In April 2008, 2A Magazine launched “Du(b)ailities: Supra_global_culture / micro_ethnic_localities”, an international architectural competition for students and young architects. Participants were allowed to submit in either one of two or both categories:

Category A: Supra_global_culture – large-scale visions
Category B: Micro-ethnic-localities – small-scale interventions

The designers were challenged to submit concepts with the following goals:

1. Challenge the cultural engagement, support and develop the skills of students and young architects.
2. Flourish and generate new thoughts and ideas for the Gulf by regional and international schools of design.
3. Focus on the development of Dubai as the emerging metropolitan prototype of the 21st century and stimulate reflection around its development.
4. Revive debates in the field and link young architects across geographical boundaries.
5. Promote the work of talented young architects for projects in the Gulf and expose their ideas.

The international jury comprised Prof. George Katodrytis, RIBA, Chair of the Jury (School of Architecture & Design, American University of Sharjah), Prof. Mona El-Mousfy (School of Architecture & Design, American University of Sharjah), Prof. Michael Schwarz (Architecture Dept, Ajman University of Science and Technology), Rashad Mohammed Bukhash (Dubai Municipality), Khalid Al Najjar (DXB LAB, Dubai), Prof. Frederic Levrat  (Columbia University), Donald Bates (Architecture Lab, Melbourne), Prof. Thomas Leeser (Leeser Architecture and Columbia University, New York), and Brian Johnson, RIBA (Godwin Austen Johnson, Dubai)

These are the winning projects:

Projects Category A: Supra_global_culture – large-scale visions
 
2nd Prize: Project code # 1103 by Benjamin John Reynolds (Australia), awarded 15,000 AED ($4,000)

3rd Prize: Equally shared between project code # 1376 by Richard John Saunders (UK), awarded 5,000 AED ($1,360) and project code # 1468 by Ahmed Sherif (UAE), awarded 5,000 AED ($1,360)

Special Mentions: Project code # 1502 by Reem Al-Rawi and project code # 1216 by Ming Tang (USA),

Category B: Micro-ethnic-localities – small-scale interventions

1st Prize: Project code # 1001 by Budoor Muhammad Bukhari (UAE), awarded 20,000 AED ($5,440)

2nd Prize: Equally shared between project code # 1037 Sérgio Garces Marques / Ana Lúcia da Cruz (Portugal), awarded 12,500 AED ($3,400) and project code # 1097 by Lisa Sauvé / Adam Smith (USA), awarded 12,500 AED ($3,400)

Special Mentions: Project code # 1278 by Ariel Noyman / Yaniv Lenman and project code # 1470 by Hannah Allawi

The jury said:

“The winners of Category A: Supra_global_culture – large-scale visions showed a unique ability to capture the urban condition of Dubai, deal with large scale and engage in conceptual, technical and representational skills that make the city full of potentials. They have demonstrated clear and much needed visions for future urbanism engaging systems of interconnectivity and networks.”

“The winners of Category B: Micro-ethnic-localities – small-scale interventions showed how small-scale participation and socially conscious projects can have a catalytic effect in dealing with the street and its everyday users. They have demonstrated that at the scale of small interventions, the architectural artifact is the core of what cities are about and that by interfacing and contextualizing this it can trigger a wider urban phenomenon but which will always remain humane.”

Images: 2A Magazine