Archasm would like to thank all the health workers for their unflinching commitment and devotion to save human lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Covid-19 Pandemic has claimed over 35,00,000 deaths around the world. In the brutal heaviness of this pandemic, the number of infections outpaced the capacity of hospitals, assembling the frontline health workers to devote their lives for the safety and welfare of the community. Considered to be the backbone of any health system, these frontline workers have been the first line of defense during the pandemic and are still fighting it out to control and contain the virus. As a result of this ongoing battle, we have lost thousands of health workers who put their lives at stake unflinchingly to save millions of affected patients around the world.

To recognize the services and sacrifice by the frontline workers, Archasm invites all architecture students and professionals to design a memorial. The challenge is to design a prototype in your city/region as a mark of respect and tribute to the local warriors.

Memorials have persisted for centuries to establish empathy with past events which the society lived through or to honor the lives of the deceased. They serve for transferring information and will be comprehended as a contribution to the future for paying our tributes.

This sure seems like a premature time to build a memorial as several nations are still battling but the emotions, facts, and thoughts available during a calamity dissipate as it ebbs. The intensity of the moment might help us envision what such a memorial could be. It will help us recall the countless contributions of the health workers on the frontline and will aim to continue building a collective consciousness and provide lifelong gratitude to them. 

Every community and culture were affected differently by Covid-19. In order to reflect this reality, the memorial should follow the culture and reflect the local context and the impact this pandemic has had. How can you turn this adversity into memorializing the commitment of the frontline workers?

Contemplate how we will come together or stay apart in the upcoming period. The solution does not have to be grandiose or even architectural, it can be basic and take any space or form that your community entails. The intervention should be emotional, powerful, poetic and can take any form/function as per the participant’s narrative. The memorial should take shape in an area footprint that can range from a minimum of 100 sq. meters to a maximum 1000 sq. meters. 

Awards

Winning participants will receive prizes totaling INR 2,00,000 with the distribution as follows:

First prize- INR 1,00,000/- + Certificate 

Second prize- INR 60,000/- + Certificate

Third prize- INR 40,000/- + Certificate

10 Honorable mentions

Registration & Timeline

The competition is open to everyone in the world (architects, students, engineers etc.). You can participate individually or in a team. A team can have a maximum of three members only.

Standard registration: - 1st June 2021 – 31st July 2021

• International Participants: 60 EUR + Taxes (per team)

• Indian Participants: 1800 INR + Taxes (per team)

Late registration: - 1st August 2021 – 30th August 2021

• International Participants: 80 EUR + Taxes (per team)

• Indian Participants: 2100 INR + Taxes (per team)

Submission deadline: 31st August 2021

Result: 28th September 2021

Discount

15% discount for 5 teams and above. 

Learn more about the competition on the website. 

Top image courtesy of Archasm.

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