Korail 2100: Architecture Idea Competition

Korail 2100: SPECULATIVE FANTASIES / LIVED REALITIES

Registration Process: 

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/w8prKTFsyWMqPEQP8

Detailed submission information and relevant documents will be sent upon registration

The Brief

As part of the Korail Design Festival December 2024, we invite students of Architecture and other disciplines to creatively speculate the multiple futures of Korail in 2100. 

Urban injustices continue on and with it, the role of the architect, the process of design and the systemic structures that enable it. As architects and creative thinkers, there is a need to unlearn, rethink, and engage with lived realities of places, such as Korail. These places are marginalized and neglected by traditional urban planning systems, yet exist with a significant influence on the social, economic, and political dimensions of the society. In order to add value, to add dignity, and to allow room for manoeuvring the systems of injustice, we need to navigate through an intersectional process of architecture rather than only thinking of the end result. In short, Architecture needs to be held accountable to the needs of the future.

Through this exercise, we want to challenge the conventional approach of urban design and development and produce visions of a future Korail that intersects fantastic possibilities with lived realities.

This competition aims to ignite a dialogue on how architecture and design can serve as powerful tools for urban social justice and equity to spark fresh, imaginative ideas for the future of urban realities. 

About the site: Korail, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Korail - situated between Banani and Mohakhali, is the largest low-income settlement in Dhaka, Bangladesh, comprising over 80,000 inhabitants. Korail functions as an informal micro-city in its own right. It sits on one side of the Banani lake. Korail houses a large portion of the labour needed for rickshaw, maids, small shops etc. for the elite Banani and Gulshan-Baridhara neighbourhoods, along with its own informal economy. 

What we will provide to registered groups:

1. Space to communicate / engage with Korail youth & community.  

2. Access to maps (.dwg file), reading materials (google drive, pdf) on Korail.

3. Queries / Questions response via email. 

4. A structured submission process

5. Beyond the criteria of formal and informal, be a part of the unlearning-relearning process for urban realities.

Prize: 

2 Winning groups will receive a cash prize of BDT 30,000 each. 

2 Runner-up groups will receive BDT 20,000

All participating groups will receive certification of participation.

All participants will have the opportunity to engage with the Moja Kori Design festival Festival in December, to curate an exhibition and presentation. 

Key dates: 

Launch : 16 October 2024
Registration deadline: 24 October 2024
Last date to submit queries: 30 October 2024

Response to query mail: 31 October 2024
Submission deadline: November 25 2024
Winner announcement: November 29 2024

Exhibition and Award Ceremony:

Moja Kori Festival - 6/7 - 13/14 December 2024

Eligibility to Participate:
Students of Architecture/Any Creative Disciplines/Recent Graduates 
Team formation: Up to 6 people per team, need to maintain gender-diversity in teams, each team should have a minimum of 2 architecture students/recent graduates, we highly encourage mixed disciplines

Submission Criteria: 

Panel submission language : Bangla only!

Submission is digital (pdf, 300dpi) but should be print ready for the exhibition. 

Panel size and number of panels: TWO A1 Panels (Digital), Landscape Orientation, One panel should contain a single visual image of the design/idea and the other panel should include concept note, development process/methods, design drawings, etc. 

Registration Process: 

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/w8prKTFsyWMqPEQP8

Detailed submission information and relevant documents will be sent upon registration 

Review Criteria:

Equal percentage of weightage will be given on the idea, design and representation. 

Review Panel: 

Korail Community + Creative Professionals from various disciplines