Memory: Regathering Syria design competition

Syria, one of the oldest civilizations in the world is entering it’s another year of debilitating violence at a moment of geopolitical flux. A huge deficit that is created in Syria, including corruption, bombing and communal chaos, the place has lost a lot more than what it had. With its 7th Year of catastrophe, damage assessment reports say the payback amount is over 4 times to Syria’s 2010 GDP. While the mmeasurable loss to property, life, tourism and heritage is beyond valuation, the war eventually has plundered all the bustling public life.

The only hope Syria now has that the reconstruction of this broken place might bring the region together. It will cost a lot which cannot/won’t come from any one side, and by the trends of today, no side will actually outright win the war in the longer run. To even fix the abject destruction of Syria will require a peace deal producing a level of economic cooperation between all sides, foreign, domestic and people on the ground. Without it, Syria will perish.

Site: Grand Serail, Aleppo, Syria
Originally conceived to be the seat of the Government, the Grand Serail (Also known as New Serail) held its place in history as an important structure in citadel periphery in the past century. During various war clashes, conflicting forces demolished this historic structure by an underground tunnel bomb explosion. The site sits right next to the citadel of Aleppo and is at the heart of the walled city historic precinct.

As the Government of Syria is just one of the major fronts of conflict today, the demolished Grand Serail site has lost its essence as a unanimous seat of power. The place requires a re-framed answer in the context of today. We use this opportunity/place to address the vacuum of power – to use this place for the people of Aleppo. Any front attacking this place will be labelled as the one against the voice of peace/people. How will you frame the programme addressing this deadlock? Discover full brief on the link below. Source and images Courtesy of UNI.

• Timeline:
• Launch November 15, 2018
• Early Registration: January 15, 2019
• 15$ Students, 25$ Professionals, 125$ Institutional Participation
• Standard Registration: February 28, 2019
• 25$ Students, 40$ Professionals, 200$ Institutional Participation
• Late Registration: April 15, 2019
• 35$ Students, 60$ Professionals, 300$ Institutional Participation
• Submission Deadline: April 30, 2019
• Public Voting begins: May 1, 2019
• Public Voting ends: May 31, 2019
• Result Announcement: June 10, 2019

• Prizes:
• Prize pool of worth 4000$!
• First Prize: 1500$ (For students and professionals)
• Runner up: 750$ (For students and professionals)
• People’s Choice: 500$ (For students – Most appreciated project wins this)
• People’s Choice: 500$ (For students – Most appreciated project wins this)
• Honorable mention x 2 (Students): 200$ Each
• Honorable mention x 2 (Professionals): 200$ Each