"There are three forms of visual art: Painting is art to look at, sculpture is art you can walk around, and architecture is art you can walk through"
- Dan Rice

With the overcrowding of cities and the invasion of urban sprawl, discovering innovative places to build will be of immense concern for architecture in future generations. Remember, 3/4ths of Planet Earth is covered with water. Working with water born energy solutions, there may be great opportunities for building on water, either sea or river.

Creating a completely offshore building is the challenge for this Inter-Institute architecture competition which not only would reduce the dependence on land but can also pave the way for a new aesthetics and methodology of design. This segment of competitions requires you to have the finesse of a craftsman and the technical prowess of an engineer with a touch of innovative and simplistic thinking. Understanding a variety of innovative technologies and sustainable building practices will prevent water architecture from succumbing to ecological degradation.

Cash prizes worth INR 24,000 and Internships at Hasmukh C Patel Design and Project Management at stake.

Click Here to download the Problem Statement.

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Problem Statement

Design a self-sustaining floating activity centre of a single or multiple uses (Commercial/ Residential/ Recreational) with the following guidelines:

1. The body of water can be either a navigable river or sea.
2. The surface area of water to be occupied by the activity needs to be decided by the participants with proper justification of the need of the activity and the principles of hydro-physics.
3. All technical complexities associated with building on water may be explained with innovative conceptual diagrams (energy source, floating mechanism, buoyancy, storm resistant design and evacuation system.

Suppportive Considerations and Focus Points:

1. Special safety and emergency evacuation measures
2. Iconic value
3. Independence from mainland
4. Exploring the fantasy of being in water

Areas of Focus and their respective weightage for evaluation:

1. Justification of choice of activities with their need to be built on water and locating the appropriate site (10%)
2. Innovation in concept evolution (30%)
3. Sensitivity to marine life and the hydrosphere (20%)
4. Depth of detailing out the concept (40%)

Abstract Submission

Participants are required to submit an abstract before the competition. This will be the basis for short-listing of teams. Only short-listed teams will be eligible to participate in Floating Habitat at Techfest 2012.

Last Date for submitting the abstracts: 30th November, 2011

The abstracts should be mailed to floatinghabitat[at]techfest[dot]org with the subject "ArchiTech: Floating Habitat Abstract Reg. No. xxxx " (For ex. ArchiTech: Floating Habitat Abstract 1243). Please do not forget to mention your registration number in your abstract while sending it.

Abstract should cover following points in brief and concise manner.

1. Justification of choice of activities with their need to be built on water and locating the appropriate site
2. Innovation in concept evolution
3. Sensitivity to marine life and the hydrosphere
4. Depth of detailing out the concept
5. The abstract must be submitted in MS Word format. The content shouldn't be of more than 3 pages (Times New Roman font, size 12, with single spacing)

General Rules

1. The organizers reserve the right to reject incomplete, inconsistent or improper documents and designs. Furthermore, the organizers will not return submitted documents and designs.
2. The decision of the jury shall be final and binding.
3. All entrants are regarded as having a full understanding of the regulations for the competition and as being willing to comply with every rule.
4. The organizers reserve rights to change any or all of the above rules as they deem fit. Change in rules, if any, will be highlighted on the website and notified to the registered participants.

Team Specifications

A team may consist of a maximum of 3 members. Students from different educational institutes cannot form a team as this is an Inter-Institute Competition.

Eligibility:

All students with a valid identity card of their respective educational institutes are eligible to participate.

Certificate policy:

1. Certificate of Excellence will be given to all the winners.
2. Certificates of Participation will be given to all the teams whose abstract will be selected for the competition.
3. Disqualified teams will not be considered for any certificates.

Results have been declared. The following teams have been shortlisted for the next stage

AH 1143	AH 1148	AH 1158	AH 1174	AH 1175
AH 1179	AH 1202	AH 1207	AH 1211	AH 1218
AH 1221	AH 1238	AH 1241	AH 1250	AH 1252
AH 1261	AH 1262	AH 1273	AH 1274	AH 1287
AH 1304	AH 1122

Judging Criteria

During the final presentation, the participant will be judged on the following criteria.

1. Justification of choice of activities with their need to be built on water and locating the appropriate site (10%)
2. Innovation in concept evolution (30%)
3. Sensitivity to marine life and the hydrosphere (20%)
4. Depth of detailing out the concept (40%)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzSRRVbPIyY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaTvuudh0l4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d98u3jr47Fc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ_bVQB0DHQ&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljS54w8aTZE&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O1JPEVAHxo&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qJV5SINA74&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/user/ecofloat?blend=22&ob=5 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.186942731352930.42995.113504812030056&type=1