AR C 4201 Professional Ethics and Practice: Unit Iv - Architectural Competitions
AR C 4201 Professional Ethics and Practice: Unit Iv - Architectural Competitions
AR C 4201 Professional Ethics and Practice: Unit Iv - Architectural Competitions
[UNIT IV – ARCHITECTURAL
COMPETITIONS]
TOPICS:
Architectural Competitions have a long history, and have produced many extremely
successful buildings. They attract great public interest, and have led to the discovery of new
talent and new ideas, that could only be found by throwing an architectural project wide open
to competition.
Too many clients - the choice of an architect presents no difficulty, but to many others
the choice is not easy. The client's desire to see the sketch designs of several architects before
they commissions them, is understandable, but to ask an architect to submit a sketch design is
to ask him to do the essential creative work for which they should be properly paid. If more
than one or two architects are commissioned payment to each would be expensive.
Architects, however, are allowed to compete against each other without charging a fee
in an open architectural competition held under Council of Architecture Guidelines.
Architectural Competitions give the promoters a choice from the best viable project of
high standard with a variety of approaches. Competition brings out a wide range of ideas and
concepts and gives the promoter the choice of selecting that which fits into his specific
requirements.
One of the principal aims of the competition is to explore hidden talents among
younger Architects. To many competitors, it often is the first step to a successful career.
The appointment of the Assessors should therefore be the immediate and first step the
moment the promoter decides to go in for a competition.
The project briefis the most important document. The success of the competition will
depend upon the clarity and the completeness of the brief. This can be achieved by a very
close cooperation between the Promoters and the Assessors (or the Senior Assessor) in the
preparation and finalization of the brief.
TYPES OF COMPETITIONS
2. CLASSIFICATION OF COMPETITIONS
I OPEN COMPETITIONS
Besides competitions described in (i) and (ii) above a competition may also combine town
planning as well as design problem, and may involve the use of industrial components or
participation of developers. In such competitions participation may be required to be limited
to professionals or group of professionals with certain definite expertise.
In such cases the competition announcement shall clearly define the field of expertise.
3. COMPETITION ORGANISATION
Competitions may be organised in one or two stages.
The designs so submitted shall be assessed by the Assessors for the award of the prizes and
the appointment of the architect.
Designs submitted in the first stage shall be assessed by the Assessors for selecting a small
number of competitors (between 5 and 10). The author of these selected designs will be
invited to take part in the second stage of the competition, and each architect so invited would
be paid a specified sum.
To ensure this anonymity the envelopes containing the names of the competitors shall be
opened by the Promoter or Professional Adviser if appointed. After the intimation has been
sent to each competitor they shall be re-sealed until the final award.
After the end of the first stage, the Board of Assessors, may, if found necessary and with the
approval of the Promoter, clarify or amplify points in the competition conditions for the
benefit of the second stage competitors. Such clarification or amplification shall not in any
way disclose directly or indirectly or even inadvertently any of the designs submitted in the
first stage to those invited for the second stage.
The period between the Assessors award for the first stage and submission of designs for the
second stage shall not exceed six months. Only under exceptional circumstances period may
be extended.
The second stage of the competition may be limited to only a part of the subject dealt with in
the first stage.
Members of the Board of Assessors shall be the same for first stage and second stage of the
competition.
The designs submitted for both the first stage and the second stage shall be exhibited and/or
published only after the final award of the second stage competition.
If any design selected for the second stage is published or exhibited before the final award of
the second stage has been declared, it will be disqualified.
Two stage competitions are recommended for town planning and for large scale or complex
project.
This type of competition is intended for small projects of charitable organisations in which
four to six local firms will compete for the appointment as the Architect.
No premiums are given and the winner shall be appointed to carry out the project.
The following guidelines are drawn up to safeguard the interests of client and competitors
and to ensure that selection of design is based on merit and it satisfies client’s requirements.