Fourth Annual International Design Competition for Senior High School Students - IDCHSS 2014

Epoka University, Department of Architecture is proud to launch the 4th edition of the Annual International Design Competition for Final Year High School Students – IDCHSS-2014. The competition is open to individual high school students enrolled in the final year of their studies. Some of the goals of this attempt can be listed as the following;

• To engage high school students with the designing process
• To give high school students the opportunity to express their designing skills
• To blur the borders between middle and higher education institutions
• To identify new talents that would contribute in the future to the society through the discipline of Architecture
• Providing study scholarships to excellent talents for their further studies at Epoka University

Eligibility 

The competition is open to students enrolled in their last year of studies in a public or private high school recognized by Albanian Ministry of Education or the respective institution in other states of the region. Due to the growing interest of applicants from Kosovo, a parallel session of the competition will be organized in one of Pristine high schools as well. Referring to the following calendar dates we welcome any interested student from public or private high schools of Kosovo.

The students are expected to be profoundly interested in the field of graphical arts and especially Architecture. After being selected for the final phase the competitor should submit along with his/ her identity docs the official document from the High school that verifies the above mentioned state.

Calendar

Competition Phases

First  Phase:

In the first phase students are expected to send an e-mail – not later than the abome mentioned deadlines- to (idchss@epoka.edu.al) in the form of letter of interest including the following documents being attached.

• Application form [downloadable from the competition website idchss.epoka.edu.al
• The answered questionnaire [downloadable from the competition website idchss.epoka.edu.al
• 5 images of the best design practices of any medium or Technique (models, free-hand drawing, technical drawing, sculpture, relief design etc)   

Second Phase:

The final phase of the competition will be a two day workshop where the finalists will be explained an architectural problem and will be asked to analyze, concept and present their ideas. The topic will be announced during the first day of the event. The basic materials will be provided to the concurrent by the organizing team. The student can bring his/ her own materials for special techniques. The basic requirements will be as follows;

• A poster of 70x50 cm [presenting analysis, concept, design]
• The material of the 3D model will be given during the Workshop.
• The technique is free. (material used, colors, tools ect)

Please feel free to ask your questions to the following addresses.

Evaluation

Creativity and Imagination are the major consideration you should give this project. Evaluation of the final projects will be based on the following:

• Creativity and imagination
• Practicality of Solution
• Demonstration of a full understanding of how people will live in the shelter the entrant has designed
• Quality of drawings and presentation material
• Approach to Environmental Sustainability
• Originality of the Idea and the project

Judging and Jurors

Judging will be held on as it is stated in the calendar above. Winners will be notified by telephone and e-mail. Awards will be presented at a reception/ ceremony to be held after the judging according to the competition calendar as well as being published on the Architecture Department official website. Jurors are a team of architects, including the staff of Department of Architecture of Epoka University.

Awards

• All participants will get a certificate of entrant and thanking from the Rector of Epoka University.
• 20 finalist works will be presented in the exhibition premises of the university during the International Scientific Conference planned to open in the first day of the new academic year 2013-2014 (2-ICAUD). These works will be part of a publication by Epoka Press due to this event.
• For 10 finalists there are surprising gifts of a considerable value
• For the final 3 the following awards:

1st prize:      75% Scholarship
2nd prize :    50% Scholarship
3rd prize :    25% Scholarship

• Authors of the best 3 works will be given the opportunity to be interviewed by the competition organising staff to be able to win a scholarship and continue his/her higher education studies in the Department of Architecture at Epoka University.