UIA-HYP CUP: City Puzzle & Puzzle City

 

Sponsor: UED Magazine
Type: International student competition
Timetable:
30 August 2020 – Registration deadline
20 September 2020 – Submission deadline
Jury:

• Wolf D. Prix, COOP Himmelb(l)au (Jury Chair)

• Cui Kai, UIA Representative, Chinese Academy of Engineering

• Kong Yuhang, School of Architecture, Tainjin University
Awards:

1st Prize (1) – 100,000 RMB (approx. USD 15,000)

2nd Prize (3) – 30,000 RMB (approx. USD 4,500)

3rd Prize (8) – 10,000 RMB (approx. USD 1,500)

All of the above are before taxes.

Background
“A century ago only 10% of the people of the planet lived in cities, and, according to the United Nations, this number is set to rise to 75% by 2050.” Besides these macro statistics, the surprising similarities of modern cities across the planet earth deems it increasingly necessary to consider the impacts of growth on people and on the environment. The analysis and understanding of the interaction between city, architecture and inhabitants; and how we chose to shape our cities, buildings and public spaces will indeed determine and relate to many other facts that will help determine our approach to future cities.

Argument
Many cities have increasingly alienating nature; in their density one finds “space” but no sense of “place.” The urban inhabitants constantly arrive “anywhere,” but not “somewhere.” Under such circumstances, what shall be the true concern of man in general, and what shall be the concern in architecture profession in particular?

Analysis
We have four squared plots, each plot 200 meters by 200 meters; we have to design mixed-use buildings for 2.000-8.000 people per plot. The building language is different, should be different, towers, high-density, low-density structures, whatever you want. But then, you have to add to the buildings, 30% green, on top of the buildings, on top of the roofs, courtyards, whatever you like; or, you can increase the greenery percentage in one plot, so that you have 50% – 60% green; or you allocate one plot to low density buildings and the other square to high density building, a city inside the city. In the middle of the four plots there should be a subway station; the program of every plot should be different, meaning one plot has more apartment buildings, the other plot has… etc. But it should be mixed-used within each plot as well, one square may be mainly allocated to shopping, one square to apartment, but each plot should still be mixed-up. The theme of the entire area is of a Media Culture Center, and by extensive, it could be considered as an experimental unit with innovative strategies, which hopefully will contribute as the trigger for the future urban prototypes.

Purpose
To reflect the phenomenon of “pseudo-humanistic care” in the post-media society, we wish to engage the younger architecture professionals as a solutions oriented generation rather than of computer generated generation.
For More information: 
http://hypcup.uedmagazine.net/?r=site&en=1