[RESPONSIBLE] [DESIGN] [FOUNDATION]

DESIGN COMPETITION TERMS OF REFERENCE

ECO-SUSTAINABLE HOUSING FOR RURAL VILLAGES IN NEPAL

SPONSORED BY U.S. NONPROFIT: RESPONSIBLE DESIGN FOUNDATION

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

2016

TABLE OF C ONTENT
1.0. BACKGROUND
2.0. AIM & OBJECTIVES OF COMPETITION
3.0. SCOPE AND SPIRIT OF COMPETITION
3.1 TEAMS
3.2 NUMBER OF SUBMISSIONS
3.3 TIMEFRAME OF COMPETITION
4.0. GENERAL PROVISIONS
A. ELIGIBILITY TO COMPETER
B. SUBMISSION SELECTION
SECTION I: TECHNICAL GUIDELINES
5.0. PREPARATION OF DESIGN
5.1 LANGUAGE
5.2 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS & REQUIREMENTS
5.3 DESIGN SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
5.4 DOCUMENTS COMPRISING THE DESIGN
SECTION II: SUBMISSION AND EVALUATION
5.5.SUBMISSION, SEALING AND CODING
5.6.COPYRIGHT & RIGHT OF OWNERSHIP
5.7.PROVISION FOR EXHIBITION AND PUBLICATION
6.0. SELECTION CRITERIA
7.0. AWARDS
8.0. PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

2016

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR DESIGN COMPETITION

RESPONSIBLE DESIGN FOUNDATION (U.S. & NEPAL)
In association with ASTHA, HIMALAYA C OLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

1.0.

BACKGROUND

The April 2015- Gorkha Earthquake was devastating, killing more than 9,000 people
and injuring more than 23,000. Across many districts of the country, hundreds of
thousands of people were made homeless with entire villages destroyed, especially
those living near the epicenter. Although it has been almost a year since the earthquake
struck, most of the victims are still suffering with their homes and villages still in ruins. In
addition, little to no progress has been made to provide the necessary help to restore
their homes -- Responsible Design Foundation Nepal aims to fix that.
Responsible Design Foundation (RDF) is a U.S. organization that focuses on positive
change through sustainable design. RDF not only raises funds for sustainable design
programs abroad, but also creates and operates them domestically as well. In the states,
programs include income-generating projects that help local immigrants and refugees
rebuild their lives through the selling and distributing of organic & fair trade products.
RDF has created Responsible Design Foundation NEPAL (RDFN) -- their branch in Nepal
-- that aims to rebuild villages that were devastated by the earthquake. This mission is
meant to not just rebuild homes, but entire villages. By accomplishing this ambitious
goal, RDFN aims to change the lives of villagers by implementing completely new and
innovative housing designs, as well as income-generating and awareness programs that
will help empower and educate villagers.
To get this initiative started, RDFN is calling on students and the youth to get involved!
Responsible Design Foundation Nepal will be holding a Design Competition to develop
a permanent alternative to temporary housing and semi-permanent housing, using local
construction materials (e.g. mudstone, bamboo, timber, etc.).
The design competition is focused on the earthquake affected rural areas like: Gorkha,
Kavrepalanchok, Dhading, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Sindupalchok, Dolakha, Ramechhap,
Okhaldunga, Makwanpur, Sindhuli, Parsa, Lamjung, Palpa, and Parbat. Bhaktapur will
be our first site.

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

2.0.

2016

AIM & OBJEC TIVES OF C OMPETITION

The aim of RDFN is to develop a sustainable alternative to temporary and

semi- permanent housing. This solution will be implemented t h r o u g h
reconstruction efforts in rural areas and villages that were affected by the
2015 earthquake.
This competition is a c all- to- ac tion to students and professionals in the
architectural fields. RDFN believes that through the combined efforts and passion of
young individuals, students, and professionals, there is no reason why we cannot
create a stable permanent-housing solution for villages across Nepal.
We hope to create a permanent housing design that is culturally appropriate, technologydriven, cost-effective, earthquake resistant, and incorporates the use of locally-sourced building
materials (e.g. stone, mud, timber, thatch, bamboo etc.) The selected d e s i g n w i l l b e
a n i n s p i r a t i o n f o r future designs and reconstruction efforts.
3.0

S P I R I T A N D SC OPE OF C OMPETITION

3.1
T EAMS
Teams are required to consist of at minimum: 4 team members, and at maximum: 10.
3.2
NUMBER O F SUBMISSIO NS
Up to 3 designs can be submitted per team
3.3
T IMEFRAME O F C O MPET IT IO N
Teams will be given 1-month to develop their concept and provide the required
materials for the competition
Teams are encouraged to visit the site on their own, based upon the disaster areas
and provide site parameters. Teams should have evidence of the site visit and
should try to engage local villagers so as to understand how their designs will
personally affect villagers day-to-day lives.
A small travel stipend can be awarded to qualifying teams so their expenses may be
provided to the teams who want to take financial support from RDFN. Approval of
RDFN is mandatory to get this expenses reimbursed.

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

4.0

2016

GENERAL PROVISIONS

A. ELIGIBILITY TO C OMPETE:
A competition is open to all University students. Any student of Architecture and Civil
Engineering (Bachelor & Masters) may apply.
Note: Neither the Promoter of the competition, RDFN officers, Assessor/s
engaged for the competition n o r any of their associates, partners or employees
shall compete, assist a competitor nor act as an Architect/ Engineer or joint team
member for the competition project.
B. SUBMISSIO N SELEC TIO N:
Only a select number of submitted designs will be selected and exhibited on the
day of the competition. Teams will be notified shortly after submitting their
application as to whether or not their designs have been selected.

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

2016

SEC TION I
TEC HNIC AL GUIDELINES
5.0

PREPARATION OF DESIGN

5.1

LANGUAGE

All the design submission sheets description and report should be in English language
except necessary highlights can be in national language.
5.2

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

There is no maximum or minimum area for the houses defined, but tentative minimum
is 450 sq. ft. Either way, the design should be economical. Teams should develop
t h e i r designs based on their study of the site and should consider villagers socioeconomic status, as well as cultural lifestyles.
The teams are highly encouraged to take an actual case. For example, teams should
closely study a particular family affected by the earthquake. The design should be
prepared for the actual homestead plot of the family and provide for minimum
essential needs and activities ( including sanitation).
The details of selected family including contact details, location should be submitted
as part of the design. Such as, family size, district, climatic condition, local materials,
and defined floor area.
The proposed design should fulfill following requirements:
1. Focus on rural areas, as well as geographic and climactic conditions
2. Must be durable and earthquake resistant
3. Must use locally-sourced building materials: rubble from earthquake, bamboo,
stone, mud, etc.
4. Focus on the use of passive design and green energy/technology: solar power
5. Focus on sustainable design and innovation in design (originality)
6. Must reflect local culture and tradition. Must maintain essence of local community

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

2016

and social groups

7. At minimum, units must include areas for sleeping, cooking, and sanitation
8. Focus on affordability. Must be economical, easy to construct and maintain
9. Cost estimate (Approx.) should be at maximum: Rs.125,000 per unit (including
labor costs)
10. Pursue building design codes that work well within the guidelines stated by the
government of Nepal.

5.3

DESIGN SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The design competition entries should include the following:

1. Context (socio-economic-cultural details of particular family identified)
2. Design Concept, spatial requirements, design features and strategy
3. Site plan (1:200) and along with location plan (district, village and house
location at appropriate scale)
4. House plan (1:50 preferably but not smaller than 1:100) all floors
5. 1 or 2 elevations and 1 or 2 sections (1:50 preferably but not smaller than 1:100)
6. Typical concept details of earthquake and disaster resistant features based
on design and research (at appropriate scale)
7. Plan showing incremental growth of the house in phases starting from
minimum core house to full-fledged house.
8. 3D views of house construction showing stages of foundation trench, plinth
level, sill level, lintel level, intermediate floor level (if any), roof level and
completed.
9. Model with removable roof/ floors (1:50) desirable but not mandatory
10. Details of design earthquake resistance structure details and architecture details
11. Report in A4 size (should include site visit, survey data and case study)
12. Need to submit both hardcopy and soft copy via email.

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

2016

NOTE: Teams can submit up to three different designs

5.4

DOCUMENTS COMPRISING THE DESIGN

All Drawings, illustrative diagrams/photographs and necessary details should be

composed in drawing sheet in A2 size with readable scale. That will be presented
for exhibition. Total number of drawings not exceed 4 nos.

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

2016

SEC TION II
SUBMISSION AND
EVALUATION
5.5

SUBMISSION, SEALING, & CODING

The designs and report (both soft and hard copy) should be submitted in sealed form.
Note: Teams can use their templates in 3cm (ht.) .in bottom of sheet for the identity of
the drawings.

5.6

COPYRIGHT & RIGHT OF OWNERSHIP

I.

Each competitor shall retain copyright in his/her own competition design.

II.

The design selected for awards shall relinquish the right of reproduction of

his/her own submitted design, as it becomes the property of RDFN and its partner
organizations once submitted as an entry for the competition.
III.

RDFN shall have the right to use with or without any modification and

reproduction of the winning design for multiple executions.

5.7

PROVISION FOR EXHIBITION AND PUBLICATION

The selected designs approved by RDFN Board Members shall be publically exhibited
together with a signed report by RDFN. The exhibition shall be open to public free of
charge.
The selected designs of teams will be published/printed in the form of booklet/sheets
that will include detailed drawings and their methodology of constructions.
Note: the teams should be present on the day of exhibition for pin up and delivery
of the concept to the public.

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

6.0

2016

SELECTION CRITERIA

The designs will be awarded on the basis of following factors:

1. INNOVATION

INCORPORATION OF GREEN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY: SOLAR POWER

USE OF LOCALLY-SOURCED BUILDING MATERIALS

USE OF SUSTAINABLE DESIGN/PASSIVE DESIGN

2. C OST

EASE OF IMPLEMENTATION, AS WELL AS MAINTENANCE

TOTAL COST PER UNIT (INCLUDING LABOR)

o MAX: Rs 125,000

3. DURABILITY

SAFE & EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT

PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTION

7.0

REWARDS
Nature of prizes- C ash Prize

S.N.

Details

Amount (NR)

First Prize (winning entry)

Rs 50,000 + design
implementation

Second Prize (one)

Rs 25,000 + opportunity to
work on long-term project

Third Prize (one)

Rs 10,000 + opportunity to
work on long-term project

Note: Teams may apply for travel cost stipend for field visits
a. The design jury may award a lesser amount they are not satisfied with the quality
of submissions
b. Winning teams may have the opportunity to work directly with the NGO in

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

2016

research & development, as well as future construction projects.

c. All participating team members will receive Certificates of Participation. This
extension of appreciation will also be offered to qualified volunteers.
All submitted designs will be coded for exhibition.

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal

8.0

2016

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

S.
N. Date
1

Time

15/03/2016 10:30AM

Description
Project Announcement

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Registration

Registration till 29 April

2016 (online/email or
submission at RDFN office)

16/03/2016 10:30AM
3
3:00PM

Competition launch with

University Associated student
groups

01/06/2016 5:00PM

Submission of Final Designs

(A2 size sheet)

1/05/2016
4

15/06/2016 10:30AM

Panel Exhibition

Remarks

Students begin
developing their
concepts
Late submissions will not be
accepted (both hard copy
and soft copy)
1-week exhibition on
University Campus

22/06/2016

Jury Presentation

Teams will be notified of any

changes

22/06/2016

Final Results and Reward

Ceremony

Teams will be notified of any

changes

Note: Teams are advised to get their submission sheets ready before submission time
and submit to Himalaya College both hard and soft copies.
For inquiries, contact:
RDFN office: 9812 396 888
RDFN Contact: [email protected]
Note: Teams will be notified via email on any changes in program schedule

Responsible Design Foundation Nepal, President Alisha Shrestha