Details

Low-cost House Design Competition is designed to challenge and seek creativity with ideas and concepts in architectural design, as well as landscape design or site planning. This competition aims to promote alternative solutions to housing, coming up with affordable and sustainable units with limited size and budget to the urgent demands for a house of urban poor.

Challenge

The challenge is both multidisciplinary and multi-scale, a minimal house capable of fulfilling the residents’ requirements of thrift and sustainability. This year’s competition focuses on low-cost housing, an affordable and innovative solution to the basic need for small-sized housing for residents.

The competition gives the opportunity to think about social, cultural and environmental effects in sustainable design, construction, and operation. Entrants are challenged to conceive a new and original concept for a low-cost house with expandable units or local materials, however, it is not strictly limited to “low tech”. A degree of flexibility and alternative choices are allowed, for example aggregated technologies or prefabricated modular structures, provided it is delivered with adequate justification and feasibility.

Guidelines

Your designed low-cost house has to be no more than 2 floors (including the ground floor) with maximum 500 sq.ft (46 sq.m) for single floor plan, and has to feature basic components for living.

Possible solutions for plumbing and electricity should be figured out for the family to live comfortably. We also encourage the creation of a new living style that’s not only limited for houses but also can be like pavilions, structures, or landscape that focuses on urban problems and raises awareness of the sustainability.

The competition brings together participants from diverse academic backgrounds and careers, including but not limited to students or experienced designers, working individually or in teams.

The finished entry is judged by a panel of interdisciplinary housing and community experts, professional architects. Winning participants will receive cash prize with certificate. The total prizes are $1,000, including $500 for the first-place winner. Winning projects will be posted on the official website as a competition portfolio with an exhibition launched.