24H competition 31st edition – babel

“The exercise of designing within a complex theme in such a short time places the architects in a position in which desicions need to be taken so fast, that the outcome is probably a surprise to everyone working at it. It must be specially challenging if made in a group, where designing decisions should be agreed upon before moving forward. 24 hours to come up with a solid concept/design and also make an appealing presentation is not enought time, even so, some proposals are very interesting, and in general I think it is a good exercise.“ Gil Barbieri, arch.

“Important to note: The Instagram stories reveal a worldwide movement of architecture students to be part of this competition. This is a great initiative to unite and integrate students from different nationalities and realities. From the simplest project to the most sophisticated one, this discussion platform deserves attention for its initiative and for its clarity and good judgment.” Daniel Mangabeira, arch.

Winners

1st Place – ID000810:

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“Babel is the force of globalization in the tremending scenario of the trouble waters of a disruptive world; however an apoctalyptic lighthouse in a time without value and context. They are capable constructions of an epiphania about the shadows of civilizational ruin. The paradigm was done.” Mário Chaves, arch.

“Babel Triptych is right on point as it understands the issue at hand as a networked one, on the global scale rather than looking for singular solutions. On the other hand, it fails at developing an architectural language that is versatile enough to satisfy the contextual and programmatic diversity of the self-imposed program.” Şevki Topçu, arch.

“The important thing about this proposal, and what makes it stand out, is that it is imagined for a circumstance in which a new kind of babel tower makes a lot of sense. A dystopian future, in which a network of high buildings rise from the sea as ports, productive facilities and shelters, all in single structures.”  Gil Barbieri, arch.

“Just like the fictional idea of ​​creating a new babel, the simulation of a dystopian planet, where there will be not only one new babel but several as guides for a new civilization, was well developed with just a few graphic information. A map, a picture, and a section of the building were enough to tell the whole story.

The project reference, besides being credible, supports the justification of the project. In addition to being well based, the formal return to simple geometric shapes that identify human thought, probably unintentionally alludes to Valerio Olgiati's Perm Museum, where its “idiosyncratic appearance represents the expression of a cultic place”. Significantly, the high-quality graphic presentation, coherent with the project, expressed very well the desired cataclysmic atmosphere.” Daniel Mangabeira, arch.

2nd Place – ID0002470:

“The vortice cone, carved in eden, heir of thousand cultures that feed wisdom, as the proof of knowledge was the end of paradise. Construction affirmed monolitically in a time that needs a new paradigm. The industrial time that created the new babel was a paradox, the required progress, was not.” Mário Chaves, arch.

“This proposal promises to turn the hierarchical symbolism of the conventional skyscraper upside down, quite literally. Resulting architectural form is one that deserves commending in terms of the level of articulation that it achieves with a simple fluting pattern.  However, one should be aware of other forms of hierarchy being created by inverted pyramid. I would argue more access to daylight, views and public amenities at the top would increase the disparity rather than equalize the access to those things.” Şevki Topçu, arch.

“An appealing design that fits well its surrounding. The small openings on the facade suggests an introspective tower, which is confirmed by the section. It reveals balconies piled up around a giant cone shaped atrium, which allows sunlight to reach deep into the building. I cannot tell if the suggested building material would be appropriate, because not much was explained about it, but the attitude of looking at alternative technologies that make use of abundant natural local resources must be appreciated.” Gil Barbieri, arch.

“Probably the most architectural of the competitors, this project stands out for the conciseness of ideas and the architectural representation of its ideas. Very well written text, alluding to the origins of human diversity. This approach is particularly important nowadays, in a society of extremes. This new Babel represents the safe haven, but at the same time critically exposes where we came from and what we are. Materiality is well explained in the text, which mixes chemistry, architecture and sustainability. This is a contemporary project with a strong visual impact.” Daniel Mangabeira, arch.

3rd Place – ID0001990:

“A new babel tower on civilizational ruins; the aquarium time of this new and newly millennium calls for complex systems and a virtuosism able to support the tremending forces that will be required of you by new and challenging inhabitants of a new global time.” Mário Chaves, arch.

“This proposal attacks the problem headfirst with all its messiness. It avoids the highly controlled and sterilized language of many of the other proposals and embraces the ad-hoc nature of the human condition.” Şevki Topçu, arch.

“Exploring how a building could evolve over the decades is key to making more sustainable built environments. Explaining a complex design idea in a very limited space is challenging, especially if done so in such a short period. However, the images are rich in details, and make the viewer wonder what the purpose of each element is.” Gil Barbieri, arch.

“The visual complexity presented on the board may at first, hide weaknesses of the project, but when one understands the idea and understands that a more rational, ecological, self-constructive and up-to-date approach will be the basis for building the new babel, it takes a long time to let the eye wander over the board and gradually reveal precious details of the project. The formal blurring contrasts with the other winners, but it indicates that architecture is more important for ideas than for the formal outcome of the building. This is a beautiful and complex project that deserves prominence in this competition.” Daniel Mangabeira, arch.