Design brief:
RETROFIT DESIGN COMPETITION

In partnership with The Gentoo Group
supported by The National Refurbishment Centre and MBE KTN
The British Homes Awards invite submissions for a design competition for

“The energy efficient retrofit to 81 - 87 Shakespeare Street, Sunderland”

Competition Conditions

1.0 Invitation

The Daily Telegraph British Homes Awards 2010 in partnership with The Gentoo Group and supported by the National Refurbishment Centre and the MBE KTN invite submissions for a single stage open design competition from an architectural practice for the most innovative exterior and interior refurbishment of an existing housing block comprising of 4 units located in Sunderland that demonstrates attention to environmental and resource issues.

The competition is being organised by The British Homes Awards, who have taken advice from the RIBA Competitions Office. All enquiries should be made to the promoter through www.britishhomesawards.com and through www.gentoogroup.com and not to the RIBA Competitions Office.

2.0 Objective

The competition challenges architects to redesign the existing units embracing innovative micro renewable energy to enhance energy performance and reduce carbon emissions, whilst at the same time delivering accommodation that allows occupants to maintain a 21st Century lifestyle as they grow older. Architects and interior designers are encouraged to consider the needs and aspirations of older or disabled people in the design process.

3.0 Intention to build

It is the intention of The Gentoo Group to work with the winning architect to develop the design shortly after the scheme is announced as the competition winner at The Stirling Prize on October 9 2010.

4.0 Competition Format

A short-list of up to 10 designs will be selected from the open first stage and will be published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday July 3 in order that the readership can vote collectively for their winning design. Voting will also be online through the Daily Telegraph’s property portal. The schemes will be published with the designs accredited to the architect(s). The scheme that receives the most votes will be declared the winner of the competition.

5.0 Design

The Design and Access Statement for the site- Southwick Phase 3- can be downloaded as a PDF from
www.gentoogroup.com

6.0 The Brief

All schemes submitted for the retrofit design of 81-87 Shakespeare Street should be deliverable within realistic budget parameters and fully warrantable to enable development. At this stage an indication of build cost is not required, as the Judges will assess all submissions against the following criteria:

Scope:

• Design to demonstrate how the existing units can be developed within a wider community considering communal spaces, facilities and features
• Outside space provision (suds, walkways, parking, planting)
• A minimum of 2 bedrooms
• Consideration of Lifetime Homes Standards(LHS)

Construction

• Buildings Regulations compliant
• Use and specification of innovative energy saving materials and products
• Application of microrenewable energy: eg Mitsubishi Ecodan Air Source Heat pumps
• Compliance with NHBC or other (specified) warranty

Design

• 21st Living Space – redesigning the home inside and out.
• Creative use of space (open, adaptable, flexible, movement, access, circulation, etc)
• Design features that can be easily adapted to meet changing lifestyle needs.
• Kitchens and bathrooms that facilitate ease of use and maintenance
• Facilitates maintenance and control of the home environment (lighting, heating, ventilation)
• Enhanced functionality of indoor environment
• Future proofing for appropriate renewable and low carbon technologies to be incorporated
• Water efficiency initiatives
• Consideration for health, safety and security issues
• Consideration of English Partnerships Ducting Guide and provision of intelligent infrastructures

7.0 Eligibility

The competition is open to all UK registered architects. Individual or team entries are encouraged and the participation of recently qualified architects is particularly welcomed.
No member or employee of the promoting body nor the assessors nor any partner, associate or employee of them shall be eligible to compete or assist a competitor.

8.0 Assessors

The following assessors have been appointed to adjudicate on submissions made and to select a shortlist of up to 10 deliverable designs:

• Sunand Prasad (chair of panel of judges), PPRIBA, Senior Partner Penoyre and Prasad LLP
• Dr Peter Bonfield, Chief Executive, BRE Construction
• Kevin Brennan, Head of Sustainaabilty, The VELUX Company
• Michael Manser CBE, RA, PPRIBA, Chairman, The Manser Practice
• Stuart Hutchinson, Head of Design & Regeneration, Gentoo Homes
• Anna Scothern, Director, The National Refurbishment Centre

In the event of an assessor being unable to contine to act through illness or any other cause, the promoter will appoint another assessor.

9.0 Timetable

The Programme, which may be subject to variation, is:
Brief available 1 March
Questions deadline 1 April
Submissions by 17 May
First stage Assessment 28 May
Shortlist announced 1 July
Shortlist published 3 July
Final decision (votes counted) 1 September
Result announced –Stirling Prize 9 October
Schemes published/exhibited November

10.0 Questions

Any questions which competitors wish to ask must be addressed to Phil White of The Gentoo Group (Email: phil.white@gentooconstruction.com Tel: 0191 5255140) before Thursday 1 April. An explanatory memorandum based on the questions submitted will be presented to all competitors on the specific page dedicated to the Design Competition on www.gentoogroup.com and will form part of the Competitions Conditions.

11.0 Submissions Method

The design of each competitor is to be contained in a single package and is to be sent, carriage paid, addressed to Mike Gazzard, British Homes Awards,
Fairway House, Clandon Regis, Epsom Road, West Clandon, Surrey GU4 7TT
and clearly marked ‘British Homes Awards’ to arrive not later than Monday 17 May 2010.
Competitors are advised that late entries will be disqualified.
Competitors requiring proof of delivery should enclose in their package a stamped, sealed self-addressed envelope. This will be posted upon receipt of submission.

12.0 Authorship

The author of the submission will not be disclosed at the first stage of the selection process as the Judges will want to assess the submissions without knowledge of the author.
Authorship of the designs will be disclosed at the short-list stage to the readership of The Daily Telegraph
A successful competitor must be able to satisfy the assessors that he/she is the bona fide author of the design he/she has submitted.
Competitors should retain copies of the designs submitted.

13.0 Disqualification

A design shall be excluded from the competition:

• if received after the latest time stated under Submission Method
• if, in the opinion of the assessors, it does not substantially meet the requirements of the Brief
• if a competitor shall disclose his or her identity, or improperly attempt to influence the decision
• if any of the mandatory requirements of the competition conditions and brief are disregarded

14.0 Submission Instruction

No models will be required. Competitors should submit their design proposals on a maximum of three A1 lightweight boards, with a short typewritten Design Statement of a maximum 750 words explaining how the design works, technologies and construction materials used and confirmation of eco savings. The CGIs presented on the lightweight boards, together with the Design Statement should accompany the entries on disc(s). The CGIs should be of sufficient quality to enable the Promoters to present them on the appropriate websites and achieve the required reproduction values within the printed media.

15.0 Copyright

The ownership of copyright in the work of all competitors will be in accordance with the Copyright and Patent Act 1988.

16.0 Announcement of Awards and Exhibition

To enable the selection process each entrant authorises The British Homes Awards (The Promoter) to present the entries in whatever medium and at such time or place that is considered appropriate but the Promoter will not be liable for any claims made against it resulting from any such viewing or publication.
The Promoter will communicate individually with each of the short-listed competitors prior to publishing the schemes.
The short-listed schemes will be announced at the presentation of the annual British Homes Awards on Thursday July 1stand published in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday July 3rd.
The competition winner will be announced by the RIBA President at the Stirling Prize on October 9 2010 at which time the winner will be advised.
All the designs will be retained by the promoter for the purposes of exhibition, and publicity and illustration.
The promoter may publish illustrations of any design, either separately or together with other designs with or without explanatory text.
The short-listed schemes will be featured in The Daily Telegraph to allow their readership the opportunity to vote for a winning design. The eventual winner will receive further publicity in The Daily Telegraph and all other schemes will be featured in the awards’ publication- “Design. The key to a better place”

17.0 Appointment of the Architect

The author of the design placed first by the readership of The Daily Telegraph (selected from a shortlist of up to 10 agreed by the Jury Panel) will be appointed as the architect for the work. The design fee for the work carried out will be the subject of negotiation between the architect and the Gentoo Group and will be paid by them.

18.0 Enquiries

The Competition is being administered by Tee to Green Marketing Limited, the Proprietors of The British Homes Awards (Fairway House, Clandon Regis, Epsom Road, West Clandon, Surrey GU4 7TT. Tel: 01483 225221, email: mg@britishhomesawards.com to whom any enquiries relating to the general conditions of this competition should be addressed.

20.0 Registration Fee

The registration fee is £50 incl VAT with cheques accompanying the submission to be made out to Tee to Green Marketing Limited.
Fairway House, Clandon Regis, Epsom Road, West Clandon, Surrey GU4 7TT
Tel: 01483 225221 | Fax: 01483 225223 | email: mg@britishhomesawards.com | www.britishhomesawards.com

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