International Competition For MOLEWA
As the tide of New Urbanization sweeps China, Hua Yan Group, one of China’s premier developers of cultural projects, is launching Hua Yan Townships to more than 200 small and medium-sized cities in China.
Mount Lu, a holy mountain revered by millions, has been chosen to be the inaugural site of the first Hua Yan Township. Situated in Ruichang, Jiangxi, the project has three components: 1) Over an area of 80 hectares, a Flower Ocean Garden will be built as one of the world’s largest flower theme parks; 2) Mount Lu Estate of World Architecture (MOLEWA) will be created over 20 hectares of land, which will feature 18 architectural gems designed by the world's most creative minds; 3) residential and commercial developments over 50 hectares of land will complement the above two.
The current competition applies to the MOLEWA component of the Hua Yan Township project. Through an agreement with the International Union of Architects (UIA), Hua Yan has dedicated the land for MOLEWA to an international competition under the framework of UIA International Competitions for Architecture and Town Planning.
The competition has two parts: a Professional Competition and a Student Competition. The Professional Competition is open to practicing architects from all over the world; the Student Competition, on the other hand, is open to architecture students of Chinese nationality only.
The MOLEWA site has been divided into eighteen (18) plots. The type and size of the building to be designed for each plot is given in the Competition Guidelines and can be viewed interactively here.
The competition is a one-stage process and adjudicated by a panel of distinguished architects and business leaders approved by UIA. Submissions will be evaluated on five value points: 1) Originality, 2) Quality, 3) Cultural Expression, 4) Sustainability; 5) Economy of Cost. Sixteen prizes (13 for the Professional and 3 for the Student competitions) will be awarded. The jury will set the professional prizes in three classes (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) according to merit. The first class prize carries a cash award of US$160,000.
The deadline for submission is 10 April 2015. Please consult the Competition Guidelines for details. Technical parameters and the project master plan can also be accessed there.
