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L O S T S P A C E S

A N I D E A S C O M P E T I T I O N

R E - E N V I S I O N I N G C A L G A R Y ' S R E M N A N T P U B L I C S P A C E S

C A L L F O R I D E A S : J A N U A R Y 5 - M A R C H 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

W H A T I S D . T A L K S E V E N T S C O N T A C T U S B E C O M E A F R I E N D

A C A L L F O R I D E A S

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T H E C H A L L E N G E : W H A T T O D O W I T H L O S TS P A C E S ?The lost spaces competition is a call for ideas to reframe

how underused spaces in Calgary might be used. The aim is

to address a particular challenge of public space--what to

do with seemingly remnant pieces of public property. The

challenge: what opportunities do lost spaces afford?

A 'lost space' is any space that remains under-utilized

within our urban environment. They might be leftover

pieces, a ghost of the planning past. Lost spaces are part

of the public realm, rarely designed to function with both

social and environmental benefit to the city.

You may consider a lost space as a passageway, a

roundabout, space between two buildings, a highway

shoulder, or tenants of the city's history and memory. We'd

like to ask you to dream, take risks and stretch what we

think is possible.

January 6, 2015 - registration opens

March 20, 2015 - registration and questions deadline

March 30, 2015 - submissions due (23:59 MDT)

April 29, 2015 - winners announced

“Cities are made, they are assemblies of parts, which is

why I like playing scrabble which was invented by an

architect. It starts in the middle, which is where cities

start, it wanders out to the edge, and some of the goals

at the edge are great.”

— Richard Wentworth via phone conversation on lost spaces,

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9/17/14

E L I G I B I L I T YThe Lost Spaces competition is open to anyone including

architects, artists, designers, engineers, and students.

We’re looking for cross-disciplinary teams to collectively

respond to the diverse challenges of design, social

sustainability and low impact design improvements. Students

and members of the public who wish to submit an idea are

encouraged to team up with an artist, designer, planner or

engineering professional for their proposal.

To adapt your entry to the local climate conditions, please

note that Calgary has a prairie climate. It benefits from

high sunshine hours but also experiences unpredictable

weather at times. A winter Chinook might increase the

temperature by 30 degrees Centigrade within a few hours.

Please consult more detail about the local climate in our

FAQ.

C R I T E R I A

The competition is a call for alternatives improving the

use, public realm and ecological value of a lost space.

Responding to an area’s deficiency in the public realm, can

lost space offer greater links and connectivity for people?

How can a lost space connect fragments into corridors and

attract biodiversity? How might they contribute to the

management of stormwater? How can lost space be remembered

and utilized? Is a lost space still “lost” if not used?

Judges will base their assessment on the following

criteria:

clarity of concept and quality of design

successfully blends social, ecological and economic

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considerations

integrates multiple approaches to the design challenge

impactfully connects environments to allow greater

access, linking people and wildlife to the space

advances thought on current use of the site

feasibility of realization

A W A R D S

1st Prize:1st Prize: $7,500 CAD

Five field prizes:Five field prizes: $3,000 CAD each Fields

include: Water Services, Roads and Transportation,

Parks, Planning, and Public Art.

shortlist renumeration feeshortlist renumeration fee (up to six awarded):

$1,000 CAD each

A top prize and up to five (5) field prizes will be

awarded. A shortlist of up to twelve (12) will be exhibited

in the spring of 2015. Those shortlisted and not awarded a

prize will receive a shortlist renumeration fee. An entry

is not entitled to more than one prize. Only shortlisted

projects will receive renumeration. Awards and renumeration

will be granted only to projects considered by the jury to

meet the formal regulations and the criteria.

T H E J U R Y

Susan SzenasySusan Szenasy, Editor in Chief, Metropolis Magazine

Shane CoenShane Coen, Principal, Coen + Partners Landscape

Architecture

Pierre ThibaulPierre Thibaultt, Principal, Atelier Pierre Thibault

Architecture

Shauna ThompsonShauna Thompson, Curator, The Esker Foundation

Diana SherlockDiana Sherlock, Independent Curator

The panel of five industry professionals will judge the

submissions. They will select a shortlist of up to 12 of

the most successful entries. Each of the shortlisted

designs will be included in an exhibition in 2015,

presented in collaboration with d.talks and WATERSHED+.

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The competition is an anonymous submission process. A team

of four individuals from d.talks and two from WATERSHED+

will manage the competition process, numbering entries and

ensuring all identifying materials are removed prior to

judging. The jury will select a winning entry from the

shortlisted selection. The advisory panel will each select

an additional winner from the shortlist that best responds

to the challenges faced in their department’s concern for

lost spaces.

“Compared to the territories submitted to the control and

exploitation by man, the Third Landscape forms a

privileged area of receptivity to biological diversity.

Cities, farms and forestry holdings, sites devoted to

industry, tourism, human activity, areas of control and

decision permit diversity and, at times, totally exclude

it.”

— Gilles Clement, writing on the Third Landscape

S I T E D E S C R I P T I O N A N D S C O P EWe are seeking designs that re-envision a remnant public

space. The call is for alternatives improving the use,

public realm and ecological value of a lost space.

Submissions may be based upon one of the below conditions,

or may identify an independent space qualifying as lost.

Designs must adapt to the climatic conditions of Calgary.

Please visit our FAQ for further detail.

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Sample Site Conditions:

Underpass example

City set-aside for future development such as this

plot in the middle of a residential zone or this set

aside.

In-between two buildings (or a service or lane

way) example

Traffic Leftovers example and another example

Verges or third landscapes such as this one

Space leftover surrounding fire hydrants example

Traffic circle example

Bus stop example and another example

Areas around light rail transit stations example and

another example

S U B M I S S I O N G U I D E L I N E SEntrants will be asked to submit the following:

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Competition EntryCompetition Entry: Submit two (2) digital boards 36”

x 48” (portrait format) in PDF or JPG (These must be

free of author identity to ensure fair judgement.)

IIncludedncluded on the boards: on the boards: Define the site

condition and articulate your proposal for the

site.

Describe and locate the lost space site.

Clearly convey an understanding of site

conditions and build a case for how the

proposal responds to it.

Identify public points of access and

opportunities for ecological and social

benefit.

Include an explanation of up to 250 words,

illustrate the idea in use, and provide

plans or sectional drawings as necessary to

convey your idea.

Include considerations for construction and

engineering aspects that are important to

the concept.

Publicity Materials:Publicity Materials: In a separate folder, please

submit a summary and concept image representing your

submission.

A single (1) page summary of your vision in PDF

for press and publicity purposes. Include the

names and titles of the various disciplines

collaborating in the conceptual design. Teams may

include experts from diverse fields of practice

ranging from art, architecture, engineering,

landscape design, urban design, planning, or any

other field of practice required to build upon a

collective solution.

A concept image (1) to represent the submission.

This image may be used for press and publicity

purposes both online and in print. File name for

the image must list design title and author

[DesignName_author]. Images must have full

copyright clearance before submittal.

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OptionalOptional: An optional video of less than three (3)

minutes in length, may be included to help convey the

concept behind your idea. Videos may be uploaded to

Vimeo or Youtube and a link provided with the

submission.

E L I G I B I L I T YThe Lost Spaces competition is open to anyone including

architects, artists, designers, engineers, and students.

We’re looking for cross-disciplinary teams to collectively

respond to the diverse challenges of design, social

sustainability and low impact design improvements. Students

and members of the public who wish to submit an idea are

encouraged to team up with an artist, designer, planner or

engineering professional for their proposal.

To adapt your entry to the local climate conditions, please

note that Calgary has a prairie climate. It benefits from

high sunshine hours but also experiences unpredictable

weather at times. A winter Chinook might increase the

temperature by 30 degrees Centigrade within a few hours.

Please consult more detail about the local climate in our

FAQ.

T E R M S & C O N D I T I O N SBy submitting entries to the Lost Spaces Ideas Competition,

participants agree to the following:

Submissions must be original work and not previously

published or submitted to another competition. By entering

the competition, participants accept that their submission

may be used to promote the Lost Spaces Competition prize,

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and agree to have their submission displayed online and in

print.

No member of the Jury, the organizing committee, nor the

respective professional partners of the foregoing are

eligible to submit to the competition.

Entries that do not comply with the formal regulations and

which have not been submitted by the closing date (March

30, 2015) will not be taken into consideration.

The ownership and copyright of all entry materials

submitted remains with their respective creators. However,

by participating in the competition, all entrants authorize

the organizers (d.talks and WATERSHED+) the right to

display, publish and otherwise exhibit all materials

submitted in magazines, books, websites and other media to

be determined. Designers will be fully-credited when their

work is used.

The jury reserves the right to not award prizes for entries

not meeting the criteria defined.

No partner, associate, or employee of any Jury member may

participate in the Competition.

“The classic ideal of the theatrum mundi attempted to

convey one union of aesthetics and social reality.

Society is a theater, and all men are actors.”

— Richard Sennett, The Fall of Public Man, 1977

A B O U T T H E O R G A N I Z E R SProduced by: Design Talks Institute (d.talks)

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Supported by: WATERSHED+ and The City of Calgary

Design Talks Institute (d.talks) Design Talks Institute (d.talks) is a grassroots non-

profit organization dedicated to fostering collaborative

and engaging public conversation about design and the built

environment in Calgary. Find more at dtalks.org

WATERSHED+WATERSHED+ is a part of the City of Calgary's Utilities &

Environmental Protection Public Art program. Find more at

watershedplus.ca

TO REGISTER

F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S ( F A Q )Can we submit if we practice outside of Alberta orCan we submit if we practice outside of Alberta or

Canada?Canada? Yes, the competition is open to those in and

outside of Alberta and/or Canada.

What are the prizes for winning? What are the prizes for winning? The first prize

is $7,500 CAD. In addition to the first prize, there are

five potential field prizes that will be awarded for $3,000

CAD each. The fields choosing a winner are water services,

roads/transportation, parks, planning, and public art.

Please note that an entry is not entitled to more than one

prize. In addition to these prizes, an entry might be

eligible for a short list renumeration fee. Up to six

submissions will be awarded a $1,000 CAD renumeration fee.

Will the designs be exhibited?Will the designs be exhibited? Yes, the shortlisted

design submissions (of up to 12 entries) will be exhibited

to the public. While details are still in development, the

exhibition is planned for the late spring 2015 in Calgary.

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Please check back for further updates about the exhibition

at dtalks.org.

What is an ideas competition? What is an ideas competition? An ideas competition

solicits ideas that advance contemporary thought and

demonstrate one's ability to think critically and

creatively about the problem set forth. Feasibility of

realization is an important criteria that submissions will

be judged on and should support one's conceptual design.

The competition is seeking a holistic approach to design,

integrating perspectives of engineering, art, architecture,

landscape architecture, and other forms of design is highly

encouraged.

Can we choose our own site for the design?Can we choose our own site for the design? Yes, a site

may be of your choice. We've provided a few site conditions

as guidance, and you may base your submission on one of

these conditions, or a condition similar to one of the

examples. You are also free to interpret the lost space by

selecting a site of your own choosing.

What site conditions are there to choose from? What site conditions are there to choose from? We've

provided examples of an underpass, a service lane or a

space between two buildings, left-over space resulting from

traffic infrastructure, a verge, the area around a fire

hydrant, a traffic circle, a bus stop, and the area around

the light rail transit. Each of these conditions is linked

to an image providing a bit of context and detail. Your

design submission is not limited to one of these sites,

however.

Are there plans or CAD drawings for the siteAre there plans or CAD drawings for the site

conditions on your website?conditions on your website? No. There are no specific

plans for the site conditions on our website. These

conditions are representative of a typology of lost space,

but are in no way suggestive of the only type of lost space

your design submission may interpret.

Should our ideas be designed to be temporary orShould our ideas be designed to be temporary or

permanent?permanent? Either. The consideration of temporary or

permanent submission will likely depend upon the site

conditions you choose. If a design is not reliant upon

being temporary, the aim of thinking big might suggest

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proposing a permanent design. We’ll leave the decision up

to you.

Does our design idea have to be located inDoes our design idea have to be located in

Calgary?Calgary? The site can be a conceptual site, but it must be

able to be adapted to the climate and built conditions in

Calgary.

What weather conditions do we need toWhat weather conditions do we need to

consider?consider? Calgary has a prairie climate. It benefits from

a high number of sunshine hours but can also experience

unpredictable weather shifts. A winter Chinook wind might

increase the temperature by 30 degrees centigrade within

just a few hours. Temperatures can go as low as -30 degrees

centigrade in winter and as high as +30 degrees centigrade

in the summer months. In a word, the weather is

unpredictable. Further climate information can be

found here and here.

Will our design need to comply with City of CalgaryWill our design need to comply with City of Calgary

Bylaws and permitting? Bylaws and permitting? The call is seeking design ideas

for lost spaces that are in the public domain. The site

condition examples we’ve noted in our call are public

infrastructure: road verges, set-asides, laneways,

roundabouts or traffic circle, a bus stop, each may come

with specific bylaws and design requirements. While we

highly recommend that you consider all appropriate bylaws

for the use of the public property (particularly for

purposes of submitting a realistic design idea), the actual

permitting and bylaw requirements are not necessary to

include in your submission.

Can we submit more than one entry?Can we submit more than one entry? Individuals may

participate in more than one team, but teams may submit

only a single submission. Each registration number may

submit only one proposal.

Can I submit as an individual or must I be part of aCan I submit as an individual or must I be part of a

team?team? Due to the complex nature of the site, a team

approach is encouraged, but not necessary. An individual

may register and submit an entry.

How will the competition be managed?How will the competition be managed? The project

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administers will manage the competition. The Jury and

advisors will not see submissions until adjudication

process commences. The administrators will filter

submissions which do not fulfill the competition criteria

only.

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