2023
DEWAN AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURE
Basra, southern Iraq’s most important city, is opening up again after many years of war and recovery. To reflect this, Tamayouz Excellence Awards invites architects and designers to submit their ideas to transform the underused Dakeer Island into a vibrant recreational urban destination for locals and visitors.
In this brief, participants will find information on everything related to the competition, including the site, competition guidelines, prizes, and award ceremony.
BASRA
Basra city is the capital of Al-Basra Governorate, southeastern Iraq, and its only principal seaport. It is considered Iraq’s economic capital.
Basra has an estimated population of 3.2 million people. However, the actual number is not confirmed, due to the need for an updated census, to cover the recent uncounted growth, migration and unregistered squatters’ settlements. The total area of the governorate is about 20.000 SqKm.
74Km/46miles Northwest of Basra is the small town of Al-Qurnah where the two great Tigris and Euphrates rivers meet and join and form the Shatt al-Arab river.
On the outskirts of Basra is Imam Ali Mosque, which is the first mosque built in Iraq and among the oldest mosques in the history of Islam. Click here for Video.
A BRIEF TIMELINE
636 AD
The city was built in 636 AD and played an important role in Islamic Golden Age. Basra is one of the ports from which the fictional Sinbad the Sailor journeyed in the tales of 1001 Nights.
665 AD
Basra was founded as a military encampment by the second Caliph, Umar Bin Al-Khattab, about 13 km from the modern town of Al-Zubayr, where the first architecturally significant mosque in Islam was constructed there in 665.
8th and 9th Centuries
Basra had been a brilliant cultural center in its own right throughout the 8th and into the 9th century. It was the home of noted Arab grammarians, poets, prose writers, and literary and religious scholars.
17th and 18th centuries
In the 17th and 18th centuries, English, Dutch, and Portuguese traders became established there, and Basra developed considerably during the 19th century as a transshipment point for river traffic to Baghdad.
20th Century
In 1914 the construction of a modern harbor was begun at Basra, which previously had no wharves. During World War I the British occupied Basra and used it as the port whereby communications were maintained between Mesopotamia and India. In 1930 the port installations were transferred from British to Iraqi ownership.
Modern Day Basra
The city suffered extensive damage in the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) and during the Gulf Wars in 1991 and the US invasion of 2003. The growth of Iraq’s petroleum industry in the postwar decades turned Basra into a primary petroleum refining and exporting centre.
Dust storm over Basra
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
Basra has a hot desert climate, like the rest of the surrounding region, though it receives slightly more precipitation than inland locations due to its location near the coast. During the summer months, from June to August, Basra is consistently one of the hottest cities on the planet, with temperatures regularly exceeding 50 °C (122 °F) in July and August. In winter, Basra experiences mild weather with average high temperatures of around 20 °C (68 °F). On some winter nights, minimum temperatures are below 0 °C (32 °F). High humidity – sometimes exceeding 90% – is expected due to the proximity to the marshy Gulf.
COMPETITION SITE
Located on the Northeast side of Basra, The Dakeer Island was established in 1918 by the British forces as a shipyard for the flourishing naval trade and transport activities on Shatt Al Arab at that time, with direct access to the river, which is connected to The Gulf, where major waterways transport, trade and fisheries took place.
The British forces built the basin after their campaign to seize Baghdad from the Ottomans during World War I, and it was damaged during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) and survived the first and second Gulf wars, now it is in a state of neglect and disrepair.
Trade was active in Dakeer throughout the past century due to its important geographical location. However, the circumstances that occurred in Shatt al-Arab, such as the spread of floods and low water levels and sunken shipwrecks, have impeded the entry of ships to the ports of Basra and negatively impacted the Dakeer and resulted in its abandonment.
As of now, Dakeer Island is packed with illegal settlements, wholesale and storage warehouses, and waste dumping areas. The shipyard business no longer exists but the area still belongs to Iraqi Port Authority.
Dakeer Northeast of Basra
VISION
The Dewan Award for Architecture 2023 envisions Dakeer Island as a new thriving urban destination in Basra.
The redesigned Island will transform the Dakeer into a vibrant recreational and commercial waterfront, preserving Basra’s identity as a port city and improving and celebrating its fishing industry and maritime heritage.
The redevelopment includes the sites of a new fish market, a river taxi station, a sailing club and urban links better connecting the Dakeer to the mainland.
The new inclusive and accessible waterfront will be a destination for locals and visitors to enjoy.
THE CHALLENGES
Basra is considered the wealthiest city in Iraq, mainly due to its abundant natural resources. It boasts of having some of the largest oil fields in the world, and its port serves as a vital hub for the country’s oil exports. Furthermore, the city’s location on the Shatt al-Arab river provides opportunities for fishing and agricultural activities.
However, despite its strategic location and wealth, the city faces many challenges, including numerous urban planning challenges. The lack of a comprehensive urban planning strategy has resulted in unplanned urban growth, inadequate infrastructure, haphazard development and a lack of accessible and safe public spaces.
The existence of informal settlements that lack proper planning and building permits poses a risk to public health and safety, and they also lack basic infrastructure and services such as water and sanitation.
Transportation challenges such as traffic congestion, inadequate public transportation, and insufficient pedestrian infrastructure have resulted in a lack of mobility for residents, especially those who cannot afford private transportation.
Finally, environmental challenges such as air and water pollution, waste management issues, and inadequate green spaces require an integrated approach to design that prioritises sustainable development and environmental conservation.
RESPONSE
Participants are asked to transform the underused Dakeer Island in Basra into an influential urban destination as a vibrant recreational waterfront that contributes to the well-being and quality of life of Basra’s residents.
The waterfront redesign should aim to establish an urban standard for sustainable, long-term development that balances economic growth with social responsibility and the enhancement of public spaces.
INDICATIVE ZONING PLAN
To achieve a certain level of consistency in the submissions for the Dewan Award 2023, we developed an Indicative Zoning Plan for the project site on the Dakeer Island to include main functions and the project’s components.
Participants should consider this Zoning as a Guideline only for the overall planning of the Site.
However, they should remain free to suggest a different approach if necessary.
Participants should only consider a presentation of the Architectural Typologies, with only high-level planning of floor plans, without detailed room planning.
Participants should note that the sunken “Presidential Yacht” must be removed from Shatt Al Arab.
Finally, participants are encouraged to illustrate the impact of the development of Dakeer Island and its resonance with the surrounding areas.
THE DESIGN PROGRAMME
The total built area should not exceed 40% of the site.
- Fish Market
- River Taxi Station
- Sailing and Boat Club
- Public Spaces
- Bridges
- Docks
- Food and Beverage (F&B)
CRITERIA
RELEVANCE
A clear declaration of conditions that set the urban and cultural contextual parameters of the project through the identification of local challenges and potential opportunities and living culture.
RESPONSE
Aspirational transformative and original ideas with a programmatic response to existing local urban, environmental, and social conditions and challenges. Clarity of the design process.
RESOLUTION
A clearly declared spatial and technical justification, accessibility, safety, security and durability and environmental impact.
SCHEDULE
April 2023 Competition launch |
29 September Registration deadline |
1st of October Submission deadline |
October 2023 Shortlist Announcement |
November 2023 Winners Announcement |
All Deadlines are 6pm GMT (London). |
REGULATIONS
1. This is an anonymous competition and the Unique Registration Number is the only means of identification.
2. The official language of the award is English.
3. The registration fee for this award is non-refundable.
4. Contacting the jury is prohibited.
5. As the award organizer, Tamayouz Excellence Award reserves the right to modify the award schedule if deemed necessary.
6. Entries will not be reviewed if rules or submission requirements are not followed.
7. Participation assumes acceptance of the regulations.
REGISTRATION
Registration
Early Registration: $75 until 01/06
Standard Registration: $85 until 01/08
Late Registration: $100
*Institutional Registration: $500
This option is open for universities and other institutions interested in sponsoring their students to participate in International competitions and showcase their students’ work on a global platform. For $500, your university can sponsor all its students and staff who wish to participate in the International Graduation Projects Award and Dewan Award for Architecture and its annual competition.
Eligibility
Architects, students, engineers, and designers are invited to participate in this competition. Participation can be on an individual or team basis (maximum of 8 members per team). We encourage the participation of multidisciplinary teams.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Participants required to submit the following (In one Zip file named after the unique registration number):
- One – A0 board in JPEG format. Every team is encouraged to submit all the information they consider necessary to explain their proposal. Content may include but is not limited to plans, sections, elevations, visualisations and diagrams. The resolution of the boards must be 300dpi with the unique registration number placed in the upper left corner of the board in 22pt font.
- Word document file containing the project statement (250 Words Max) explaining the design proposal.
- One – Main Image (16:9) of the Entry in a JPEG Format (Preferably a bird’s eye view of the whole Dakeer Island).
- Submit your entry by using the upload link in your registration confirmation email.
Poster Layout: Posters can be in whichever layout the participant finds suitable; Portrait or landscape.
A zip file should contain: 1 X A0 (JPEG – 300 dpi) + 1 X Word DOC (250) Words + 1 X Main Image (16:9) of the Project (JPEG – 300 dpi).
Note: All files must be named after the unique registration number.
PRIZES
The winners of the Dewan Award 2023 will receive the following prizes
*First prize will be a fully paid employment at Dewan for 6 months expandable to one year. If for any reason this cannot be achieved then a sum of $6000 will be presented.
THE JUDGING PANEL
Participants required to submit the following (In one Zip file named after the unique registration number):
- One – A0 board in JPEG format. Every team is encouraged to submit all the information they consider necessary to explain their proposal. Content may include but is not limited to plans, sections, elevations, visualisations and diagrams. The resolution of the boards must be 300dpi with the unique registration number placed in the upper left corner of the board in 22pt font.
- Word document file containing the project statement (250 Words Max) explaining the design proposal.
- One – Main Image (16:9) of the Entry in a JPEG Format (Preferably a bird’s eye view of the whole Dakeer Island).
- Submit your entry by using the upload link in your registration confirmation email.
Poster Layout: Posters can be in whichever layout the participant finds suitable; Portrait or landscape.
A zip file should contain: 1 X A0 (JPEG – 300 dpi) + 1 X Word DOC (250) Words + 1 X Main Image (16:9) of the Project (JPEG – 300 dpi).
Note: All files must be named after the unique registration number.
THE CEREMONY
Biennially, Tamayouz Excellence Award invites architects, planners, artists and academics from around the world to celebrate
architectural excellence within the region and worldwide.
Our ceremonies mark a milestone in bringing people together and bridging
cultures.
Alongside the ceremony, we will be organising several Tamayouz
Talks which will open to the public during the ceremony week.
