The School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal is organising a two day South Asian Student Design Competition (SASDC) along with South Asian Conference -Challenges of Vernacular Architecture: Strategy for its continuity and future with an aim to generate innovative design solutions that addresses the sustenance of Vernacular resources and settlements in the contemporary context. The SASDC will be held in the month of December 2015. The theme for SASDC for the year 2015 is The Transition of vernacular Settlements: Innovation, Adaptability, Diffusion and Continuity.

The New world order under the influence of globalization has imposed strenuous new conditions upon the local vernacular settlements. In the phase of this rapid globalization process, Vernacular Settlements are in contact with ever changing practices and new cultures. Throughout history vernacular traditions have always nurtured, cultivated and domesticated built environments, and such processes have immensely contributed to the definition of cultural identities. Vernacular architectural heritage, cultural values, people lifestyles, local construction methods and materials have been significant resources for built environment professionals in practice. Vernacular architecture has not only created local identities but has extended to the regional and national identities. These identities are under threat with the overarching presence and intruding penetrations of global cultures which in a way put pressure on sustenance of vernacular traditions and such pressures often tend to negotiate with the new forms and expressions of cultural identities. Under such circumstances, there is a need to rethink and to re-assess vernacular theories and practices by taking consideration four important principles for enabling us to understand the real vernacular architecture in today’s world. The four principles are:

  • Innovation: deals with the changing situation and how innovations that are rooted in everyday living world have led to the transition of vernacular settlements and building.
  • Adaptability: deals with different attitudes and abilities to adapt for innovations and changing traditions in vernacular architecture.
  • Diffusion: How such vernacular traditions can be transmitted to further generations for their sustenance in the changing world.
  • Continuity: Continuation here refers to continuation of knowledge not only in relation to building of a cultural sensitive and responsible civil society, but also to people and place.

Student teams (with maximum 4 students) are required to identify any one vernacular settlement in transformation within their geographical region/Country/state located in SAARC Nations. The selected settlement should have been in contact with the ever changing pressures from urbanisation processes from nearby urban areas especially in the phase of globalisation process.

After identifying the appropriate site for study, there are two components as formal requirements.

  1. Documentation and Research:Document the characteristics of vernacular architecture of today’s world. Here students group will document on how the transformation process is addressing the following. - How new innovations and interventions in the building and spatial practices have given new meanings to vernacular settlements in the contemporary context? - How communities have responded or adapted to such new innovations and interventions into the built environments. Through such processes, what has been accepted, adapted modified, rejected, or even reused and recycled?
  2. Design Innovations: After having a thorough documentation and research, the student groups should be able to identify a potential built /open space within the documented settlement and shall be able to propose possible ‘Design Intervention’ which is well integrated, and easily adapted with contemporary development context. Proposals could range from the design of a product to built form and even can extend to a public place. Competency of the proposals will be evaluated based on how the design proposals are addressing the four important principles i.e. Innovation, Adaptability, Diffusion and Continuity which can help us for enabling the sustenance of vernacular architecture and traditions in today’s changing world.

Eligability: Students should be registered students in any of the recognised institutions from SAARC member Nations including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Srilanka. Student teams consisting of a maximum four students enrolled in degree/diploma-granting colleges in India and SAARC Nations are invited to participate. Proposals may include consideration of more than one discipline and may include: architecture, engineering, industrial design, design studies, interior architecture, landscape architecture, architectural conservation, urban planning, environmental planning, urban design or any environmental design discipline. Multi-disciplinary teams are strongly encouraged. The student teams need to register prior to the competition. The procedures for registration will be updated shortly.

Submission Requirements:

  • Participants can submit up to Six A1 (841 mm X 594 mm) size sheets.
  • Submissions should reach SASDC by 15th October 2015. Address: SASDC 2015. / School of Planning and Architecture / Neelbad Road, Bhauri,  / Bhopal - 462030

Awards: Entries will be evaluated by the expert panels and there will be three prizes.

  • First Prize : 80000 INR
  • Second Prize : 50000 INR
  • Third Prize : 30000 INR
  • 15 entries shall be shortlisted in first stage evaluation of the competition. The respective students’ teams and one accompanying faculty will be invited to take part in the final evaluation and South Asian Vernacular Conference in a 2 day event (Day 1 and Day 2) to be organized at SPA Bhopal. On Day 3, an optional visit shall be planned to Manav Sangrahalaya for participating students. Two students from each shortlisted team will be sponsored by SPA Bhopal with Institute accommodation facilities and travel in sleeper class within India as per the Institute norms.