[I was asked to share information about this upcoming design competition in the West Bank. With out going too far into my personal views, I strongly believe in the need for peace in the Middle East. This design competition seems to be intended to move towards reconciliation and peace. The role of water rights and water security is rarely reported about by the media when covering the Middle East and central to any solution.]
EcoPeace/Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) is holding a design competition for improvements and ecological designs for their Jordan Rift Valley Center for Environmental Education and Ecotourism Development, also called Auja Center, in Auja Municipality, West Bank, Palestine.
Timeline:
• Register by September 30th, 2010.
• Submit by November 15th, 2010.
• Jury decision by December 15th, 2010.
Here is the message I got:
I am approaching you to request for your help in getting the word out for this design competition in Auja – a Palestinian Village. [the site is in the Jordan Rift Valley]
Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) is a unique organization that brings together Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli environmentalists. Our primary objective is the promotion of cooperative efforts to protect our shared environmental heritage. In so doing, we seek to advance both sustainable regional development and the creation of necessary conditions for lasting peace in our region. FoEME has offices in Amman, Bethlehem, and Tel-Aviv. FoEME is a member of Friends of the Earth International, the largest grassroots environmental organization in the world. Click here for our Annual Report 2007 [pdf].
Would greatly appreciate if you could spread the word and introduce professionals and especially peace/community/environmental students to this competition… Please could you help to spread this via your blog/students/networks.
[ Edited 7/20 – personal information was removed per the senders request ]
FoEME is a transboundary Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian environmental peacemaking organization. The organization helps develop ecotourism initiatives and has created environmental education outlets in over 25 communities in the region. In one of the Palestinian communities, Auja, an Environmental Education Center and Guesthouse is just now being completed. The building stands on a minimally landscaped site and is in need of a roof master plan to be realized with future funding.
The proposals should demonstrate a creative way to design rooftop amenities that reflect the Center’s purpose, local ecology, and environment. The program includes shading, seating, bird watching stations, and a refreshment area to the existing rooftop and site.
The Auja Center design competition is open to students and professionals. A panel of FoEME staff will judge all submissions.
For more details click on the below links:
Auja Municipality, the site, and activities at the Auja Center.
For questions please contact aujacomp@gmail.com.
Design Guidelines:
• Structures and accessories should be removable in case of the addition of another floor.
• Designs should take into account local and available building materials.
• Landscaping should reflect area’s water scarcity.
• Proposed lighting should consider solar and efficient power.
• Note: there is currently no handicapped access to the rooftop.
• Please label with Metric units.
• Designs may be schematic, with suggested materials. Detail drawings are not required but welcome. FoEME is primarily concerned with general layouts, a comprehensive style for the rooftop development, structure profiles, materials, and lighting.
Submission Guidelines:
• Please register by emailing: aujacomp@gmail.com with subject line “Auja Center Design” by September 30th, 2010.
• Submit roof plan, roof section, and any additional supporting drawings/images.
• Submissions should be PDF’s, small enough to be sent to the Gmail account.
Timeline:
• Register by September 30th, 2010.
• Submit by November 15th, 2010.
• Jury decision by December 15th, 2010.
InfraSCAPE Design Lab 