2015 Guming Village International Student Rammed Earth Architecture Design Contest Start!

PROFACE
In Guangxi province of China, there is a village, near the mountain and by the river, built down the hillside. The local houses use stones as the foundation, rammed earth as the wall, and tiles as the roof, standing here for hundreds of years, unknown.
There are a group of famous architects from home and abroad who are experts of the rammed earth buildings. They focus on the old village and want to explore the inheritance and innovation, the culture and architecture, its history and sustainable development. They will invite students of architecture major from all over the world to discuss and think about the old village's development through their knowledge and creation to find a road of “Back to the Future”.
Eyes are all on Guming Village, Guangxi.

BACKGROUND FEATURE
The opportunity of a small community to become emblematic for a sustainable development vision, supporting one of the possible next scenarios in China, may be the key for the success of a land where smart strategies and sensitive design themes are acquired through knowledge and creativity. Today, Guming Village, a group of old rammed earth houses, mirroring into a small lake, in Guangxi Province, China, is under the lights of the cultural world, reclaiming the dignity of its traditional technologies, but opening its quiet spaces to new sustainable solutions.
“Back to the future” is a reverse approach which imagines a system moving in two opposite directions at the same time, to balance the life of everything influenced by this place. It's the desire to disclose the identity of this system, merging it with the history and the future of the land. The competition, pointing at the existing delicate equilibrium of the village, through a creative and visionary intervention based on real needs from different parties, invites students all over the world to propose unique and sustainable solutions which may set up the possible development strategy, turning back to the future. This call to reflect about a change of direction, supported by local parties and a special expert's committee, is the opportunity to recall the “Genius Loci”, in a place where its value is recognized in its own identity.

MISSION
Participants should engage with the exploration and resolution of placing new urban design solutions in a unique natural setting; how these solutions can be inspired by the cultural, physical, and environmental aspects of its site; how the program of the proposals is influenced by the urban conditions of the site and how the urban design solutions respond to sustainable urban recover. Specific attentions to local cultures (Zhuang ethnicity in Shanglin) and materials can be considered in terms of research. Proposals should evidence a clear sense of integration with environment and existing biodiversity, through simple and sustainable solutions. A business model, which uses a circular economy, attracting people with optional transport systems paying attention and biological areas, but recovering back the image of the village, is expected to be considered by the design solutions, within a self sustainable energy concept.

ORGANIZER
Metrostudio

SPONSOR
Guangxi Guming Village Tourism Investment Co., Ltd
Shanglin Guming Village Tourism Development Co., Ltd,

SUPPORT
Shanglin Tourism Development Committee
Shanglin County government

AWARD
1st Award: 30,000 RMB (for one person or team)
2nd Award: 10,000 RMB (for two persons or teams)
3rd Award: 5,000 RMB (for three persons or teams)

REGISTRATION
Participants will be issued a REGISTRATION NUMBER after filling the registration form which will serve as the only means of identification during the entire judging process. More infos, please visit the below website:
www.gmzcompetition.com
www.metrostudio.it/competition.html 

ELIGIBILITY
The competition is open to all students who are registered at a University level. No limitation for nationality. Entries will be accepted for individual as well as teams. Each participant can provide one proposal.

SCHEDULE
Opening Ceremony: 2015/5/29
Registration Deadline: 2015/8/31
Submission Deadline: 2015/9/20

ADDRESS
Rm. 1201-1202, 12 F, Wanhai Building C Tower, Net Valley Phase 3, Shekou, Industrial 5th Rd, Nanshan District, Shenzhen
T +086 0755 26605733   F +086 0755 86673255
Email: competition@metrostudio.it