Register 06 SEPTEMBER 2018 | Submit 09 SEPTEMBER 2018 |
Baghdad Design Centre
The Rifat Chadirji Prize 2018
BRIEF
The period following 2003 has been one of the most challenging times for modern Iraq. In the wake of the US invasion and the looting that followed it, the country witnessed and felt countless traumas affecting all parts of society. Crimes against public property surged, while attacks on Iraq’s art, culture and heritage became commonplace.
Since 2003, more than half of the listed and historical buildings have been lost. At the moment, the majority of Iraq’s heritage buildings have become victim to two negative approaches: either they are intentionally or unintentionally neglected, leading to their collapse or they are unlisted and replaced with modern, low-quality developments. In the last 15 years, 700 buildings out of 1,300 historical buildings in the Iraqi capital have been lost, according to various news reports. Old Al-Rusafa is one of the historic centres of Baghdad, and its built fabric has been under pressure from modern development and has suffered tremendous losses in terms of its traditional forms.
For this reason, this competition hopes to see a new architectural approach that helps Baghdad celebrate its heritage and raise awareness of the importance of maintaining all the layers of its history and heritage. The transformation of the site into a Design Centre that showcases the best of contemporary Iraqi design and is also a space of creative collaboration forms the basis of the brief. Whilst creating a new and optimistic vision for the future of design within Iraq the proposals should also set a benchmark for the respectful treatment of cultural heritage in a true fusion of the old and the new.
SCHEDULE
09 / FEBRUARY / 2018 – Official announcement of the competition and Early bird registration.
06 / JUNE / 2018 – Start of the Standard registration.
01 / SEPTEMBER / 2018 – Last week for Registration.
06 / SEPTEMBER / 2018 – Closing date for Registrations.
09 / SEPTEMBER / 2018 – Closing date for Submissions.
NOVEMBER / 2018 – Announcement of Results.
TBA – Annual Tamayouz Excellence Award Ceremony.
All Deadlines are 11:59 pm GMT (London)
AWARDS
WEBSITE
http://www.rifatchadirji.com/2018.html