We publish the opinion of Kirillа Chuykа, head of the Communications Commission іwith the public of the Architectural Chamber of NSAU.
Kyrylo Chuyko, head of the public relations commission of the Architectural Chamber of NSAU
When architecturalth compositionnickname aboutobjects of the architectural competition "is not of primary importance»
On July 18, 2022, information about the architectural blitz competition appeared on the page and in the KODA Telegram channel "We will rebuild the private houses of Kyiv region residents together". Only 9 days were allocated for the development of competitive projects: the deadline for accepting works is July 27. The winners will be announced on July 29.
Architects began to ask reasonable questions, criticize and sometimes get angry about this competition. NSAU wrote a letter to KODA explaining its position regarding the competition. We received an interesting answer. Therefore, let's analyze the details of the competition and give them our assessment.
General organization and communication regarding the competition. According to by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 25.11.1999 No. 2137 "On the approval of the Procedure for conducting architectural and urban planning competitions", the program and conditions of the competition must be agreed with the local organization of NSAU. The organizers "forgot" about the agreement. The design term of 9 days does not allow time for the development of quality solutions and cuts off a significant part of those who wish to participate. A practicing architect cannot immediately postpone his work to participate in the competition. The blitz competition is a means of finding conceptual ideas, while the organizers required a high level of detail in the project and the drawing up of estimates. In addition, it was suggested to fill out the registration form, as well as to submit an application for participation according to Appendix 2, which was never submitted.
There is simply no jury. We do not know who will evaluate the works, or whether these people have the expertise to do so
Terms of the competition. There are significant differences in conditions of the competition. First of all, it is noted that only authors/authors' collectives, which include a certified architect, can participate in the competition. Further, we read that the jury, if desired, can consider projects that do not meet the requirements, that is, in particular, those created without an architect. The form of submission of materials has not been determined: whether they should be albums or tablets. There is no project anonymity, no project codes are provided for, which violates confidentiality and creates a risk of bias during evaluation. After the end of the competition, there are no public discussions or exhibitions. The conditions of the contest contain information about prizes and incentives, but the amounts of these prizes and principles of their distribution are not specified.
Composition of the jury. Separate questions regarding the composition of the jury. To be more precise, there is simply no jury. We do not know who will evaluate the works, or whether these people have the expertise to do so. It is not known who is the chairman of the jury, who is the secretary, how the protocol of the competition will be kept. Is this some kind of secret? Appendix 1 with the composition of the competition jury was never posted.
Architectural component of the competition. Let's start with aspects of spatial development. The conditions of the competition state that houses are designed for abstract plots of 0,1–0,25 ha. Why is there such a large discrepancy in the areas of plots, why exactly such areas? The area is not specified. The competitive task involves the development of a master plan with landscaping. However, it is impossible to develop a general plan for an abstract manor plot or district. Each area has its own dimensions, configuration, location, relief. There is not a single word about the social and engineering infrastructure of the new settlements, which people will definitely need.
In the terms of the competition, it is written that the houses should have a total area of 70–90–120 square meters. m. Why exactly such areas, why such a discrepancy? The response of the CODE indicated that the main part of the destroyed buildings had an average area of 90 square meters. m. But there are no statistics, there are no accurate data, or we have not seen them. There is no need to get attached to the areas of old houses, which may be morally outdated and do not meet the requirements of specific families today. It is necessary to ask people what exactly they need, and professionally help them make a decision.
The competition involves the development of project documentation for the "Project" stage, which is a fairly detailed form. Without reference to a specific site and engineering-geological conditions, it is impossible to design a foundation or a zero cycle, the cost of which may differ from a specific construction site. Foundation costs make up a significant portion of total construction costs.
Typical houses with a small area will definitely not create a quality environment. Such an environment is unacceptable when building a free and European Ukraine
The first criterion for evaluating competitive works according to the terms of the competition — "figurative solution of the design object". In the response to the NSAU letter, the organizers note that in the architectural competition "the architectural component of the projects is not of primary importance", but "quick installation, modern technological solutions and limited cost" are important. However, it is precisely the right architectural solutions that make it possible to create modern architecture within the defined budget and in a short time frame. New architecture must be dignified, create comfortable conditions for people to live. The same typical houses of a small area will definitely not create a high-quality environment. Such an environment is unacceptable during the construction of a free and European Ukraine.
Summing up, we can note that the competition was organized unprofessionally, in violation of the law, with signs of bias or bias against a previously determined "winner". What is important is not the number of square meters and the speed of construction "as cheaply as possible", but providing people with quality space for a decent life. The implementation of such projects is not possible in a team way, but involves the involvement of architects, communities and people living in a specific area, and must take into account their needs and requirements.
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