The nonprofit organization "Balouo Salo", in collaboration with the University of Tokyo, Kengo Kuma & Associates, Sedhiou Government and others, has launched the second edition of its competition to design a Cultural Center in the city of Sedhiou, Senegal. The competition is open to architects, designers, engineers and students and it's possible to participate as a team or individually.

Kaira Looro Competition - Sacred Architecture is an international architectural competition which has as project theme the architectural celebration of the cult philosophy in a remote place on earth, where the shortage of materials and high-performing technology pushes the architecture to the branch of sustainability and integration with landscape and culture.

 Kaira Looro, that in Mandingo language means "Architecture for Peace", is not just architecture, but it also represents the link to a culture, a spirituality and research of interiority.

"Hundred-years old cultures give birth to Communities, being transmitted through rhymes of those who are narrating it and interpretating tha past through wisdom," stated the competition.

"One's accomplishments result from rituals and metamorphosis, bonding the human being to its own roots through dance, history, music, colours, flavours, materials and landscapes. Space and Matter relate themeselves with the power of rituals, drawing together the lines of an architecture encharged of passing and preserving History."

The competition winners will be awarded with cash prizes for the winning projects, and will look for the 1st , 2nd and 3rd place, 2 honorable mentions and also 5 mentions and 15 finalists in the competition. The winning project will receive a cash prize and an internship in the Kengo Kuma's architectural studio in Tokyo, as well as publications, exhibitions and articles.

Internationally renowned jury is comprised of Kengo Kuma, T. Hirano (Università di Tokyo), A. Ghirardelli (SBGA), A. Muzzonigro (Stefano Boeri Architetti), R. Bouman (Mohn+Bouman Architects), C. Magni (ASF), Angelo Ferrara, Pilar Diez Rodriguez, R. Kasik (X Architekten), S. D'Urso (Università di Catania), G-Mazzaglia (Kaan Architects), I.Lutri (In/Arch), R. Vecchio (Balouo Salo).

The planning of a Cultural Center for the city of Sedhiou aims to renovate the idenitity of the area, trying to reach the goal of creating a location where local cultures may have the chance to be told, passed on and preserved. 

This challenge sees the planning of an architectural structure as witness of the peaceful relation occurring among local ethnic groups and promoting, at the same time, preservation of local habits. The competitor will show his theme through a surprising and integrated design at once, developing a structure destined to be an Icon for the entire country, without weighing on the surrounding environment.

The purpose of the contest consists in creating an iconic architectural structure in order to preserve local cultures coming from the region of Sedhiou, voted to respect towards environment and local cultural balance existing in the area, improving uncertainty conditions of communities and aimed to preserve customs. The winning project must be intended as a donation to the International Non Profit Organization (INPO) Balouo Salo, in order to be shared with communities and institutions of Sedhiou, who will have the chance to realize it cooperating with other Organizations (ONG, Institutions) or to proceeding on their own. The proceeds of the competition will be donated to the non-profit organization Balouo Salo.

The contest will officially open in January 2018 and will follow this schedule:

Early registration: from 15 January to 13 February 2018 

Normal registration: from 14 February to 10 March 2018 

Late registration: 11 March to 4 April, 2018 

Competitions deadline: April 25 , 2018

Winners announced: 20 May 2018

Prizes

1st Place: € 2,500 + Internship at Kengo Kuma Associates at Tokyo Office+ Publication + Exposure2nd Place: € 1,000 + Publication + Exposure
3rd Place: € 500 + Publication + Exposure
2 honorable mentions: € 150 + Publication + Exposure

5 mentions: Publication + Exposure 10 finalist: Publication + Exposure

All the awarded proposals will be transmitted to architectural magazines and websites, will be hosted in international exhibitions.

To enter the contest, participants have just to fill out the registration form in the official website. If you have any questions about registrations, please send your email to [email protected]. Download the competition brief from here.

World Architecture Community is media partner for the competition and will announce the winning projects here. In the previous edition of the competition, first prize went to a project named "Liafinand" from Poland by Natalia Serafin, Paulina Gorecka, Anita Wisniewska.

All images courtesy of Kaira Looro Competition

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