The Challenges
- Approach: The addition must not erase the existing building; it should respond to, learn from, and, if necessary, correct it.
- Scale: The addition’s floor area must be between 30% and 75% of the existing building’s gross floor area. All existing floor area calculations must be clearly documented and submitted.
- Structure: The existing structure must remain legible in the final design. Partial demolition is permitted only where it can be demonstrated as essential to the architectural argument, and must be clearly justified in the design statement.
- Climate: The addition must demonstrate a considered response to the climate of the chosen site, including orientation, shading, ventilation, and material selection. Students are strongly encouraged to use SketchUp PreDesign at the outset of the project to analyse historical climate data and identify appropriate design strategies. PreDesign is included with SketchUp Studio EDU version and requires no additional setup or cost.
- The Program
Students entirely welcome to redefine the building’s purpose—whether they propose a community cultural centre, a commercial space, a community spa, or an entirely new typology.
Whatever direction students choose, they must clearly justify their programmatic decisions and typological shifts in their design statement.
- Software Constraints :
A native SketchUp model file must be submitted. Students may use any additional software for rendering, drawing, and presentation, but the SketchUp model is non-negotiable and will be reviewed by judges as evidence of design thinking.
- The Core Questions :
All submissions must provide answers for the following 3 questions :
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- What is the addition?
- Why its form?
- How does it function spatially, climatically, and in relation to the existing building?