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International Design Competition I 2024-25

Imagining Tomorrow Awards 2024-25

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Architecture         Urban Planning           Urban Design         Landscape        Conservation       History

About
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About ITA

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The Imagining Tomorrow Awards was initiated to encapsulate AUDA's vision for a future where design is not just a profession but a trans-formative force that enhances our lives. The Ist edition of this competition was launched last year to ignite the creative potential of aspiring designers to seek solutions that address pressing global challenges and envision a more sustainable and equitable future. From climate change and sustainability to healthcare and transportation, the competition focused on visionary designs under six key categories. It was a call to action, challenging participants to break free from the constraints of conventional design and explore uncharted territories of creativity. This is more than a platform; it's a trans-formative journey that encourages emerging designers to grapple with the complexities of tomorrow's challenges and translate them into innovative and sustainable design solutions. The competition attracted a remarkable response and the received entries showcased a multitude of design approaches. It was a resounding success, drawing nearly 200 participants from over 50+ colleges and universities around the world. This diverse participation showcased an incredible range of ideas and perspectives, from different global contexts. With the launch of ITA 2.0, the brand continues its commitment to inspire and amplify voices that will help shape a better tomorrow.

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PARTICIPANTS (National & International): 150+

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES (Around the World): 50+

WINNING ENTRIES: 08

JURORS: 06

ITA 2024-25

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IMAGINING TIMELESS PLACES

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Colonial heritage sites often evoke conflicting emotions, representing historical significance for some and oppression for others. This tension. rooted in questions of identity, justice, and narrative control, is particularly evident in British-era cemeteries across Indian cities.

 

The South Park Street Cemetery in Kolkata, the first colonial capital of India, exemplifies this complexity. While these cemeteries hold deep cultural meaning for the British, they often lack resonance with contemporary Indian society. The "Imagining Timeless Places" competition invites participants to critically re-imagine Kolkata's iconic South Park Street Cemetery and its surroundings, envisioning a future where this historic landmark resonates with contemporary urban life. The competition challenges designers to weave the cemetery into the evolving urban fabric of Kolkata-balancing heritage preservation with the city's developmental needs, community aspirations, and real-estate dynamics.​
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Participants are expected to craft a robust framework that can transform the site into a vibrant cultural anchor, fostering dialogue between history and modernity while celebrating Kolkata's layered identity. The proposals must envision the cemetery not merely as a relic of the past but as a bridge across time, cultures, and communities ensuring its relevance for generations to come and redefine the essence of "timelessness" in the city's urban landscape.

 

This second edition of AUDA's Imagining Tomorrow Awards (ITA) builds upon the "Community Sensitisation and Training Program for the Conservation of Historic Cemeteries in Kolkata", organized by NSDA in collaboration with the Commonwealth Heritage Forum. BACSA, and the Christian Burial Ground. Participants will utilize comprehensive research and base materials developed by program interns to craft visionary proposals addressing this pressing issue.

History of the site

Credits: Anirban Bhadra

Introduction webinar videos

Project Background video

The Urban Narrative by Aayush Tapadia

Landscape plan for ecology and restoration of South Park Strt Cemetery by Tania Das

Site historical Narrative by Anirban Bhadra

Collaborators

Organizers and Collaborators

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Competition focus

Competition focus

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Submission guidelines

Submission Guidelines

ELIGIBILITY

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The competition is open to:

-Current Undergraduate students (pursuing 3rd year and above B.Arch/ B.Plan/ B.Landscape/ B.Des or any other equivalent bachelors degree in design or related fields)

-Current Post graduate students (pursuing Masters in Architecture/ Planning/ Urban Design/ Landscape Architecture/ History theory/ Conservation or any other related design and research fields)

-Young professionals who have finished their Bachelor's or Master's degree in 2019 or later.

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Both individual and group entries (up to 3 members) are welcome from India and abroad. For Group entries, participants are encouraged to form interdisciplinary teams and collaborate across countries wherever possible to foster better idea exchange and knowledge sharing.

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SUBMISSION CRITERIA

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Participants must submit:

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DESIGN BOARDS: Five A1 panels (in landscape orientation & PDF format) presenting the proposal, including the site analysis, multi-scalar Interventions, and design and high-level implementation strategy.

CONCEPT NOTE: A maximum 1000 word document outlining the design concept, strategies, and key interventions. Participants can explore creative writing —whether as a poem, essay, or conversation —to express their ideas as a story .

DESIGN VIDEO (optional): An optional short video summarizing the proposal, featuring 3D visualizations and compelling storytelling.

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All the deliverables should be mailed to auda.ita2324@gmail.com with the Unique Registration Code (URC). The Unique Registration Code has to be included in the bottom right hand side of each A1 presentation sheet and the concept note.

Please do not include your name(s) or college or any other identification text on any of the sheets or concept note. 

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Please note these are the submission requirements for Stage 1. Once the shortlisting is complete, additional submission guidelines for Stage 2 will be provided to all shortlisted candidates.​​​​​

 

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Please register here!​​

EVALUATION CRITERIA

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The winning project will be decided on the basis of the ingenuity of the proposed design solutions and the overall completeness of the work. The following criteria will be considered in the assessment of the project.

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DESIGN SENSITIVITY:

The degree to which the design respects the cemetery's historical integrity while reinventing its role in contemporary city life.

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INNOVATION IN BALANCED DEVELOPMENT:

Proposals must Investigate a range of sustainable uses of such high potential sites and demonstrate how they can best absorb rising urban needs.

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FEASIBILITY, PRACTICALITY AND MULTI-SCALAR APPROACH:

Proposals should be practical, with an emphasis on feasible high-level implementation strategies considering the local context. Design Interventions should be proposed across different functional and spatial scales, from within the cemetery premises to integrating with adjacent neighbourhoods, the other two historic cemeteries and their adjacent communities, and aligning with the broader Kolkata context.

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:

The extent to which the project enhances the ecological value of the cemetery, contributing to Kolkata's overall open space structure.

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CULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND PEOPLE-CENTERED APPROACH:

Proposals that engage with the local community and respect the cemetery's role as a place of remembrance will be favored.

 

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Evaluation

Evaluation Process

The competition will be conducted in 2 STAGES across 3 CATEGORIES

CATEGORY 01: UNDER GRADUATE

CATEGORY 02: POST GRADUATE

CATEGORY 03: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

STAGE 1​

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A preliminary evaluation will shortlist the 15 BEST ENTRIES- 5 from each category based on CREATIVITY, ORIGINALITY, AND IMPACT.​

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STAGE 2

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After the Stage 2 shortlisting ,selected candidates will receive additional materials to further develop their proposals over the course of one month. The finalists will then present their ideas in an Online Open Jury Session, where the esteemed jury panel will evaluate their work. Ultimately, 3 winners—1 from each category—will be announced

Jurors

Jurors

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Awards

Awards

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AUDA will award certificates to all Stage 2 shortlisted candidates as a recognition of their achievement. Furthermore, summaries of these shortlisted entries will be featured in the final article to be published in LA Journal.

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All registered participants will get the unique opportunity to attend the online review of the shortlisted entries by the jurors.

​​It is totally up to the jury to decide the winners, and it may so happen that no winners are selected for the competition. The awards will not be in effect in that case.

Timelin

Timeline for the awards

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Register here!​

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Questions

Questions?

​Please email auda.ita2324@gmail.com 

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