Background
COVID-19 has had a devastating and unprecedented effect on our lives, economies, the places where we live and our lifestyles. These effects are likely to be long lasting and profound. Yet in the midst of these dark times there have been some glimmers of hope – city dwellers have heard birdsong for the first time; urban air is visibly cleaner; Venice’s water more clear and car use has reduced. Many of the changes that are needed to help combat climate change were implemented rapidly to minimise the spread of the disease. This presents us with a unique opportunity to use the effects of the pandemic to create a positive and long lasting legacy to the benefit of our communities, the places where we live, work and play and the environment.
We want you to use your creativity and experience to create a vision for how our new world might look.
“Transforming the Urban Landscape”
The competition is designed to generate new thinking; to acknowledge the history of public health and landscape initiatives; and most of all, to offer a platform for entrants to engage with the debate about the future of our public spaces.
Organizer
OVERSEAS CHINESE ARTISTS ASSOCIATION,UK
SponsorsGreenBlue URBAN
Ground Control
HARDSCAPE
Selux
Vestre
Creating a vision for a positive legacy
COVID-19 has had a devastating and unprecedented effect on people’s lives, economies and the places they live. There are debates being had around the globe on the design and use of green spaces, streets and squares in light of this crisis. In this competition we are looking for ideas related to the following themes:Healthy places
- The role that our urban spaces play in improving health and wellbeing
- Consider how your chosen place may need to be adapted in order to address the challenges presented by COVID-19 eg spatial requirements to facilitate social distancing
- Consider the way in which the chosen site might be designed to address the demands of social distancing as well as the lessons learned from lock down in terms of reduced air pollution and increased space for nature
Environmental benefits
- Addressing the impact of the climate and biodiversity crisis
- Helping promote a greener recovery
- The importance of high quality green space
- Engagement with our shared urban landscapes in a debate about the future of how we manage, plan and design these important spaces
Economic benefits
- Propose ideas that might go beyond the design of space to include economic development, clustering of useful amenities and the complete rethinking of public spaces
- Address the decline of the traditional high street & provide new ideas for reinvention
- Realise opportunities created by 5G networks & other digital technologies
Inclusive environments
- Propose a range of design ideas to improve the look, feel and management of a street, public square, park or similar location
- Meet the needs of users at every point of their engagement with the public realm as pedestrians, as carers, as cyclists, as people with a range of abilities and disabilities, as car-users and as those taking exercise
- Address inequality and promote landscape justice
Mobility
- Changing policy and regulatory framework affecting the use of streets and highways
- The debates over reclaiming road space for walkers, runners and cyclists
- The reduction in people travelling into our cities to work
Language
English
Eligibility Categories:
student and professional competition
There will be two separate competitions, following the same brief, for both students and professionals.
It is open to students and professionals from any discipline from around the world – cross-disciplinary teams are encouraged.
Submission Format
Proposals may be based on any site, anywhere around the world.
It could be a series of interventions or a bold landmark statement.
Two A3 boards supplied as a single PDF. Included on the A3 boards should be:
- A visual representation of your idea, this can be in any medium – painting, CGI, drawing, collage, photography or CAD drawing and/or an animation or video
- An indication of the location for your proposed project
- A statement of no more than 250 words which includes the title of your idea, description of the proposal and why and how your idea does what you want it to do
- A list of products by the competition sponsors that have been used
- Your name and/or organisation name
- The title of your project
- The boards can be presented landscape or portrait
Please note the additional entry requirements on the submit your entry page, including a short description of the project (up to 100 words) and up to 4 images for use in publicity and the online exhibition.
Please ensure that you allow enough time to complete your submission and upload before the closing time. Late entries will not be accepted.（Submission website）：
https://www.ocaa.uk/submit
deadline：
Online submissions close 5pm 29th june 2020
Prize for the Winner of Each Category
The best professional category proposal will receive a cash prize of £2000.
The best student category proposal will receive a cash prize of £500.
Key Dates
6 October Competition launch
27 November Final queries to be submitted before midnight
4 December Submissions open to 5pm GMT
7 December Judging panel meets
9 December Online exhibition of all entrants
15 December Announcement of the winners, accolades and online exhibition updated with winners
Judges
Jane Findlay
President of the Landscape Institute
Jane Findlay is a landscape architect, the founding director of Fira and President of the Landscape Institute. An experienced master planner and designer of large and complex projects, Jane has particular expertise in the design of healing landscapes for healthcare and has delivered some of the largest and most complex healthcare projects in the UK. Jane is a pioneering exponent of ‘place-making’ and the importance of health and wellbeing in the way that people experience buildings and the spaces we create within, around, and connecting places.
Dr Nelson Ogunshakin
Board Member for TFL, FIDIC Chief Executive Officer
Dr Nelson Ogunshakin FICE OBE was appointed FIDIC Chief Executive Officer in July 2018 with overall responsibility for FIDIC global operations. He is also a Member of the Board of Transport for London (TfL) and TfL nominee Board member of Cross Rail Limited in London. Nelson was the immediate past President and CEO of ACE for 14 years. He co-chaired the NIPSEF and was appointed member of the London Infrastructure Delivery Board. He chairs the Investment Committee of ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment Funds and has over 30 years’ experience in planning, finance, delivery and management of major property and infrastructure investment projects.
Dr Ally Lu
Lecturer in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield
Ally Lu is a lecturer in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield. She has led a variety of research projects and practice, ranging from community park design, listed building conservation, historic streets revitalisation, and sustainable planning for river basin and reservoir watersheds. Her research interests lie in historic urban landscapes and their conservation planning, especially where the contested values of collective memory, sense of place, and economic development constantly battle. She promotes intercultural learning and teaching as has been a guest lecturer in the Institut d’Urbanisme de Lyon in France, Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan.
Dr Cathy Parker
Co-Chair of the Institute of Place Management
Cathy Parker is Professor of Retail and Marketing Enterprise at Manchester Metropolitan University and Co-Chair of the Institute of Place Management, the professional institute for all those involved in making better places. Cathy is regarded as an international expert and leader in place management and is the research lead for the Government’s High Streets Task Force. She is frequently asked to commentate on place and retail related topics and has recently appeared on BBC Breakfast, BBC Sunday Politics (NW), BBC Radio 5 live and ITV Tonight.
Warren Heaton
Ground Control
Senior Manager, Ground Control
A landscape professional for over 20 years and the winner of multiple BALI awards, numerous RHS awards and ‘Best in Show’ award winning garden at Chelsea Flower Show. Warren has delivered projects across the country, ranging from a state of the art Premiership Football training facility to the largest playground in Europe. He has worked closely with landscape architects and designers throughout his career providing information on pricing, buildability and project delivery.
Dr Krystallia Kamvasinou
Senior Lecturer / Planning, Urban Design, Architecture, University of Westminster, London
Krystallia Kamvasinou is Senior Lecturer in Planning, Urban Design and Architecture at the School of Architecture and Cities, University of Westminster, London. As part of the Sustainable Cities and Urban Environments research community of the University of Westminster, she is Principal Investigator for research on ‘Green space use for people’s wellbeing during COVID19’. She is also Principal Investigator for research on ‘Adaptation of the public realm to COVID19 and the impact on future planning and design of healthy and sustainable cities’, funded by the Quintin Hogg Trust. Krystallia has published widely in academic journals and books, and she is a reviewer for academic journals including Urban Studies and Landscape Research.
Marie Burns
Burns + Nice
Landscape architect, urban designer and transport planner
Marie Burns is a landscape architect, urban designer and transport planner, and a member of several Quality Review Panels. After working in local authorities and private practice, Marie co-founded the urban design consultancy Burns + Nice which focuses on the design and implementation of public realm schemes – including award winning projects such as the redesign of Leicester Square London, and Leicester City Centre Public Realm Strategy and Implementation Programme. She leads a research project for the EU looking at 26 European case studies on how innovative transport systems could regenerate a city by transforming of its public realm to create a new identity based on the vibrancy of places for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy. Marie’s book ‘New Life in Public Squares’ was published by the RIBA in March 2020.
Norman Emery
Selux
Managing Director, Selux Lighting
The Selux group has always been at forefront of lighting innovation. From a small family business created in 1948 to meet the needs of Berlin for chargeable portable lighting it has grown to be a world leader in quality architectural lighting solutions; building a reputation of working in partnership with landscape architects and designers to help realise their visions and make truly unique spaces to live and work. Norman Emery has been a leading influencer in the lighting industry for decades. From his early industry experience in South Africa he has led Selux UK’s operations for over 20 years working closely with Selux technical researchers on new applications and sustainable materials for exterior light and technology.
Mathew Haslam
Founder and Managing Director of Hardscape Products Ltd
Mathew Haslam CMLI is Founder and Managing Director of Hardscape. Combining a background in business and a passion for geology. Mathew founded Hardscape in 1994 to bridge the gap between natural resources, organic materials and cutting edge design. Leading from the front, Hardscape strives to protect and enhance the paving industry’s current and future demands, educating others on hard landscaping and sustainable sourcing, while realising aesthetic demands and functions within the design world with their unique production techniques. Mathew is a passionate advocate of creative design, especially in the landscape design sector.
Howard Gray
PR & Specification Consultant
Howard Gray is an urban tree enthusiast and Specification Consultant at GreenBlue Urban. He has been closely involved in trees for most of his life and has personally planted many trees in urban areas. Howard feels passionately that we have a responsibility to future generations to give them high-quality tree canopy cover, and that this cannot happen unless we change the way trees and green infrastructure are viewed. Howard understands the arboricultural and urban forestry industries, and the constraints encountered in our urban environment. His case studies show it is possible to create greener and cleaner cities using green and blue infrastructure.
Sarah Ichioka
Desire Lines
Director | Desire Lines Pte Ltd
Sarah Ichioka is an urban strategist, curator and writer, currently leading Desire Lines, a consultancy for environmental, cultural, and social-impact organizations and initiatives. In previous roles, she has explored the intersections of cities, society and ecology within leading international institutions of culture, policy and research. She has been recognized as a World Cities Summit Young Leader, one of the Global Public Interest Design 100, a British Council / Clore Duffield Cultural Leadership International Fellow, and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. www.sarahichioka.com.
Romy Rawlings
Vestre
DipLA CMLI, Commercial Director for Vestre
Romy Rawlings is a Chartered Landscape Architect and UK Commercial Director for Vestre, a Norwegian manufacturer of street furniture. Romy’s entire career has been based in the landscape sector, with the last decade or so spent working predominantly with manufacturers. Passionate about the impact of good design upon those using outdoor spaces, Romy strives to promote best practice in every aspect of her work and believes landscape architects are well placed to counter many of today’s global issues through their work – issues of urbanisation, climate change, water and food security, improvement of biodiversity etc.
