An international competition to find the best young architects across Europe
Click here for a printable PDF version in English and Welsh
GATE (Gaining Added value from Timber in Europe) the Interreg Project which is about using more local timber in construction is launching the biggest single European competition to encourage more young architects and designers to use timber in their projects.
Trainee and unqualified architects from across GATE's partner Regions in Poland, Estonia, Slovenia, Thuringia and Wales can win an all expenses paid trip to Estonia on the 12th to the 15th June 2007.
The winning entry from each country will be taken to Estonia to see some of the exciting ways designers there are using timber in construction – and to join an International seminar looking at ways to promote the use of timber in buildings.
And each of the winners will then go forward to a final judging by the GATE steering group – who will decide the best project across Europe – with a prize of an all expenses paid trip to the closing conference and field visits in October 2007.
How to enter
Each Partner Region will organise it's own element of the competition. For entrants from Thuringia, Estonia, Slovenia and Poland please contact the GATE co-ordinator for your region for more details. If you are entering from Wales, please follow the instructions below.
All you have to do to enter is to put together an exciting innovative design in one of the categories below, focusing on the use of local timber for construction.
Your design should be detailed enough to show the building practices you would incorporate, especially the way in which Welsh timber can be used as a major structural component.
Your design should also pay special attention to the key areas of reducing the environmental footprint of your building, increasing its energy efficiency and particularly looking at sustainability.
Send your entries – either on a CD or hard copy – to the GATE co-ordinator – at the address below making sure to attach your name and address, as well as the name of the company you are working for or the institution you are studying at.
Send you entries by registered post. We cannot enter into correspondence about each individual entry, and we will want to keep your project for use for promotional purposes.
Categories
GATE has chosen three very different types of broad design briefs to encourage young designers to look at very different ways of using timber in building.
Timber structure – bridges, shelters, play equipment – anything which uses locally sourced timber to construct exciting structures which add to people's lives and perform a real function as well.
Family dwelling – these can be solid wood or timber frame, traditional log cabins, modern designer timber or homes that are built to look like 'traditional' brick or block construction. You may want to look at affordable housing, modular structures or more up-market designs.
Multi storey building / large public building – Wales has led the way on multi-storey timber dwellings – student accommodation, offices, flats and sheltered accommodation. Your design should pay particular attention to noise control measures, the use of renewable energy and innovative use of materials.
Entries
The deadline for entries has now been extended to Friday, 30th March 2007. A panel of independent judges from Wales will consider entries in the three categories and announce a winner in each one early in April.
The overall winner will be judged by the GATE management team – and this result will be announced by the end of April to allow the winning entrant to plan for the visit to Estonia.
The winner will meet up with the other regional winners at the conference, the highlight of which will be the announcement of the all Europe winner and presentation of a special trophy.
Send all hard copy material for entries to:
Mike Over
GATE Project Co-ordinator
National Office
Forestry Commission Wales
Victoria Terrace
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 2DQ
Further information:
If you would like any further details please contact Mike Over, GATE programme manager or Tom Owen, GATE programme administrator:
mike.over@forestry.gsi.gov.ukE-mail: mike dot over At forestry dot gsi dot gov dot uk
tom.owen@forestry.gsi.gov.ukE-mail: tom dot owen At forestry dot gsi dot gov dot uk
or Telephone Mike or Tom on: 0845 604 0845
