20/10/2016
Entry Guidelines and Key Dates
CRITERIA
Rather than adopt the more conventional categories of global awards programmes, the Africa Architecture Awards Steering Panel elected to approach the award through a values-based system around the following three criteria: –
  • Innovation – of design, materials, approach, practice, new forms of public space;
  • Identity – projects that deal sensitively and innovatively with heritage and tradition; that embody cultural sensitivity and contextual interpretation; that consider appropriation and repurposing of use; and that attempt to translate traditional ways of building/occupying space into modern and contemporary contexts;
  • Implementation – the energy and inventiveness required in Africa to create and implement projects in markets with varying levels and scales of economic government support and infrastructure.
CATEGORIES
The Africa Architecture Awards entries are invited in these four categories:
  • Built
  • Speculative
  • Emerging Voices
  • Critical Dialogue
Built
The Built Award seeks nominations that represent the broadest possible range of architectural interventions. These include architectural projects ranging from modest, small-scale buildings to sizable complexes – from single homes, kiosks and bus stops to skyscrapers, infrastructure and transportation undertakings, housing initiatives, educational and health campuses, new towns, urban conservation projects, landscape projects and adaptive re-use. All forms of planning practice in urban as well as rural contexts are encouraged. Installations and temporary ‘pop-up’ structures may also be considered, providing they can show active occupation and use. Projects should have been completed in the last five years.
Speculative
The Speculative Award seeks to promote imaginative responses to African realities and contexts that will have an impact for future generations. Speculative projects are generally unbuilt, although they may have an installation, exhibition or temporary use component. Projects may range from unbuilt competition entries to short films about architecture with an emphasis on the future.
Emerging Voices
The Emerging Voices Award recognises the role and importance of education in shaping the future. This student category seeks design projects from any student enrolled in an accredited programme anywhere on the African continent. Entries must be visual, in the form of drawings, photographs, films and/or multimedia submissions. All entries must be digitally submitted.
Critical Dialogue
The Critical Dialogue Award seeks to position critical writing and discussion about architecture as an important part of architectural culture. Work submitted in this category must have been published to a wider audience, either in offline print or in digital media such as websites, blogs, Vimeo or YouTube channels. Commercial publishers are welcome to submit articles, essays and books on architecture, and the Award encourages independent and new media publishers to submit in this category. Work may take the form of written entries, films, exhibitions, transcripts of radio interviews or television shows, podcasts and blogs. Only work produced in the last five years is eligible.
SPECIAL LIFETIME ACHIEVERS' AWARDS
This Award is given at the discretion of the Master Jury in any given award cycle. It is awarded to an architect or architects who have made a significant contribution to the professions of architecture and/or urban design over a substantial period of time.
PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD
The Awards are committed to promoting awareness and dialogue with a broad audience. All entries are posted live onto the Africa Architecture Awards website within 72 hours of being submitted and are eligible for online voting. The most popular entry will receive a Winners’ Certificate but is not eligible for a trophy or the $10 000 cash prize.
PRIZE STRUCTURE
  • There will be 5 shortlisted finalists in each of the four categories, namely Built,Speculative,Emerging Voices and Critical Dialogue.
  • Each of the 20 shortlisted finalists will be flown to the awards ceremony to be held in Cape Town on 28 September 2017.
  • The winner of the People's Choice Award will be flown to the Awards Ceremony.
  • There will be three merit winners per category, excepting the People’s Choice Award.
  • For each of the four categories, one of the three merit winners in each category will receive the Africa Architecture Awards 2017 trophy for that particular category.
  • One of the four trophy winners will receive the grand prize of $10 000.
RULES & ELIGIBILITY FOR ENTRY
The following work is eligible for entry in the Africa Architecture Awards 2017:
  • Any project conceived and/or built on the African continent, irrespective of the nationality and residency of the architect(s);
  • The awards are open to all firms and individuals involved in architecture, urban design, planning, and construction, provided they are licensed architectural professionals in their home countries; and/or students enrolled in an accredited programme of study.
  • Students who have graduated may enter work from their final year of study.
  • The ‘Critical Dialogue’ category is open to any person working in the field of architecture, architectural practice, architectural history, theory and/or critical studies. Submissions are welcomed from journalists, writers, commentators, filmmakers and historians, as well as architects, urban designers and landscape architects;
  • There is no limit to the number of entries, nor is there a limit to the number of categories a participant may enter.
IMPARTIALITY
No member of the Steering Panel, Master Jury or any practice they work for will be eligible for entry in the 2017 awards. No member of the organising body, nor any associate or employee, nor any person, who has been concerned with the preparation or organisation of the award/prize, shall be eligible to compete or assist a competitor.
ENTRY SPECIFICATIONS
Built / Speculative / Emerging Voices Categories
For the Built,Speculative and Emerging Voices Categories, the entry specifications are as follows:
  • All entries are submitted digitally on the website in the format of a movie with a maximum length of five minutes.
  • Please note that the Online Entry Form will take you through a step-by-step guide on submitting your entry, with a support desk available during office hours (South Africa Standard Time) to assist with any queries or technical difficulties.
  • Movies can be conventional PowerPoint presentations exported as movies; narratives shot on mobile phones and edited on laptops, or scripted and crafted films. Please review winners’ films from the 2015 Awards as a guide for submissions. PowerPoint presentations that have not been exported as movies will not be accepted.
  • Click for detailed guides on the different formats and tools you can use for submitting your project/s.
  • View the Making Movie and Audio Entries Easy page for detailed guides on the different formats and tools you can use for submitting your project/s.
  • All entries must be hosted on a web platform (for e.g. You Tube, Vimeo, Facebook,) and a URL link to the entry must be submitted in the entry form.
  • All entries must be accompanied by a Feature Display Image for display on the landing page of the website. Minimum size 1 MB / 72 dpi / 740w x 660h pixels Format JPG, PNG or TIFF
  • A short written Project Synopsis of no longer than 50 words to be displayed with their entry online must accompany all entries.
  • All entries must be accompanied by an Entry Page Hero Image for display on the website. Minimum size 1MB / 72 dpi, 770w x 433h pixels Format: JPG, PNG or TIFF
  • All entries must be accompanied by a written overview of the project (maximum 500 words); This will be available with your entry for online public viewing.
  • PDF files of drawings, plans and elevations can be uploaded with your entry. Maximum file size per entry 30MB
Critical Dialogue Category
  • Any documentaries or films should be in a trailer or edited version format, lasting no longer than five minutes. Should the Master Jury require a full-length version of your submission, the Awards management team will contact you.
  • Any written entries must be submitted as PDF files. Maximum file size per entry 30MB
  • Published books or catalogues must submit images of their publication and detailed views of the content spreads in a PDF. Should the Master Jury require a hard copy of your submission, the Awards management team will contact you. Maximum file size per entry 30MB
  • Any radio or podcast entries should be in a trailer or edited version formats, lasting no longer than five minutes. Should the Master Jury require a full-length version of your submission, the Awards management team will contact you.
  • All entries must be accompanied by a Feature Display Image for display on the landing page of the website. Minimum size 1MB / 72 dpi / 740w x 660h pixels / Format: JPG, PNG, TIFF
  • A short written Project Synopsis of no longer than 50 words to be displayed with their entry online must accompany all entries.
  • All entries must be accompanied by an Entry Page Hero Image for display on the website. Minimum size 1MB / 72 dpi / 770w x 433h pixels / Format JPG, PNG, TIFF
  • All entries must be accompanied by a written overview of the project (maximum 500 words); This will be available with your entry for online public viewing.
General Note
All entries, once verified and approved by technical quality control, will appear on the website. Publication images will also be posted online. Publication summaries/overviews will be subject to editorial control and will also be available online.
JUDGING CRITERIA
All work in the Built/Speculative/Emerging Voices categories will be evaluated within the following three criteria, each of which carries equal weighting.
  • Innovation (of design, materials, approach, practice, new forms of public space);
  • Identity (projects that deal sensitively and innovatively with heritage and tradition; that embody cultural sensitivity; contextual interpretation; appropriation and repurposing of use; that attempt to translate traditional ways of building/occupying space into modern and contemporary contexts);
  • Implementation (the energy and inventiveness required in Africa to implement/create projects in markets with varying levels and scales of economic government support and infrastructure).
Critical Dialogue
This prize will be evaluated on the body or piece of work that has contributed most significantly to the critical understanding and dialogue on architecture in Africa.
KEY DATES
January 2017
Online entries open
June 2017
Entries close on the 30th of June 2017 for all categories except the People's Choice Award, which closes on the 18th of August 2017
July 2017
  • First round of judging takes place from 20-22 July 2017
  • The Master Jury will be briefed by the Steering Panel on the intent of the awards before judging commences;
  • The Master Jury will nominate a shortlist of projects (five per category) in the first round of judging.
  • Shortlisted projects will be publicised on the website, the social media platforms and relevant press;
  • Technical reviews will be commissioned for the shortlisted projects in the BUILT category.
August 2017
  • Technical reviews completed.
  • People's Choice Award voting closes on 18 August 2017
  • Technical Reports must be submitted to the Master Jury by 31 August 2017.
September 2017
  • Final judging takes place from 25-26 September 2017 in Cape Town.
  • All short-listed projects will be invited to the Awards Ceremony by the sponsors;
  • Awards Ceremony takes place on Thursday 28 September 2017in Cape Town.
Click here for Entry Guidelines PDF
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