7. Competition Categories and Specifications
1) There are two categories in the competition: Commercial and Cultural (Plots 1-8 in Figure 7) and Residential (Plots 9-18 in Figure 7). Note that for each category there is a further division of Professional Plots and Student Plots. A separate jury group will judge each category.
Figure 8.Perspective drawing of a possible effect of the Commercial and Cultural District of MOLEWA.
2) For all plots and competition categories, firefighting access and public safety assurance are paramount. The requirement is universally applicable and not individually repeated for each plot description.
3）For the purposes of the Competition all plots can be assumed to be fully serviced with all necessary utilities and can be assumed to be level at 19.50 meters AOD (Water Level at 15.50 meters AOD).
7.1. Commercial and Cultural Category.
1) Buildings in this category are intended to complement the existing infrastructure and facilities in the city of Ruichang. Extensive research by the Promoter indicates that the following local needs which can be best met through MOLEWA: A town square, a medium-sized hotel, a kindergarten, a shopping complex, a high-end shopping street, a gourmet complex, and a place of worship and spirituality.
2) The total built areas for this category will be approximately 80,000 m2, of which ~70,000 m2 will be the subject of this competition.
3) None of the buildings in this category shall be taller than 30 m. The total built area for each building will be given individually in the Plot Description
4) There shall be no design feature which could become a safety or fire hazard or threaten the structural integrity of the building. Features which impede access to the premise should also be avoided.
5) Considering that Ruichang is a medium-to-small city and that the tourist volume fluctuates widely based on seasons or national holidays, commercial design must take into account of the tourist pattern and unique features of the destination (e.g., the Flower Ocean theme may inspire notions of hotels and retail outlets focusing on the flower theme).
6) Where appropriate, the idea of “complex” and/or “multi-use facilities” is encouraged. For instance, a gourmet complex would make it easier to rent and operate the facility.
7) The contestant should describe the landscape scheme and indicate connections with the roads and other infrastructure, including any special needs for support from the municipal authorities.
8) This guideline will specify the approximate built area for each building. The contestant may vary ±15% from the recommended figure in his/her design.
9) A south-facing orientation strategy is recommended.
10) Parking is on ground surface or above-ground garage and to be incorporated in the design; underground parking is not allowed due to the high water table.
11) Plots 3 and 8 are EXCLUDED from this competition.
12) Plot 3 is allocated as a “Museum Street” district. Each winner of the professional competition will be invited to design a villa, which will bear his/her name and act as a museum of his/her architectural vision and aspiration. This aspect will be handled outside the scope of this competition.
13) Plot 8 will accommodate the Town Square of MOLEWA. Its design will be commissioned outside the scope of this competition, after the winning designs have been selected.
14) Plot specifications are as follows.
PLOT 1. Kindergarten
This plot is the subject of Professional Competition. The building set out for this plot is a kindergarten. The size of this plot is 4,126 m2. The total built area will be approximately 4,000 m2. The contestant is advised to consider the range of children’s activities, both indoor and outdoor, and special needs of the children (e.g., safety and pattern of play) in the design process. The facility will accommodate up to 400 staff and children and may include facilities to host in-house or external activities (e.g., auditorium and gym).
PLOT 2. Floral Hotel
This plot is the subject of Professional Competition. The building set out for this plot is a middle-prize range hotel (three star equivalent). The size of this plot is 7,055 m2. The total built area of this building is approximately 12,000 m2 .The clientele of this hotel is primarily visitors to MOLEWA and the Flower Ocean Garden. The total room number shall be between 200 and 300. Considering that many visitors and local residents may take advantage of the MOLEWA and Flower Ocean to hold weddings and other family events, the contestant should pay special attention to the reception utility of the hotel, with the largest event able to host 500 people. Clever use of the flower theme in the overall design of the hotel will be looked upon favorably.
PLOT 3. Museum District
Excluded from this competition.
PLOT 4. Gourmet Complex
This plot is the subject of Professional Competition. The building set out for this plot is a Gourmet Complex. The size of the plot is 10,456 m2. The total built area of the Gourmet District is approximately 10,000 m2. The clientele for the gourmet district is about 70% visitors and 30% local. The peak design capacity is 30,000 meals per day. Types of service include full-service restaurants, brasseries/cafes, coffee shops, teahouses, bars and pubs, ice-cream parlors, etc. A minimum of 50 establishments is required. Dining arrangement could include both indoor and outdoor (terrace and balcony) variety, and creative use of the Flower Theme will be looked upon favorably.
PLOT 5. Shopping Complex
1) This plot is the subject of Professional Competition. The building set out for this plot is a Shopping Complex. The size of the plot is 20,912 m2 and divided into the north and south subplots of equal size. The total built area
of the Shopping Complex is approximately 30,000 m2. The shopping complex is a centerpiece of MOLEWA. Huayan Group, the Project Promoter and Investor, has signed agreements with several provincial governments to promote a new model of commerce in cities such as Ruichang. As China’s export-driven economy shifts inland, a consortium of OEM manufacturers has formed an alliance with Huayan to provide less developed inland provinces with high-quality merchandise with proper branding and direct market channels. The Shopping Complex is to host stores and shops of the alliance committed to offering goods and services superior to what is extant in China’s developing cities. As well, the shopping complex will serve as a depository of e-commerce deliveries, as a solution of the last-mile problem of e-commerce which is affecting the country population. Per agreement with the governments, the Shopping Complex must have the following mandatory features:
• Two regular movie auditoriums, each with a seating capacity of approximately 200；
• One large movie auditorium dedicated to film re-runs, with a seating capacity up to 500;
• A public library with a holding capacity of 100,000 books and magazines
• A physical exercise facility able to accommodate up to 200 users simultaneously
2) The contestant has the freedom to design shop spaces, public spaces, indoor rest places and displays, food concessions, toiletry, etc. The total number of shops will not be less than 200. Retail storage needs are to be accommodated within the design; bulk warehouses need not be considered.
3) Taking into account of the Gourmet Complex described in Plot 4, food services in the Shopping Complex should be kept simple and straightforward, featuring primarily fast food and casual snacks/beverages.
4) Because of the division of Plot 5 by the east-west center street, the Shopping Complex will likely consist of two buildings. In order to facilitate the flow of traffic, the two building shall be connected with appropriate overpasses.
PLOT 6.Huayan Temple
This plot is the subject of Student Competition. The building set out for the competition is the Huayan Temple. The size of the plot is 4,126 m2. The total built area of the temple is approximately 3,000 m2. Mount Lu was the place of birth of the Pure Land School of Buddhism. Closely related to Zen, this school has had a profound influence on the spiritual life of the Chinese people. The goal of the competition is to follow the tradition and teachings of Pure Land and inject it with modern vibes through a new architectural form. In addition to a place of worship, the building will also be used for meditation and spiritual discussions. It is important that an air of solemnness, elegance, and tranquility prevail throughout the project.
PLOT 7. Shopping Street
This plot is the subject of Professional Competition. The building set out is a shopping street. The size of the
plot is 10,456 m2. The total built area is approximately 10,000 m2. Unlike the Shopping Complex in Plot 5, which focuses on volume sales of average-priced daily-use items, the Shopping Street caters to specialized and high-end retail. Examples include handmade craft, artworks, flower souvenirs, imported fashion products, etc. It could also serve as office space for some businesses (e.g., real estate agencies, flower therapy parlors, etc.) If the Shopping Complex can be broadly said to be quintessential American, the Shopping Street is to exude a more European atmosphere.
PLOT 8. Town Square
Excluded from this competition.
7.2. Residential Category
1) MOLEWA is designed to be a living community, not merely a museum piece. Thus the southern half of the project is dedicated to erecting modern, sustainable and artistically interesting dwellings. The overall objective is to create a residential space conducive to a happy and healthy lifestyle.
2) General considerations and requirements of the Residential Category are as follows:
The design should take maximum advantage of seasonal solar pattern and viewing pattern to the Flower Ocean Garden to create the best south-facing arrangement for the units.
The massing and height arrangement should be such that the buildings decrease in overall height in the southward direction, so that the residents can enjoy the best views of the Flower Garden.
There shall be no design feature which could become a safety or fire hazard or threaten the structural integrity of the building.
Diversity in forms, features and technologies is encouraged, with a view to a town center that is visually appealing, user-friendly and energy-efficient.
For Apartments, there shall be only three- and four-bedroom units; the following distribution of unit area is to be adhered to: 3-bedroom, 90-100 m2, 50%; 3-bedroom, 100 – 110 m2, 30% ; 4-bedroom, 110-120 m2, 20%.
For the Townhouses, there is no strict unit area restriction.
There shall be no underground parking, due to regulatory restrictions. Parking need for the residential buildings should be addressed either by ground-floor garage or surface parking lot. The parking space ratio is 1 per 60 – 80 m2 built area.
Considering the flow of tourists, the design should incorporate a reasonable and best discreet segregation strategy to maintain privacy of the residents.
The architect should describe the landscape scheme and indicate connections with the roads and other infrastructure, including any special needs for support from the municipal authorities.
Purpose and specific requirements of the plots are as follows.
PLOT 9. Apartment
This plot is the subject of Student Competition. The size of the plot is 7,681 m2. The total built area is 13,000 m2. The building set out for the plot is an apartment complex. The apartment unit area distribution given in the general requirements is to be observed.
PLOTS 10 – 12. Apartments
These plots are the subjects of Professional Competition. The sizes of the plots are 10,456, 10,456, and 10,535 m2, respectively. The total built areas are 18,000 m2 for each plot. The apartment unit area distribution given in the general requirements is to be observed. A special consideration is that these three blocks border the MOLEWA commercial and cultural district. A proper dialogue with the business sector of the town, as well as viewing geometry into the Flower Garden, should be taken into account.
PLOT 13. Apartment
This plot is the subject of Student Competition. The building set out for the competition is an Apartment. The
size of the plot is 4,189 m2. The total built area is 8,000 m2. The apartment unit area distribution given in the general requirements is to be observed.
PLOTS 14-15 Apartments
These plots are the subjects of Professional Competition. The buildings set out for the competition are apartments. The sizes of the plots are 10,456 m2 for both. The total built area is 15,000 m2. The apartment unit area distribution given in the general requirements is to be observed.
PLOTS 16 – 18 Townhouses
These plots are the subjects of Professional Competition. The buildings set out for the competition are townhouses. The sizes of the plots are 12,165, 5,873, and 5,878 m2, respectively. The total built areas are 9,000, 4,000, and 4,000 m2, respectively. There is no strict constraint on the townhouse unit size, although a balanced approach to artistry, habitability, and commercial viability should be maintained.