Rules of the Europan16 competition

1. ENTRY CONDITIONS 

1.1.

Entrants

Europan 16 is open to any team consisting of at least one graduated architect, who may be in association with one or more professionals of the same or related disciplines within the architectural, urban and landscape field (such as architects, urban planners, landscape architects, engineers, artists) or from other relevant fields (such as sociology, geography, biology) and may further be associated with one or more students with a bachelor degree or equivalent (3 years of study) in architecture or related disciplines. The team may also have one or more contributors, who are not considered authors of the project. Every team member must be under the age of 40 years old on the closing date for submission of projects.

1.2.

Composition of the Teams

There is no limit to the number of participants per team. Multidisciplinary teams are strongly recommended with regards to the sites issues.

A registered team can modify its composition on the European website until the closing date for submissions. No further change shall be accepted after this date.

Each team member (associate and contributor) shall be registered as such on the Europan website before the closing date for submissions.

One team can submit a project on different sites in different countries with participation limited to one site in the same country and one person can be part of different teams provided that the projects are not submitted in the same country.

Associates

Associates are considered to be authors of the project and are credited as such in all national and European publications and exhibitions. Architects must have graduated with a degree from a university specified within the EU Directive 2005/36/EC, or with an equivalent degree from a university within the natural borders of Europe, recognized by the professional architects’ organizations in the country of the competition site. Other professionals must have an applicable European university degree, regardless of nationality. The compulsory requirement is to hold such a degree.

Membership in a European professional body is optional, except for associates without a European degree.

Students accepted as associates must have a bachelor degree or equivalent (3 years of study) in architecture or related disciplines from a university as mentioned above.

Contributors

Teams may include additional members, called contributors. Contributors may be qualified or not but none of them shall be considered as an author of the project. Just like the associates, the contributors must be under the age of 40 years old on the closing date for submission of entries.

Team Representative

Each team names one Team Representative among the associates. The Team Representative is the sole contact with the national and European secretariats during the whole competition. Furthermore, every communication shall be done with one email address, which shall remain the same during the whole competition.

The Team Representative must be an architect or must have the architect status under the laws of a European country. In specific cases and when mentioned on the site definition (see Synthetic Site File), the Team Representative can be an architecture, urban or landscape professional (architect, landscaper, urban planner, architect-engineer). In this case the team shall necessarily include at least one architect among the associates.

1.3.

Non-Eligibility

No competition organizer and/​or member of their families are eligible to take part in the competition on a site where he/​she is involved. Still, he/​she can participate on another site in which he/​she is not involved.

Are considered as organizers: members of the Europan structures and their employees; employees and contractors working for partners with sites proposed in the current session, members of technical committees; observers; jury members and their employees.

2. REGISTRATION

Registration is done through the European website (www​.europan​-europe​.eu) and implies the acceptance of the competition rules.

In compliance with French Act #78 – 17 of Jan. 6th, 1978, on Information Technology, Data Files and Civil Liberties the protection of personal data communicated during registration is guaranteed. With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) introduced in May, 25th, 2018, you hold the right to access and modify the information regarding your participation, as well as the right to limit, transfer personal files and eliminate your personal data.

2.1.

Europan 16 Website

The European website for sixteenth session of the competition is available online from the opening date of the competition, at the following url: www​.europan​-europe​.eu

It includes: the complete European rules for the Europan 16 competition; the session topic; the synthetic and complete site files grouped geographically or by themes; the juries compositions; and an organisational chart of all the Europan structures.

The website also offers the possibility to register to the competition and submit the complete proposals.

2.2.

Team Registration

Registration to the competition is done through the European website (Registration section) and implies the payment of a €100 fee. There shall be no refund of the registration fee.

This fee includes one Complete Site Folder and the printing –necessary for the evaluation– of the panels on a rigid support by the national secretariats.

Payment is automatically confirmed on the website. The team can then access its personal area and the digital entry area and download the Complete Site Folder for the selected site.

Additional Complete Site Folders cost €50 per site.

3. INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO TEAMS

3.1.

Synthetic Site Files (available for free)

The Synthetic Site Files present a summary vision of the site. They are available for free on the site presentation pages of the European website and help the teams to have a global view of the sites.

This document is in English (and sometimes also in the site language). The Synthetic Site Files provide for each site:

Good-quality iconographic documents:

• 1 map of the city or conurbation identifying the location of the study site and giving the graphic scale;
• 1 aerial picture of the study site in its context identifying the location of the study site in red and the project site in yellow;
• 1 oblique aerial picture (semi-aerial) of the study site;
• 1 oblique aerial picture (semi-aerial) of the project site;
• 1 map of the area identifying the study site and the graphic scale;
• 1 map of the area identifying the project site and the graphic scale;
• at least 3 to 6 ground-level pictures showing the site’s characteristic elements (topography, natural features, existing architecture);

Written information:

• the site category;
• the profile of the team representative: architect or professional of the urban design;
• names of the town and place; population of the town and conurbation; surface area of the study and project sites; site owner(s); expected follow-up after the competition;
• the developer’s and the city’s specific objectives; strategic issues of the site; relation the session topic: ​“Living Cities”.

3.2.

Briefs (available for free)

The Brief is a 20-to-25-pages illustrated document aiming at providing a better understanding of the main elements of the context through the existing elements as well as through the site’s mutation issues and its environment. It is available for free on the site presentation pages of the European website in order to help the teams select their project sites.

It includes the following elements:

• A SUMMARY of the main elements of the site;
• The SITE SPECIFICITIES – site representative; profile of the team representative; expected skills among the teams; communication of the submissions; follow-up after competition;
• A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE REGIONAL AND URBAN CONTEXT, putting in perspective the transformations of the city and the region and including all the elements on this scale that may have a current of future influence on the site: mobility networks, ecological elements, urban structure, landscape, etc., within the general framework of the living city;
• A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY SITE putting the transformation of the site (the site and its environment) in perspective and illustrating how the session topic is taken into account. The following information is also provided:
  • Role of the study site in the city policy, with details on the goals of the planning imagined by the municipality;
  • Programmatic framework: planned transportation networks; public and private spaces to build and/​or upgrade, with assumptions about planned functions and/​or dimensions; goals for public spaces and infrastructures; and detailed explanations of the choices of the developers for each aspect of the programmes.
• A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT SITE putting in perspective the site transformation and the way to make it productive. The programmatic framework is also detailed, with: the spaces to build and/​or regenerate, with functions and dimensions; the precise goals for public spaces and infrastructures; detailed explanations of the developers’ intentions on the parts of the programmes to be included.
• THE MAIN ELEMENTS LINKED TO THE EUROPAN 16 TOPIC and their implication on uses and flexibility of spaces (built and public), natural elements and implementation processes of the mutation.
• A DESCRIPTION OF THE SOCIOCULTURAL CONTEXT of the site, the city and the region and its evolution to help participants better understand the local urban lifestyles and the citizens’ rhythms.
• A DESCRIPTION OF THE ECONOMICAL CONTEXT of the site, the city and the region and its evolution to help participants better understand the potential productive spaces to create.

This document is in English (and sometimes also in the site language).

3.3.

Complete Site Folders (available upon registration)

The Complete Site Folders include detailed visual documents on the city, the site, its context as well as

drawings, pictures and any graphic document required for the design process.

These Folders are available on the site presentation pages of the European website (after registration on the site and logging in to the website) and help the teams design their project on the chosen site.

They include Pictures, diagrams and graphics of the following scales:

a. Territorial Scale – Conurbation

• 1 aerial picture of the city;
• 1 map on regional (urban geography) or urban scale (conurbation) with an appropriate graphic scale showing the major features structuring the area (buildings, networks, natural features).

b. Urban Scale – Study site

• 1 aerial picture of the study site;
• at least 1 semi-aerial picture of the study site;
• at least 5 ground-level pictures showing the characteristic features of the study site: topography, natural features, existing architecture, etc.;
• plans of the study site with an appropriate scale;
• characteristic features: infrastructure, existing and future plans, etc.

c. Local Scale – Project site

• at least 3 semi-aerial pictures of the project site;
• at least 10 ground-level pictures showing the characteristic features of the project site: topography, natural features, existing architecture, etc.;
• map(s) of the project site with an appropriate scale, showing:
  • the project site’s location within the study site;
  • the project site’s plot divisions, constructions, natural elements, etc.;
• topographical map of the project site with an appropriate scale and, if necessary, characteristic features (buildings and natural features to be retained or not, etc.)

3.4.

FAQ

Questions on the sites

A meeting is organised on each site with the teams and the municipalities and/​or developers to give a detailed picture of the issues related to the site. The national structure of the site then publishes a report in English in a maximum of two weeks after the meeting. This report is available online on the site presentation pages of the European website.

In addition to this an FAQ section on sites is open on the European website for a limited period of time (see calendar).

Questions on the rules

An FAQ section on rules is open on the European website for a limited period of time (see calendar).

4. SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES 

4.1.

Digital Submission

Digital submission is compulsory. It includes the 3 A1 panels (visual elements), a 4 pages illustrated text (max) explaining the link between the project and the theme of the ongoing session as well as the implementation and building processes of the project, also documents proving the eligibility of the team members and finally documents for the communication of the project.

The complete submissions shall be submitted before midnight (UTC+2) on September 17th, 2021, on the European website (Entry section).

Failure to comply with the hereunder-mentioned requirements on board presentation may result in the disqualification of the team.

The number of entries per site is available on the European website on the European map of the sites (column on the right).

4.2.

Anonymity and Compulsory Content

The site name and the project title must be displayed on every document: panels, illustrated text and communication documents.

A specific code is automatically attributed to each project upon upload. The teams do not know this code, through which the jury members take note of the project. The teams’ identities are revealed via an automatic link between the code and the team on the online projects database.

4.3.

Language

The panels and the text presenting the ideas shall be either written in English or bilingual (English + the site language).

4.4.

Items to Submit

Submissions include documents divided as follows:

• 3 vertical A1 project panels composed of visual elements of the project;
• 1 illustrated text presenting the ideas of the project (4 pages max.);
• Documents proving the eligibility of the team members;
• Documents for communication (3 images + a text of 800 signs, spaces included)
• For Winners and Runners-up: 1 communication video presenting the rewarded projects.

A1 Panels

CONTENT:

The 3 panels must:

• explain the urban ideas developed in the project with regards to the site issues and the thematic orientations of the session;
• develop the project as a whole, highlighting the architecture of the project, and particularly the relationship between the new developments and the site’s existing context, including three-dimensional representations of the project;
• develop the method foreseen for the implementation process. 

All graphic and descriptive documents must have a graphic scale. 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

• PDF format
• VerticalA1(L594mmxH841mm)
• Maximum 20 Mb
• One box (L 60 mm x H 40 mm) is left blank in the upper left corner for the automatic insertion of the code; the name of the city appears next to it
• Panels numbered from 1 to 3 in the upper right corner
• The team is free to decide on the positioning of the proposal title

Have a look at one example here.

Text

CONTENT:

This text must present the ideas of the project and its links with the theme of the ongoing session but also explain its processes and periods of implementation.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

• 3 to 4 (max) pages with limited visuals; 
• PDF format
• Vertical A4 (L 210mm x H 297mm)

Documents to prove the eligibility of the team members

Documents for the disclosure of names and verification of the validity of the proposals shall be uploaded as PDF’s on the European website.

Personal information includes:

1. For the team: 

• the TEAM FORM and the DECLARATION OF AUTHOR- AND PARTNERSHIP AND OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMPETITION RULES available online on the team’s personal area; to be filled out and signed;

2. For each associate:

• A copy of an ID DOCUMENT with a picture, providing evidence that they are under the age of 40 at the closing date for submission of entries (see calendar.)
• A copy of their European DEGREE as an architectural, urban or landscape professional (architect, landscaper, urban planner, or others…) or proof of such a status under the law of a European country.

3. For each contributor:

• A copy of an ID DOCUMENT with a picture, providing evidence that they are under the age of 40 at the closing date for submission of entries (see calendar.)

No other document than the ones above-listed is necessary.

Attention: The personal documents must be uploaded individually for each team member. Only team members that correctly registered and submitted their eligibility documents separately shall be considered within the team final composition.

The upload of one sole document with all the required information (copies of the ID’s and degrees) will not be accepted.

Documents for communication

Each project must be summered up as follows:

• One short text of 800 signs (spaces included, to be typed in during submission) developing the project ideas;
• 3 separate JPG images that symbolize the project (max. 1Mb per image).

Communication video

Winners and Runners-up of the E16 session will make a communication video presenting their proposal and will be sent, after the announcement of the results on Monday, December 20th, 2021, to the European Secretariat before January 16th, 2022.

• length: 3 minutes (maximum);
• Format : MP4 video with the video CODEC H.264;
• Language for the voice and/​or texts: English;
• Content: the videos will have to put in movement as a priority:
  • the main ideas of the project linked to the theme of the session; 
  • the possible implementation process.

4.5.

Control of the Submissions

Each team can check the upload of their projects on their online personal area. They can also –if needed– modify these documents until the deadline for submissions.

A period of 6 days is left open after the deadline for submissions (see Calendar) for the European secretariat to control the upload of each submission sent before the expiry of the deadline, as well as to correct the potential problems that might have appeared during the upload of the documents.

5. RESULTS AND PRIZES 

5.1.

Results

All the results for Europan 16 (winners, runners-up, special mentions) are available online from December 20th, 2021, on the European website (Results section).

5.2.

Winners

Winners receive a reward of the equivalent of €12,000 (all taxes included) in the currency of the site’s country (at the exchange rate on the date of the announcement of the results). The organizers undertake to abide by the decisions of the national juries and to pay the reward within 90 days of the announcement of the results.

5.3.

Runners-Up

Runners-up receive a reward of the equivalent of €6,000 (all taxes included) in the currency of site’s country (at the exchange rate on the date of the announcement of the results). The organizers undertake to abide by the decisions of the national juries and to pay the reward within 90 days of the announcement of the results.

5.4.

Special Mentions

A Special Mention can be awarded to a project considered innovative although not completely adapted to the site. The authors of such proposals do not receive a reward.

6. COMMUNICATION OF THE COMPETITION

6.1

Events

At the national scale of the organizing and associate countries Promotion is organized around the competition launch.

After the first jury round, an exhibition or online publication of all the submissions on one site can be organised, provided that it respects the teams’ anonymity and it is correctly communicated beforehand. This communication shall be specified in the site brief.

The results announcement is accompanied with results ceremonies and presentations and/​or workshops creating a first contact between the winning teams and the site representatives.

At the European scale

A European event called INTER-SESSIONS FORUM is the link between a finishing session and the beginning of the new one. This forum gathers the winning teams and site representatives of the finishing session and the site representatives of the new one around the results and first implementation steps of the projects awarded during the last session.

A 500€ compensation is granted by the National Secretaries to each winning team (winners and runner-up) participating to the Forum to cover the journey and accommodation expenses.

6.2.

Publications

The competition results can be the opportunity for publications in every organizing or associate country.

The European secretariat publishes a catalogue with the European results along with expert analyses. This catalogue is available either for free consultation or for sale on the European website. One exemplar is given for free to each winning teams (winner, runner-up, special mention).

6.3.

Websites

Websites are open by the national and European structures to promote the current session, future events and archives (previous sessions, team portraits, etc.). At the European level, the European website allows participants to find information on all the sites, to register to the competition, to submit their projects and to know all the results of the current session on the European level.

7. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS 

7.1.

Ownership

All material (images, texts, videos…) submitted to the organizers becomes their property, including reproduction rights. The intellectual property rights remain the exclusive property of their author(s).

7.2.

Exhibition and Publication Rights

Moratorium on Publication

Teams may not publish the documents submitted to the competition or disclose their names by using their project for any communication before the official announcement of the results. Any such publication may result in the disqualification of the team.

Publications

The organisers reserve the right to publish all the projects submitted to them after the official announcement of results. Projects are exhibited or published under the names of their authors.

7.3.

Disputes

The Council of the Europan European Association, which is empowered to arbitrate, shall hear any dispute.

In the event of jurisdiction, this will take place in the respective country.

8. LIST OF EUROPAN 16 COMPETITIONS

The Contact section of the European website shows the detailed national competition conditions country by country (number of sites and prizes, conditions and rules for implementation, etc.) as well as the details of the national and European structures, with the names of the people working for them.

The Jury section of the European website lists the members of the national juries.