Procedure
Registration - Information market - Site visits - Entries - Jury and adjucation - Time schedule - Winners - Realisations - Publications - Exhibition - Local activities - International concluding manifestation
Registration
Registration for the competition is possible via the Europan Europe web site. This web site contains all the information about the current competition round, such as the regulations, the theme, the composition of the juries and the time schedule.
T here is also a brief summary of each site. Having selected a specific site, the team leader can then subscribe. After paying the registration fee the participant receives a password with which he/she can study and download the full site information, which contains texts with details about the town or city, the site and the context, as well as plans and photographs necessary for making a design.
Once registration is completed and the competition material is received, participants can set to work. During the registration period queries about site information or about the competition can be put via the FAQ on the competition web site. It is also possible to ask questions during the information market and the site visits that are organised by Europan Nederland shortly after the start of the competition.
Information market
At the beginning of the registration period of a new competition round an information market is organised in the Netherlands for potential participants. On this day the parties making the sites available present the sites and there is an opportunity to ask questions. There are also talks and discussions about the theme, and the agreements between Europan and the parties making the sites available are signed.
Site visits
During the registration period Europan Nederland organises site visits for the participants. Together with site representatives, participants can walk round the site and ask questions. A report of each site visit is published on this web site, so that participants who were unable to attend can access the information provided during the site visit.
Entries
The entries sent in (anonymously) by the participant or the team of participants should comprise three panels, a document with information, and a CD-ROM.
Physically: The entry should be submitted or sent to the secretariat of the country of the site chosen. Entries can be submitted for several sites, on condition that these sites are situated in different countries.
On a international level further digitalisation of the competition is being discussed. Keep an eye on Europan 11 news for this.
Jury and adjudication
Each country has its own jury. The members of the jury are appointed by the national committee and approved by the international organisation of Europan.
Each jury comprises nine members and at least two substitute members, who have no connection whatsoever with the sites:
- a government representative or representative of a national organisation
- two representatives of commissioning parties
- four architects
- two experts
At least three members of the jury should be of foreign origin.
The jury meets twice, on two separate occasions. At the first meeting the entriesare studied to make sure that they conform with the theme of the competition round, and a maximum of twenty per cent of the entries are selected on the basis of the quality of the ideas.
During the second meeting the innovative character of the entries is considered, and the plans selected are examined to see if they fit within the context of the sites for which they have been submitted. The prize-winning plans are then chosen.
The international Towns and Juries Forum takes place between the first and second meeting. During this forum the entries selected in all countries are brought together and thematically discussed with jury members and site representatives.
Time schedule
Because the competition is organised once every two years, the time schedule for the coming years is fixed.
- Even years (spring to winter): preparation of competition (recruiting sites, etc)
- Odd years (spring): start of competition and national information market, participants visit the sites
- Odd years (summer): submission of plans
- Odd years (winter): adjudication and announcement of results
- Even years (spring): national and local activities, exhibitions, publication, debates, conclusion of competition.
Winners
The winners and runners-up receive a sum of money; the sum is determined for each competition round. There is no money attached to the special mention award.
In order to stimulate collaboration between the winners and the site representatives, after the announcement of the winners a workshop is organised in which the winners present their plans to the site representatives. The aim of the workshop is to make the initial arrangements for the follow-up phase.
Realisations
Europan does its best to ensure that the the municipalities and/or developers that have made the competition sites available offer the winners a commission. In a letter of intent, the parties making a site available in the Netherlands pledge that the winners will be offered a realistic chance of obtaining a commission, in the first instance, for the site made available for the competition. Should this fail to materialise within a reasonable period of time for whatever reason, then an alternative site must be offered.
Implemented Europan project Haarlem, Higgs Young Architects
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Implemented Europan project Groningen, S333
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Implemented Europan project Nijmegen, Van Gameren & Mastenbroek
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Publications
After each competition round Europan Nederland compiles a publication containing the results of the Dutch sites, interviews with the winners and essays by those involved. In addition, the European secretariat prepares the publication of a European catalogue in which all the European results presented thematically.
Exhibition
After announcing the winners Europan Nederland organises an exhibition in which all the entries for the Dutch sites are displayed. The winners and the special mentions receive extra attention in the exhibition.
Local activities
In order to create support for the winning entries on the competition sites themselves, and to stimulate discussion about the specific problems accompanying a site, exhibitions, debates and discussion evenings are also organised in the towns and cities involved. The local activities are generally organised by the municipality and/or client, in cooperation with Europan and the local architecture centre.
International closing event
The competition round is concluded with the Forum of Results, where all the European winners and runners-up and all the site representatives come together for discussions, talks and meetings.
