Competitors may submit questions till April 30, 2008 to the competition email address info@shamspiritualoasis.org.

Answers will be posted periodically on the competition website, and 10 days after the questions deadline.

Queries can be sent in English language only.

Answers will form part of the regulations and the competition brief. Queries considered not relevant to the Competition will not be answered.

Question 1:

Is it possible for a student from the European/ Mediterranean region, studying architecture in New York, to compete as a head of a team of his fellow students?

Answer:

Yes.

Question 2:

Are you asking us to actually design the building, or is it more an 'artistic' competition? Are you asking for an art presentation panel, only a site layout study, or the three of them?

My confusion is coming from the drawn site map, where you labeled the entrance hall and parking space as already being under construction. Does that mean that you already have a design for the building(s)?

Answer:

You are asked to present a site plan of the Oasis and a detailed design of one of its facilities. However, you are to express your designs, along with the written texts, as a piece of art on one Portrait format A0 paper.

And no, we do not have a design for the building(s) yet. We have had some proposals but have not decided to adopt one. One of the goals of this competition is to generate designs to build the Oasis.

We are now building the entrance of the Oasis and its parking space. The parking space shown in the pictures is almost in its ready-to-be-used phase. The entrance building, which has already been designed by one of the judges (Mr. Ghassan Khouri) will host this competitions’ exhibition of Deir Mar Musa. We have decided to tell you about the construction work taking place now, in order for you to know the sight axis of the Oasis, as its entrance is already being built.

No further construction will take place until this competition project is over.

Question 3:

Is the deadline 30th of April for registration and submission?

Answer:

You should submit all required competition materials by June 15, 2008, following the details laid out in the competition brief. However, your submitted materials will not pass the administrative check of the judging process, if you had not been registered for the competition prior to the deadline of May 15, 2008.

April 30, 2008 is the deadline after which questions sent to info@shamspiritualoasis.org will not be answered.

Question 4:

I am from Hama, which is about 2 hours travelling distance from Damascus and I want to write about a place here in Hama. This place was a temple, then it became a church and now it is a mosque. It is a place that speaks about coexistence between Muslims and Christians. Is this possible, or do I have to write about a place in Damascus?

Answer:

Your written composition should express your vision of the Oasis, your approach towards multiculturalism and harmony, and an elaboration on the local culture welcoming others. You can use any relevant examples to support your ideas.

Question 5:

Can I participate in the competition if I will be 30 years old at the time of the deadline for submitting materials (June 15, 2008)?

Answer:

No. However, you may share your vision of the Oasis with the world through submitting materials as a professional, hence, you will not be competing but your work can get exhibited. This option is detailed in the Competition Brief.

Question 6:

I'm a student of Master of Architecture in University of Toronto, Canada, and I'm not an Arab or European citizen. Can I participate in the competition?

Answer:

Please refer to the answer of question number 5.

Question 7:

I am originally from Iran, but born in Australia and raised in both Australia and Germany. Is it possible for me to enter this competition?

Answer:

You can participate if you are a citizen of one of the eligible countries or territories. Otherwise, you can participate as a professional, as previously explained.

Question 8:

I don't understand why you limit the competition to certain countries.

Answer:

Participation is limited because the competition is funded mainly by the European Commission; as a cultural grant. Nonetheless, unqualified interested persons can still participate and have their submissions exhibited, through the option ‘professional’, which is explained in the Competition Brief.

Question 9:

Are trainees (under 30 years of age) considered as students, or as professionals?

Answer:

They are considered as professionals.

Question 10:

I am from Spain, and did my architecture studies in Spain, but now I am working for one year in the United States as a trainer, and I will send my proposal from here. Am I eligible to apply for your competition?

Answer:

If you are eligible, it does not matter from where you send your participation materials. However, you should check whether you qualify as student, to participate in the competition. If you have already finished your studies, then you do not.

Question 11:

Should I send the A0 sheet (paper) pasted on strong material, or can I roll it up? Should I write my name and title for the proposal on this sheet, or just my registration number?

How can I send the CD ROM, Copy of ID, and competition entry form?

Answer:

You should only send the CD ROM, Copy of ID, and competition entry form. Your A0 sheet should be done as a PDF file on the CD ROM. If your work is to be exhibited, we will do the printing here. Please write your name and title on the CD, and name your PDF file of the A0 sheet with your registration number.

Question 12:

I am a Master student and work in the same time, should I participate as a student or as a professional?

Answer:

You may participate as either, please note the difference in the effect on you under each title.

Question 13:

I was born on 25/July/1977. May I participate in the competition?

Answer:

You are not eligible to compete as a student, because at the deadline of submission you will be going through your 31st year of age. However, you may still participate under the category ‘professional’.

Question 14:

Is teamwork allowed?

Answer:

Yes. The head of team should qualify to participate in the competition, register, and present the team’s concept and design in case of winning the competition. Team members will be acknowledged; let us know about them through adding a page of their details to your Competition Entry Form, and through writing about your team work in the written composition on your A0 print.

Question 15:

Is a team of two: one student doing the last year of architecture and urban planning, and a young architect who graduated in 2004, eligible for participation?

Answer:

Yes. However, please note that registration should be done by the student currently studying architecture and planning.

Question 16:

I am a citizen of the United Arab Emirates currently studying architecture at a university in the United States. Can I participate?

Answer:

You can participate under the category “professional”. Please look for details on the competition website. Your ideas are important to us. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to participate.

Question 17:

Is it possible for a student from Iran, studying architecture in Iran, and under 30 years old to compete?

Answer:

Please refer to the previous answer (of question number 16).

Question 18:

May students of theology and religious sciences compete on this project, considering that some of them will/are specializing in spirituality, ecclesiology, sacred arts… etc?

Answer:

Yes, if they join a team of which one member at least is an eligible student of Art or Architecture. It should be noted that the latter student should register on behalf of the team.

Question 19:

I have a High School Diploma and I'm attending the fourth year (of five) at the Faculty of Architecture in Politecnico di Bari, Italy. What do I have to write at the entry "currently studying"? The year I'm attending or the name of University (Faculty of Architecture – Politecnico di Bari)? And what do I have to write at the entry "degree"? The Master degree I'll hold next year, right?

Answer:

For the field “currently studying”, the best response for you would be: Architecture at the University Politecnico di Bari. For “degree”, it is preferable to express the year you are at, and seeking what degree. So for you, it would be: fourth year seeking Masters Degree.

Variation of responses to the two fields in question is acceptable. The administrative check of eligibility will be done based on the Entry Form, the fact that you have registered at time for the competition, and the document sent as proof of eligibility, which should show us the needed information for the questioned data.

Question 20:

“Please write your name on the CD and have your registration number as the File Name of your print”. Am I to write my actual name on the CD, or will that lead to disqualification? Also, should the competition entry form be sealed in a different envelope since it will carry my name also? Or is it just the file names and the actual submitted materials in the CD that should not contain a name and should contain the registration number only?

Answer:

Only the file names and the ADDITIONAL PRINTED COPIES of the written compositions will be accessible by the jury. Therefore, those are the ones that should not reveal your identity. You are to write your name on the CD and send all materials in one envelope.

Question 21:

Can you expose a clear description regarding the water resources and capacities (considering that we have to deal with desert area and an extremely seasoned climate)? Aiming to avoid all the perplexities on presented works (for example: fountains, swimming pool, lake).

Answer:

There is one well that serves the site, and a tank that holds up to 200 cubic meters of water connected to it.

The site experiences rough climate conditions including cold and hot weather, wind and dust. There is little rain, but when it rains, it pours. Violent rainstorms can cause flash floods.

We encourage you to take environmental sensitivities into account while forming your concept and designing Sham Spiritual Oasis.

Question 22:

May a young architect who graduated last October (2007), but has registered for the whole year, (which means until September 2008) in an architectural school enter the competition?

Answer:

Yes.

Question 23:

I am concerned by the sustainability of the project and want to know how you source the wood.

Answer:

Wood is available.

Question 24:

Should we take the topography into account?

Answer:

With reference to receiving multiple inquiries about the topography, 2D and 3D topography maps in AutoCad Format are now present on the "Site Photos and Supporting Information" page of this website. We advise all participants to take those maps into account while forming their designs.

Question 25:

Is it necessary to write the composition in Arabic language?

Answer:

Yes. We need to feel that you have discussed and shared your point of view with your Arab friends and neighbors. We are not looking for accurate translations, and you can tell us on your entry form which text, Arabic or English, was your original, in order to take that into consideration through the judging process.

Question 26:

If I am an architect whose age is under 30, not a student any more, and registering under the “professional” category, will I have the chance to be one of the first three winners?

Answer:

No, but your work can still be exhibited.

Question 27:

Can I participate by providing only a written composition on the print without drawings?

Answer:

No, but you can form a team with a student/ students of art or architecture and write the text in collaboration with them, then submit all required materials as a team.

Question 28:

Can I participate in the students’ competition as head of team with a young artist (30 years old), who is not attending any school of art?

Answer:

Yes, if you are eligible to participate of course.

Question 29:

Am I bound to participate in the competition after filling the registration form?

Answer:

No. The opposite is true: Your participation will be disqualified if you have not registered earlier.

Question 30:

Why are Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries not eligible? If I am a GCC student of architecture, how can I participate?

Answer:

As this competition is mainly funded by the European Commission, it mainly targets youth from European and Mediterranean countries. However, interested persons not qualified as youth or citizens of the target countries can still participate under the category “professional”, which means that they will not be competing as the students will, but their work can be exhibited.