemama]

La experiencia de un concurso así vale lo que solicita pero no sé si sea correcto decir que en Argentina equivale a 6 entradas de cine, ya que los 9 mil pesos que vale el concurso se conforman de una cantidad de impuestos que pocos pueden pagar. Es muy triste nuestra realidad, y más para un estudiante.

[@mikebuhayTV]

is it ethical to pay to enter a competition? just a genuine question :

[@Archimarathon]

Depends on the competition. Read the fine prints.

[@gabrielmclean298]

Hold up, the idea that someone working late hours on toilets is their choice seems a bit missguided

[@Archimarathon]

Haha. Refer to the Work-Life Balance episode.

[@davidbithell8705]

I once made the mistake of saying in an interview that I enjoyed door schedules & toilet detailing, big mistake, got the job and you can guess the result.