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RESULTS: Sustainable Development Center Design Competition in Zambia

Archstorming Announces Winners of Sustainable Development Center Design Competition in Zambia!

Archstorming, an international platform dedicated to creating positive change through architecture and fostering a new generation of socially conscious architects, is proud to announce the winners of its latest humanitarian architecture competition. The contest challenged participants to design a sustainable development center for the Mayukwayukwa refugee camp in Zambia, focusing on environmentally friendly materials, innovative construction methods, and community engagement.

The first prize winner is a team from Zurich, Switzerland, consisting of Alexander Heilig and Steffen Knab. Their design, which centered around an existing tree and featured a green inner courtyard, impressed the jury with its thoughtful design, sustainability, and community-centric approach. The project demonstrated strong alignment with the values of the PROVS organization and showcased a cost-effective and sustainable solution using local materials.

The second prize winner is a team from Barcelona, Spain, made up of Raphael Fournier, Tamy Noguchi, and Samantha Sgueglia. Their design, which featured a simple linear structure and a circular courtyard for gardening, was praised for its simplicity, natural design, and potential for easy construction. The jury appreciated the project’s feasibility and clear representation of the main structures used in the local community.

The third prize goes to Vladimir Gligorovski from Guangdong, China, for his beautiful and modular design that allows for gradual construction. Although the roof structure may pose a challenge for local workers, the jury found this aspect to be a unique and promising feature that could potentially inspire a micro-business model for manufacturing similar structures locally.

Archstorming is committed to improving the well-being of people in need through innovative and sustainable architecture. By hosting humanitarian architecture competitions, Archstorming showcases real projects that address critical issues such as disaster relief, poverty, conflicts, and diseases. These projects serve the fundamental needs of shelter, warmth, access to clean water, education, and community building. Sustainability is at the core of our competitions, ensuring that the designs are environmentally responsive and use locally sourced materials and labor.

The winners of this competition have demonstrated their creativity and innovative ideas in addressing the environmental and social challenges faced by the Mayukwayukwa refugee camp. Their designs will not only improve the lives of the camp’s residents but also serve as a catalyst for fostering greater awareness about the importance of reducing our carbon footprint and protecting the planet.

About Archstorming:

Archstorming’s mission is to create positive change through architecture and foster a new generation of socially conscious architects. The platform aims to improve the well-being of people in need through innovative and sustainable architecture, hosting competitions that address critical issues and environmental challenges. Archstorming projects have three key characteristics: community involvement, use of locally sourced materials and labor, and being sustainable and environmentally responsive. For more information, visit www.archstorming.com

 


WINNERS


1ST PLACE

Alexander Heilig and Steffen Knab
Zurich, Switzerland

WINNERS COMMENT ABOUT THEIR PROJECT FOR MAYUKWAYUKWA COMPETITION

Our goal was to create a building that is harmonious in its design, structure, and use of materials, as well as with the location, the environment, and the socio-cultural context. Since we couldn’t start the design process in partnership with the local community, we emphasized on studying local building techniques and resources, and focused on the location. The existing construction, the trees, the vegetation, the environmental influences dictate, how the building integrates in the context. A center is “The point round which something revolves.” In our proposal an existing tree becomes the center of a green inner courtyard, around which all rooms revolve. The walls are made of clay bricks, covered by an expansive roof, carried by a wooden structure. Window blinds and ceilings are made of bamboo and reed. The floor is made of rammed earth. All these materials are locally used in the construction of housing. We modified the traditional building techniques, to create a building that is sturdier and more sustainable as well as more flexible and adaptable. We believe that by implementing our strategies and by empowering refugees with skills that can be used to build and maintain the center and to take ownership of their own development, we can create an efficient and environmentally friendly space.

WINNER’S JURY FEEDBACK

This project was chosen as the first prize winner for being the most adequate and practical solution for the NGO´s needs while keeping a nice and simple design. It demonstrated a strong alignment with the mindset and values of the PROVS organization. The design was noted for its efficiency, compactness, and use of passive architectural techniques, all of which contribute to a cost-effective and sustainable solution. The project was also praised for its use of materials commonly found in Mayukwayukwa refugee camp, making it easily accessible for implementation. The simplicity and elegance of the design were also highlighted, as well as the ease with which it can be constructed by local workers. Finally, the inner patio was noted as a particularly impressive feature, creating an intimate space for the community. Overall, the project impressed the jury with its thoughtful design, sustainability, and community-centric approach.


2ND PLACE

Raphael Fournier, Tamy Noguchi, and Samantha Sgueglia
Barcelona, Spain

2nd PRIZE JURY FEEDBACK

The jury selected this project as second prize winner highlighting the simplicity and elegance of the scheme. The simple linear structure and circular courtyard that could serve also as a gardening space caught their attention. The jury recognized the importance of the project’s feasibility  and  ease  of  construction,  particularly  for  use in a refugee camp. They also appreciated that the project was a clear representation of the main structures used in the local community. Overall, the jury appreciated the project’s simplicity, natural design, and potential for easy construction.


3RD PLACE

Vladimir Gligorovski
Guangdong, China

3rd PRIZE JURY FEEDBACK

This project has been awarded the third prize of the competition due to its beautiful architecture and impressive design features. The modularity of the project, allowing for gradual construction, was praised by the jury. The manageable scale and scheme were also highlighted as strengths of the design. The jury noted that the roof structure can be a challenge to build by  local  workers, but ultimately found this aspect to be a unique, elegant and promising feature of the design. They thought it could potentially inspire a micro-business model for manufacturing similar structures locally. Overall, the project impressed the jury with its beauty, modularity, and potential for local economic development, making it a deserving recipient of the third prize.

 


SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTIONS


Callum Richardson
London, UK

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION 1

The jury board praised this project for its captivating shape and cost-effective design, which utilizes locally available materials that make it feasible and easy to construct. The project’s elegant design takes a sustainable approach to preserve the existing landscape and forestry. The designers’ intelligent use of storage  spaces  and  small  libraries as joints between different rooms was also noted. The choice of adobe brick, timber, and corrugated steel was appreciated for its practicality and aesthetic appeal. In summary, the project was well-received for its modular, cost-effective design that connects with nature while maintaining a focus on functionality.

 


Shehab Yasser and Youssef Ramadan
Alexandria, Egypt

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION 2

This project has won the fifth prize in the architecture competition because it is a very appealing, simple and feasible design that fits well within the competition’s briefing. The design offers a communal space with a central courtyard that gives intimacy to the users and provides enough space to carry out daily activities both inside and outside the complex. The modularity and scale of the project are great, and it brings all the activities into one space, which was appreciated by the jury. Overall, the design was appreciated for its harmony between nature and architecture, creating a meaningful witness to the education area, completing and balancing the composition.

 

>>> Go to the competition’s website <<<

Date: April 14, 2023