Cambodian Sustainable Housing Architecture Competition, Asian Architecture Contest, News

Cambodian Sustainable Housing Design Competition

Design Contest in Asia

20 Mar 2013

Cambodian Sustainable Housing Competition

Cambodian Sustainable Housing Design Competition Winner

Cambodian Housing Competition Results Announced

Collaboration between three NGOs results in design competition that brings new life to housing design and delivery for low income families living in Cambodia. Building Trust International, Habitat for Humanity and Karuna Cambodia announce details of the winning projects that will be built later this year.

Three international architecture firms have been announced as joint winners in a design competition that hopes to provide poor Cambodians with a better standard of living. The competition had over 600 registered entrants and a jury made up with representatives from Building Trust International, Habitat for Humanity Cambodia, Karuna Cambodia, MIT, Collective Studio, members of the Cambodian Society of Architects and most importantly the families that are going to live in the houses once they are built later this year.

The design competition asked for designs of a $2000 house that can withstand fl ooding and offer a safe and secure home for low income families in Cambodia. Habitat for Humanity Cambodia have supported the competition from the start and now plan to deliver these homes in the coming months giving the families that they support a chance to choose a design that relates to their specific lifestyle needs.

The three winning designs:

‘Wet + Dry House’ by Mary Ann Jackson, Ralph Green, Muhammad Kamil and Nick Shearman from Australian firm Visionary Design Development Pty Ltd.

image from Architecture Contest organiser

‘Courtyard House’ by Jess Lumley & Alexander Koller from the UK.

image from Architecture Contest organiser

‘Open Embrace’ by Keith Greenwald and Lisa Ekle from USA.

image from Architecture Contest organiser

The jury picked three designs that refl ected the desire to have a large flexible space to meet changing family needs, a space to rear chickens and a design that allowed for a shop front on the ground floor.

A wide range of submissions made use of sustainable materials and highlighted the need for Cambodia to look at the nature of the booming construction industry and to think about more environmentally friendly ways of meeting the housing demand. The short listed designs show both traditional and new techniques in reducing the carbon footprint of delivering new homes. There will be an exhibition in Phnom Penh in May showcasing the best designs and the winning projects.

David Cole founding partner of Building Trust international said,
“The most heartwarming part of the process so far was watching a family who currently live at the hospital having the chance to choose their home and make a selection based on what matters to them. The project builds on the fantastic work that Habitat for Humanity Cambodia are already doing in the region and we are glad to be able to encourage international and local architects to get involved with helping those most in need with the basic human right to shelter.”

Bernadette Bolo Duthy, Country Director, Habitat For Humanity Cambodia said,
“Habitat for Humanity Cambodia aims to build simple, decent and affordable homes. I am both happy by what the collaborators of the design competition have achieved and humbled by what remains to be done in sustainable housing for low income and vulnerable families in Cambodia. This project illustrates that the design community can also serve and impact those most in need. On behalf of the larger community who needs decent housing, we always challenge ourselves to facilitate the development and implementation of designs that are innovative, aff ordable, sustainable and scalable. 2013 marks Habitat for Humanity Cambodia’s 10 years anniversary. This year we plan to build 10 houses from the design competition that our clients and home partners will choose to live in. Thanks to all the participants and collaborators for supporting us in our building homes, building community project.”

Sokphal Kchao, Former President of Karuna Cambodia said,
“The number and the quality of the submissions in this contest demonstrate the commitment of architects around the World, professionals and students alike, in the well being of Cambodia. I am grateful to have commitment from Building Trust International and Habitat For Humanity Cambodia, who are engaged throughout this long process. Their dedications will make it possible for low income families in Cambodia to live with dignity in simple quality dwelling. I expect that the contest will inspire new commitments and can be expanded with projects that respond to the specific local context.”

Jess Lumley, UK Winning entrant said,
“We are delighted that our proposal has been selected by Building Trust International and a local Cambodian family. We are hugely looking forward to further involvement with both, in this ambitious and rewarding project to provide housing for a growing and increasingly urbanised Cambodian population.“

Mary Ann Jackson FRAIA, Australian Winning entrant said,
“Visionary Design Development Pty Ltd is honoured to be adjudged co-winners of this important, international competition. We hope to make a modest contribution, to the life of a Cambodian family. Many thanks to the organisers and their partners, and especially to Muhammad Kamil, our Asia Pacific specialist for taking the Lead on this submission.”

Keith Greenwald, American Winning entrant said,
“After previously spending time in Cambodia observing vernacular waterfront construction up close, we were excited to have the opportunity to translate our experience into practice through this competition. We are immensely more excited, though, to now be taking part in creating a new home for a Cambodian family and to be contributing to the field of design for social impact.”

Winning Student Design
by Sanaz Amin Deldar, Nastaran Hadidi, Ehsan Naderi and Simak Khaksar from Iran:

image from Architecture Contest organiser

Further images:

image from Architecture Contest organiser

Cambodian Sustainable Housing Architecture Competition

Cambodian Sustainable Housing Design Competition

15 Dec 2012 – registration closing date
15 Jan 2013 – submission deadline

image from Architecture Contest organiser

Cambodian Sustainable Housing – International Open Design Competition

In partnership with Karuna Cambodia, Habitat for Humanity & the Cambodian Society of Architects (CSA) Building Trust are looking for designs that can provide a sustainable future for housing in the South-east Asian country. Any proposal will have to keep below a budget of $2000 and deal with the yearly flooding that effects most residential areas. The winning design will be built by Habitat for Humanity Cambodia and will influence the way they build housing in the region.

This architecture competition is a real chance to make a difference to a large group of working Cambodians lives. We are in discussion with other charitable organisations working in the region and hope that through the project we can raise the standards and create a sustainable agenda for future development.

Although the competition only asks for a house design the implications of the project are great. This architecture competition represents a real chance for contestants to make a difference and challenge a host of issues that relate to the environment, flooding, living standards and the construction process.

The architecture competition brief is at: http://www.buildingtrustinternational.org/competitionl

Announcement of winners to be posted on www.buildingtrustinternational.org – 15th Mar 2013

Location:Cambodia