Sukkahville 2013

Sukkahville 2011 from Kehilla Residential Programme on Vimeo.

Reimagining the Sukkah

Kehilla Residential Programme invites architects, students, artists, builders and allied design professionals to submit designproposals for the third annual Sukkahville Design Competition. The aim of this open competition is to design a temporary, freestanding Sukkah to be built in Mel Lastman Square in Toronto for the holiday of Sukkot. We encourage you to re-imagine the traditional notion of Sukkah, with a contemporary design language and approach.

Challenge

A Sukkah is a temporary structure constructed for use annually during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. It is described in Leviticus as a symbolic wilderness shelter, symbolizing the frailty and transience of life. While building a Sukkah is a particular Jewish ritual observance, it represents many conceptual themes surrounding the essential nature of dwelling, which are universal in nature. Proposing an innovative Sukkah design which delicately balances the inherent dichotomies of new / old, open / closed, temporary /permanent is the challenge inherent in this competition. The temporary structure must adhere to the following traditional constraints:

•   The footprint of the Sukkah must be no smaller than 27" x 27”, but no larger than 100 square feet.
• The height of the Sukkah must be taller than 38" high, and no taller than 30'-0"
• The structure of the walls and roof can be made from any kind of materials, and wall and roof elements can be spaced up to a maximum of one foot apart.
• The Sukkah must have at least two complete sides and part of a third side, at least 16" wide.
• The bottom edge of the sides must be within 12" of the ground.            
• The roof must be partially covered with a material that grows from the soil and is completely detached from the ground. This covering should be loose enough so that one can see the sky, yet thick enough so that the shadow it casts on the ground exceeds the light thrown by the sun.
• Walls must be sturdy enough to withstand the impact of ordinary winds.
• While the Sukkah must be built anew each year, a sustainable design approach, which minimizes the waste and disposal of the Sukkah materials is strongly encouraged.
• The Sukkah may not be anchored to the site, but must be stabilized or weighed down without penetrating or damaging the hard surfaces or exceeding the maximum permitted footprint.  

Recognition

Six winning designs will be chosen by a select high profile jury to be constructed in a visionary village on Mel Lastman Square from September 22nd to September 24th 2013. Finalists will be notified by July 15, 2013 and will be responsible for obtaining construction materials and constructing their designs. A stipend of $3,600 per winning design will be awarded to assist with construction, materials and transportation costs.

Submission

Sukkahville Competition submissions must be received by 12:00:00 EST on June 17, 2013  to the office address listed below. One single board size ARCH D (36" x 24") per entry will be accepted. The presentation layout and technique is absolutely open and at the discretion of the entrant. The presentation should clearly document the proposed design as well as the approach to the construction. Presentation boards should be completely anonymous. Please tape a single, sealed, letter-sized envelope to the back of the board containing the name and contact information of the entrant. Entrants are encouraged to register by May 15, 2013; please send us an email with your name or names of team members, and contact information.

Timeline (to be discussed)

May 15, 2013                                    Registration Deadline

June 17, 2013                                    Deadline for submissions

July 15, 2013                                     Finalists will be notified

September 20-21, 2013                   Construction period

September 22-24, 2013                      Public Display

September 22, 2013                             Awards Presentation

Background

Kehilla Residential Programme is a non-profit housing agency whose mandate is to identify and champion housing initiatives responsive to the needs of the Jewish community in the greater Toronto area. Established in 1982, Kehilla is an affiliate agency of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Under its mandate, Kehilla has been both a leader in the development of many affordable housing initiatives as well as in offering property management services for community housing projects. With the goal of raising awareness to support Kehilla and its initiatives, the Sukkahville competition has been instituted to bring focus to the many significant affordable housing issues that are prevalent in our own community. Feel free to send us any question or concerns you may have by email or phone.

Kehilla Residential Programme
262 Ridley Boulevard
Toronto, ON M5M 4N6
Tel: 416 932 1212
Fax: 416 932 1214

www.sukkahville.com

Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kehillaresidentialprogramme
Twitter: @kehillarp
Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/39652594