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The 2010 DesignHub Respond/Renew/Revitalise student architecture competition, sponsored by Saint-Gobain Construction Products, addresses the issues around reclaiming and revitalising an existing landmark site, taking national, regional and local imperatives into account. The winning entry will demonstrate how an innovative architectural intervention can respond, address and contribute to solving these issues, displaying meticulous attention to technical resolution and design merit, and honouring the principles of energy efficiency.

It should take detailing and construction into account, as well as the operational demands and recycling potential of the building through its entire lifecycle, with particular regard to SANS 204 recommendations and reducing the energy consumption of the site. The winning entry will display a well-considered intellectual approach to crafting a practical solution that will address the dynamic nature of South Africa’s cities in the 21st century, taking national, regional, historic and political factors into account. These include, but are not necessarily limited to housing, education, local governance, urban regeneration, health care and addressing crime, while considering potentially soaring energy costs and how to create a solution that will be sustainable in spite of these.

BRIEF
Investigate the profile of an existing multi-storey, multi-use building in your city’s most populated or commercially active area, such as a hotel, an apartment block, or commercial office building, and provide an energy-efficient plan that revitalises the building, making it useful, sustainable, and energy efficient. You should display a thorough understanding of the design issues at stake, while considering the social, political, economic and energy implications of the building and the environment in which it is found.

Challenge the original design assumptions of the building to create a sustainable architectural solution that will respond to the needs of the people living or working in its proximity, with specific consideration for its environment and energy efficiency criteria. Your proposed solution may suggest a use that is different to the functions for which the building was originally constructed.

An example of a suitable site would be an element of the Carlton complex in Johannesburg. This comples was built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and while the office building and shopping centre elements are still in use, the hotel has been mothballed for 13 years. The buildings are located in the heart of Johannesburg, and offer the opportunity for rejuvenation to meet the needs of the inner city’s population. Saint-Gobain Construction Products has a significant dossier of information on the complex that would assist in answering the brief, with any one of the three elements under the spotlight. The information is available on application to tarryn@marketingfanantics.co.za

Guidelines And Structure
-Fourth-year students of architecture at the country’s recognised tertiary academic institutions are eligible to enter DesignHub Respond/Renew/Revitalise.
-The brief will be presented to students at each institution by a practising architect and a Saint-Gobain Construction Products technical representative. This architect will continue to mentor students throughout the duration of the competition.
-A Saint-Gobain representative will take interested students from each university to a site where the company’s products have been effectively used. The representative will also share knowledge about the products and what they can achieve.
-Saint-Gobain Construction Products suggests the Carlton complex in Johannesburg as being able to offer a suitable site, and will make information about the building available to lecturers. If lecturers choose to specify their own site, it will be up to them or their students to source original plans, design criteria etc.
-The competition will take place in three phases:
Urban design: Students need to investigate the overall impact of their proposed intervention on the local environment, explaining how their project will uplift the area.
Design: Students will identify their overall plan for the building, describing their plan for the renewal and revitalisation of the site, with particular attention paid to the building’s environment, and energy efficient principles.
Specifics: The student should choose on element of the building, zoning in on it to craft a specific solution that is a practical and demonstrable, making effective use of Saint-Gobain Construction Products’ range of building materials.
-Students can contact the Saint-Gobain Academy (+27 (0)12 657 2800) at any time for product and technical information. Details of SANS 204, with particular focus on insulation, can be found on the Isover website, www.isover.co.za . A full copy of SANS 204 can be found at www.sabs.co.za for R133.00.
-Students must present a fully explored, carefully reasoned solution to the challenge set, engaging in in-depth analysis of the issues at hand, considering social, structural and environmental concerns, as described in the fourth-year curriculum, and using the knowledge and insights gained in preceding years of study.
-One student from each institution will be chosen by the mentoring architect and the institution’s academic supervisor to resolve their design submission.
-The student will have the opportunity to work with the practising architect to craft a comprehensive resolution to their submission for entry into the final round of the competition. This collaboration will include exposure to the real challenges of practising architecture, from the demands of running a business while meeting the demands of clients, staff and the regulatory environment.
-The final presentation may consist of no more than four A1 sheets, presented digitally on a CD.
-While the final submission is limited to the four A1 sheets, students may build models or create any visual representation of their solution that they choose. Images of this can then be included in the final presentation.
-The winning entries from the universities will be judged to choose an overall winner.


Judging Criteria
The judges will consider the following elements when appraising the finalists’ entries:
-Is the solution aesthetically pleasing?
-Does the solution take the local climate into consideration?
-Does the solution display thermal bridging?
-Does the solution comprise at least 60% of Saint-Gobain Construction Products’ building materials?
-Does the solution display a thorough technical understanding of Saint Gobain’s products, energy efficiency and the demands of the brief?
-Does the solution display a creative interpretation of the brief?
-Is the design effectively explored, and fully resolved?
-Is the final presentation consistent in its ethos, and does it explore all the elements?
-Is the final solution clear, and accessible?
-Does the solution focus on energy efficiency?
-Does the design consider the architectural elements of the existing space, and does it effectively overcome the hurdles put in place by the building materials, themes and methods of a bygone era?

PRIZES
A prize of R20 000 will be awarded for the best use and application of Saint-Gobain Construction Products’ range of building materials. The professional who mentors this student will win a Sony VAIO laptop and a South African Green Star Course or a course of similar value.

The student who submits the most sustainable design, according to SANS 204 standards, will win R10 000.

The lecturer of the winning student will win an all expenses paid trip to the following Design Indaba worth R15 000.

The winning University will receive R60 000 which will they would be able to use on upgrading their Architectural Department.