URban Life Design Competition　"Future Living beyond Star House"

Japanese　site

Information related to the competition　　　　　　　　　　　※Competition information will be posted here from time to time.

Period for submitting design proposals to the URban Life Design Competition was over.

Theme of the competition:　Future Living beyond Star House

These days, during the Coronavirus crisis, daily living has been significantly affected and a new mode of living has been called into consideration.
As we spend more time at home, while telework or remote work has become widespread, the modality of choice for ‘living’ with our family has been under review.
When the people started to concentrate in the cities back in the period of rapid economic growth, new “Danchi” or a housing complexes were built and defined the standard of living. Likewise, 'living' is now discussed its way of being, beyond overcoming today's hardship.
Akabanedai Danchi was built as the first large-scale housing complex in Tokyo 23 wards during the period of rapid economic growth. “Star House (star-shaped apartment building)” caused a stir in the new form of living. “Star House” has not been a standard housing type. But yet, it certainly was a cutting edge proposal, going ahead of the times.
We want to pass on the Star House's high motive, re-design our way of living beyond the ‘standard living’, and envisage how ‘future living in a housing complex’ should be in the society after going through this difficult time.
We are calling for innovative ideas showcasing how the historic characteristic Y-shaped Star House would be renovated, including the relationship with newly rebuilt “Nouvelle Akabanedai” Danchi and suggestions for housing complex rejuvenation. These new ideas and suggestions are expected to explore “the true nature of living” in the future.

Message to Entrants of Competition

• Jury Chairperson
  Yoko KINOSHITA
  Professor, Kogakuin University
  Principal, ADH Architects

  

  

  

  Yoko KINOSHITA

  Professor, Kogakuin University / Principal, ADH Architects

  Akabanedai Danchi is known as the masterpiece of layout among the housing complexes developed by JHC. The Star Houses were then arranged at the major locations to provide impact to the monotonous streetscape of housing complexes. Three of such Star House buildings and one rectilinear-type building were certified as the “Initial Stage Urban Type Housing Complex” of the “Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (structure)” in December 5, 2019. Accordingly, the postwar JHC reinforced concrete (RC) housing became one of the modern cultural heritage. It can be well said that this has led to present the “housing complex heritage” approach as one of the directions for regenerating housing complexes.
  In terms of our lifestyle, what was “ordinary” is no longer the “ordinary”, and it keeps reforming by creating a new “ordinary (=standard)”. Alike how the JTC housing complexes presented the “prototype of housing” of postwar period, the Japanese society is currently seeking for a new “prototype of housing”. We are truly excited that this competition will become a great opportunity to consider about our future living, with new keywords such as “telework” and “social distancing” which became familiar during the Coronavirus crisis, as well as “well-ventilated living environment” that was once the “ordinary”.
  

  

• Jury Members
  Akira TAKAYAMA
  Theater Director
  Professor, Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts

  

  

  

  Akira TAKAYAMA

  Theater Director / Professor, Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts

  A dwelling can be interpreted as a “vessel” for daily conduct of people. On the contrary, such daily conduct can be determined by a shape of the “vessel”. In such case, what kind of “vessel” can generate a daily conduct peculiar to housing complexes? What kind of “vessel” can revitalize the joy to live in a housing complex and the liveliness where people gather? I look forward to plans with ingenuity and originality in this sense.

  

• Jury Members
  Miori BABA
  Chairperson, NPO Minami Boso Republic

  

  

  

  Miori BABA

  Chairperson, NPO Minami Boso Republic

  Following the rapid change of lifestyle in the recent years, architecture is also shifting. This sequence feels as though the underlying arrogance of architecture – the idea that “new design is what leads the change of living” – is being interrupted. The reason why Star Houses still remain today may also come from a view from the same horizon. I hope to see plans with the spirit towards this continuing but unpredictable future.

  

• Jury Members
  Noriyuki TAJIMA
  Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Creative Engineering, Chiba Institute of Technology
  Director and Principal Architect, Tele-design Inc.

  

  

  

  Noriyuki TAJIMA

  Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Creative Engineering, Chiba Institute of Technology / Director and Principal Architect, Tele-design Inc.

  Among all the housing complexes, Star House is characteristic of a foresighted open plan. The floor plan gives an open feeling with three directions facing the outside. Today, due to the Coronavirus crisis, the nature of living is being reconsidered. Please propose a future of how living should be, not just a place to come home to sleep, but a place where insatiable living can be had all through the time; from morning to night and from spring to winter.

  

• Jury Members
  Sonoko YORITA
  Deputy Mayor, Kita City Government of Tokyo

  

  

  

  Sonoko YORITA

  Deputy Mayor, Kita City Government of Tokyo

  At the time of construction, Akabanedai Danchi was a dreamhouse for common people, and Star House was developed as an experimental model housing. I am very excited to know how this living space at the Star House will be transformed. While taking into consideration of the current social environmental changes, we look forward to new ideas projecting future trends. In addition to design and cultural traits, I am looking forward to a brand-new living space the moment you open the door.

  

• Jury Members
  Takito NIIDA
  Vice President, Urban Renaissance Agency (UR)

  

  

  

  Takito NIIDA

  Vice President, Urban Renaissance Agency (UR)

  While inheriting the housing complex environment that is a regional asset, UR promotes to regenerate housing complexes that can repair or rebuild housings and introduce new functions to achieve “sustainable and vigorous regional and urban development”. By utilizing the attractiveness of the housing complex, I wish to consider together on a new way of living that meets the technological innovation, new life services, creation of community and the New Normal.

  

Description of Application

Objective and scope of URban Life Design Competition (hereinafter referred to as "URLD Competition ")

• Star House became a registered tangible cultural asset (structure) and will be conserved at the site of former Akabanedai Danchi.
  The objective of this competition is to renovate the distinctive Y-shaped historic Star House and seek for new ideas and suggestions that explore the true nature of living in the future including the relationship with newly rebuilt Nouvelle Akabanedai and suggestions for housing complex rejuvenation.
  While proposals should include the way of living in Star House housing, restrictions on alteration to the cultural asset will not be evaluated in the competition and can be freely designed. Scope of proposal may freely be set based on 'one unit', 'one floor', 'one building', 'two buildings', 'all three buildings' or 'including Nouvelle Akabanedai Danchi and surrounding area'.
  New ideas and suggestions will be highly expected, so that we can seek the true nature of future living.

Assessment Procedures

• Assessment of the design proposals will be conducted in two phases. 6 shortlisted design proposals will be selected at the first phase screening. At the final assessment, through presentations of 6 shortlisted design proposals in public, Q&A session, and evaluation by jury members (not in public), the prizes for “the First-place Prize”, “Award of excellence” and "Honorable mentions" will be decided.

Prizes

• * Depending on the decisions by the jury members, formation of the prizes may be changed according to the outcome of applications to the competition.
  * Transportation expenses will be paid for 6 shortlisted entrants when they attend the final assessment to make a presentation (for up to 2 representatives, as a rule).

Eligibility of Entrants

• Anyone can apply to this competition, and submit his/her design proposal as an individual or a group. At the final phase assessment, the shortlisted entrants are required to attend the presentation.

Handling of the First-place prize design and role of the winner

• To realize the first-place prize design, UR will consider a basic implementation plan in collaboration with the first-place prize winner. Based on these plans, design and construction will take place. The winner of the first-place prize is expected to join the basic implementation to realize the first-place prize design plan as a design architect, which will be confirmed in writing. The winner may be requested to make some advice at the stages of design and construction, depending on the situation. When implementing the design, it should be noted that original design idea of the first-place prize design is subject to alter without the consent of the first prize winner, under the circumstances that are influenced by related regulations, construction period and other factors.

Submission Requirements

• Complete summary and draw each plan on one single sided A2 sized paper (420×594mm). The plan should be placed landscape (using PDF format). All documents should be in Japanese or English.
  Following are required for submission.
  1) Concept of the design
  2) Floor plan and internal elevation, etc. which illustrate the concept of the design proposal
  - Never fail to put scale size on the plans.
  3) Finishing plan, equipment instrument, etc. which illustrate image of the plans.
  4) Others, perspective drawings, pictures of a model, CG etc. which express design intent. Entrants may freely describe their plan proposal.

Application procedures

Period for submitting design proposals Monday, 30 August, 2021, by 5:00pm (JST)

Period for submitting design proposals to the URban Life Design Competition was over.

Flow of Screening Procedure

Announcement of the first phase screening results

The first phase screening results will be announced in early October, 2021 (scheduled).
Those who pass the first phase screening will be individually informed, and also the results will be announced on the official website.

Final phase assessment and Awards ceremony

Friday, 29 October, 2021
The details of final phase assessment and awards ceremony will be announced on the official website, once the details are set.
The shortlisted entrants are due to prepare the documentation for the final assessment based on the design proposal of the first phase screening, and make a presentation (in about 10 minutes) publicly and engage in a Q&A session (in about 10 minutes) with the jury members of the committee. After the presentations and Q&A session, the final assessment will be conducted by the evaluation committee (closed to the public) to decide the First-place prize, Award of Excellence, Honorable mentions. Following the public announcement of the final assessment result, Awards ceremony will be held.
The details of the final screening and the first phase screening result will be informed, after the first phase screening, to the shortlisted entrants who pass the first phase.
* The shortlisted entrants will never be taken into consideration in deciding the winners, if he/she does not attend the final phase assessment public presentation.

Announcement of the final results

Middle of November, 2021 (scheduled)
The final result will be announced on the official website and in the January, 2022 issue of “SHINKENCHIKU”.

Precautions

Handling of Copyrights and the right of proposed design

• Copyrights and the right of the design which proposed to this competition will remain the property of the entrants, but the organizer of the competition will hold the right to make public until when the result of competition assessment be announced.
  Any copyrights, right to make public and the related rights of deliverables gained from basic consideration, basic design, detailed design and construction based on the First-place prize winning design idea (hereinafter referred to as "copyright related rights"), will be held by UR.
• Entrants to the competition should retain copyright/right of design concerning the design proposed to the competition until the day when the result of competition assessment be announced.
• The winner of the First-place prize is due to separately confirm the handling of "copyright related rights" and execution of author's moral right, at the phase of the basic consideration of the design, with UR in writing (form attached). This agreement shall be written in Japanese.

Others

• Entries are limited to unpublished works.
• Competition entries will not be returned. If necessary, please make copies before submitting your plan.
• Same entries should not be submitted to any other competitions.
• Competition proposals must not infringe the copyright of any others' works either in whole or in part. Do not use images from magazines, books or websites. If suspicion of infringement of the copyright related rights be found, the winning prize may be revoked by the organizer.
• If infringement of copyright related rights or any other suspicion be found after submission of proposals, the applicant shall assume all the relevant responsibilities.
• Please refrain from making inquiries to relevant administrative agencies.
• Personal information submitted will be used in connection with this competition only, not provided to any third party.
• Even after considering the implementation of the plan, if the First-place Prize proposal turns out to be unrealizable, other proposal may be implemented.
• Failure to follow any of the competition rules will result in disqualification, in this case, the organizer will reclaim the given prizes from the winners, and the winner should obey this request.
• Please take a look at the video of the site situation distributed on the official website, and refrain from entering the premises and housing buildings. The organizer never assume responsibility for any trouble arising from entrant’s visiting the site.

About personal information

• About privacy policy

Organizer:Urban Renaissance Agency (UR)

Co-host:Architectural Institute of Japan

Support:Kita City Government of Tokyo

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