questions
Please address competition questions toinfo@designforthechildren.org
Frequently Asked Questions:
Note: We have had many questions regarding how to address the many complicated aspects of the program. You may choose to focus on certain aspects, such as:
- designing for a particular culture or region within East Africa
- focus on sustainability and local materials
- explore technical aspects like water and electrical sources
- create a more general and adaptable model
It may be difficult to address all the design problems with the same detail, so you may focus your energy on fewer aspects, but develop them in greater detail. Basically, you have a fair amount of artistic freedom and can choose what design problems you wish to address, as long as you have a strong design and are able to justify the decisions you make.
What geographic region/climate should I design for?
Possible countries for future clinics include Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. These countries are very diverse in climate, culture, and geography, so you may choose to either create a more generic, conceptual model that could be adapted to fit these diverse regions, or tailor your design to one of these countries, with the understanding that Fight for the Children would modify the design for each site if it is the winning design.
What, if any, water sources, will be provided? Will the water need to be filtered to make it safe to drink?
Some regions have access to water underground, some to rainwater for part of the year, and others have no immediate sources of water. Water would need to be filtered to make it safe to drink. There are three options for addressing the water supply:
1. If you are choosing to design for a specific country/region, you may choose to address water as is appropriate for that region, and consider doing some research if you are unfamiliar with the area.
2. If you are designing for a more generic site, you may decide if there is an existing water source or not and design accordingly.
3. You also may choose not to develop a detailed solution for a water source if you are providing more detailed design elements elsewhere in your design.
What is the construction budget?
There is no exact budget. You can assume that the budget will not be significant, since the designs will be built by a non-profit organization. However, if you would like to create an outrageous, innovative, and more expensive design, you may, as long as you can justify why the budget is necessary.
What unit of measure can I use for my drawings?
Originally the website stated that you could only use standard units, but we have revised this. You may use standard (imperial) or metric units.
What is the difference between Phase One and Phase Two? What does "Phase One should be fully developed" mean?
Phase One should be more detailed, with doors and wall thicknesses drawn in the plan. Spaces should be clearly defined. Phase Two may be less detailed, using a rough outlining of spaces. Phase Two can be more of a diagram of areas. However, if you choose to design Phase Two with equal detail to Phase One, this may enhance your design.
To create your Phase Two design, you may change the uses or enlarge the areas of Phase One, add more rooms/buildings, or build on top of Phase One.
Is there a prize for the winning design?
Currently, there is not a prize for the winning design because we are not collecting an entry fee and want to use any money we have to build clinics. However, we may consider a prize in the future, although it will not be monetary.
Who is the jury?
The jury will be announced later into the competition. It will contain a mixture of people with different knowledge and experience relevant to the competition.
Should the program requirements for Phase 2 be additional spaces or total spaces?
The spaces shown for Phase 2 should be total spaces. For example, you do not need to add another birthing room, maternity ward, reception area, pharmacy, and lab. However, you should consider adding an additional 1-3 exam rooms for a total of 4-6 exam rooms, and an additional children's ward and infant ward. You should also consider adding new spaces, like the Neonatal ICU and morgue. However, the project requirements are meant to give you a rough guideline for your design, and do not need to be strictly adhered to. You may make your own design choices as what spaces to include and in what quantity, as long as they do not differ too significantly from the outlined project requirements. You may add in other spaces not mentioned in the program requirements that you think would enhance the design as well. You also do not need to adhere exactly to the provided square footages, they are to help you estimate space sizes.
Under Project Requirements, what is meant by Maternal Ward and Infant Ward?
The maternal ward is a place for mothers who are suffering from illness to receive treatment, not necessarily to give birth. The majority of women in the area will give birth at home, only coming to the clinic if there are complications or if they need a cesarian section. The infant ward is for babies and young children to receive treatment for illnesses
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