Training

Description

INTRODUCTION

We can consider “Architecture” everything that has already been designed and/or built. That would define a realm of conventional solutions, often repeated in a self-referential system. We imagined a counterpart, a “Non Architecture”. A world of unexplored designs and countless possibilities, that if found, could enlarge and change permanently the boundaries of Architecture. A universe of chances and opportunities never challenged by architects before. A limitless field of investigation that includes everything that is not Architecture, yet. Non Architecture Competitions aims to find unconventional and unexplored design solutions in the field of architecture. It consists in a series of nine competitions. All competitions have their focus on finding innovative approaches to specific issues of functionality in architecture, seeking nontraditional approaches in architect’s work. Training - alternative designs for factories, is the third Non Architecture Competition.

COMPETITION BRIEF

The aim of the “Training” competition is to develop a design proposal for the sport facility typology, intended as a place where phisical activity and/or sports entartainment can occur. It is asked to the participants to create innovative and unconventional projects on this theme, questioning the very basis of the notion of sport facility. After the recent closure of the European football cup and the Olympic games, you are asked to reinvent the way sports can be practiced, and how they can be used to entertain.

Many architecture and design projects have already proposed new ways to empower the social value of sports and innovative solutions to implement them in order to promote a healthy lifestyle. With similar creative attitude the participants are urged to create an artefact, merging considerable programmatic innovation and valuable design tools.
The proposal can be a device, a piece of furniture, an interior design project, a pavilion, a building or a urban plan. Scale of intervention, program dimensions and location are not given and they can be arranged by the participants to better suit their project. Some basic useful topics of investigation to approach the competition theme can already be deduced from the definition of “sport facility”: sport facility noun [C] A building or a group of structures designed for exercising, sports training and practice, and competition in various sports.

As follows, very essential aspects of the conventional factory can be questioned. - How central is the role of competition in the practice of physical activity? Should the “fun” component be emphasized by the competitive side of sports, or should instead exercising be focused on providing the healthiest and most scientific practice for the participants? - Can a sport facility be something different than a traditional building? Cain it be a network in the city rather than one single construction? Or can it be reduced to a smaller space, like a single room, a pavilion, or just one object? - Should a sport facility be exclusively a space for training and practice, or should it be more oriented to the entertaining side of sports?

Can exercising assume a social value, bringing together communities and people from different social extractions, or should it be instead an intimate and private moment for the athlete? These are the questions to suggest to the partecipants as possible fields of investigation. Each project can tackle one or more of the issues suggested, as well as raising new ones in relation to the competition topic. Just try to be as creative and unconventional as possible. If you want to receive more useful insights on the theme of the competition subscribe to our newsletter. You will get articles, essays and references from our editorial team.