Design Competition – Integrated Communities: A Society for All Ages, 2015

The International Council for Caring Communities (ICCC) has opened its 2016 International Student Design Competition – Integrated Communities: A Society for All Ages. The Competition invites architecture students around the world to apply their creative talents in developing solutions, which integrate older persons into the fabric of the community and fully include them in all social, cultural, and productive activities. Every month around the world over 1.2 million people turn 60 years old, with fastest growth in developing countries. The number of older persons, who are living in cities, towns, suburbs, and rural areas around the world, is increasing. By the year 2030, the number of people over 60 will reach 1.4 billion. In some developed countries by the year 2050 the number of older persons will outnumber children (1-14) by 2:1. These dramatic demographic shifts pose serious design and planning challenges. Most communities are not prepared for a rapidly ageing population. Therefore, it is useful for this competition to offer ideas, novel approaches and innovative concepts, which could inform the global search for solutions. The goal is to find many ways of accommodating and integrating older people as full and productive members of their respective communities. The design competition program and the respective submissions must address a number of key concerns. They include the following issues critical to the success of societal integration of older people:

- Location: Strategic placement of facilities for older people within walking distance where older persons can contribute and be engaged;
- Connectivity: Establishment of physical and possibly electronic connectivity to amenitiesand services;
- Symbiosis: Matching of talents and interests of older people and needs of society;
- Dignity: Uphold and preserve the personal rights and personal domain regardless of any reduction in faculties;
- Access: Availability of essential services such as healthcare, food, educational facilities, recreational areas, social services and transportation;
- Security: Provide a sense of safety in physical and psychological terms.

Eligibility
Both undergraduate and graduate students of architecture are eligible to submit an individual or a team project. All submissions clearly identify whether the submission is that of an individual or that of a team of students. All entries must be prepared by bona fide students currently enrolled in an academic program in architecture or in a related field as of 1 December 2015. An affidavit of authorship is a mandatory component of submission.

Prizes
Because the competition is open to individuals as well as groups of students, there will be two first place awards of $ 10 000, two Second Place awards of $ 5,000 and two third place awards of $ 2,500. Additional projects in each category may receive honorable mentions. All project submissions will be recognized with a certificate acknowledging a student’s participation.

Further details:
http://www.mladiinfo.eu