Definition

The OPPTA Competition opens a convening of international projects to propose architectonic, landscape and territorial solutions to common problems detected throughout the whole of the American continent.

Objective

The competition’s aim is to generate shared proposals for common needs and contingencies throughout the continent, creating a catalogue of feasible actions for specific situations. Its end is the execution and materialisation of the proposals. To achieve this it needs the commitment of local, regional and international professionals, companies and institutions, in the sharing, diffusion and fulfilment of the proposals.

Background

This initiative has a clear reference in Europan which, in its now 20 years of history, has generated an enormous synergy and interaction between architects throughout a whole continent in the matter of housing and urban space.

The American diversity and the variety of topics to cover pose a new challenge for the Observatory and all the agents involved, which will arise from the needs and contingencies throughout the continent.

Scope of action

The scope of these projects will be the American territory -North, Central and South- as a whole, everything belonging, relative or natural to it. The Competition is the first of an interregional and multidisciplinary character launched simultaneously in the continent. The operating procedures, the objectives and the rules are common to all countries and are of a theme which in each edition will respond to current and frequent problems. The differences and particularities derive from the locations, generating specific and local proposals -think global, do local- .

Singularity / Justification

1) The Competition is the first of an interregional and multidisciplinary character launched simultaneously in the continent.

2) The Competition relates for the first time, deliberation, proposal and intervention, interrelating architects, professionals and social agents to develop the proposals.

3) The Competition is developed through a team organised by means of an international network, formed of various assessor committees, local observers, juries and investigators, who endorse and enrich a plural and transparent process, from the proposal of themes to the resolution of the jury.

4) It constitutes an idea and project bank for common problems proposed simultaneously and collectively.

Work Group

Formed of a multidisciplinary technical committee of assessors constituted by:

• Coordination and General Management: The Executive Committee of the Pan-American Observatory.
• Detection of themes, locations and coordination with local authorities: Observers or local agents.
• Technical consultation for projects and areas of investigation: The Assessors Committee (highly recognised professionals and experts).
• The Jury invited to each edition of the competition, chosen because of their prestige and relevance or relation to the theme and locations proposed.
• Interns and investigators who will participate in the investigation projects associated with the themes of the competition and in the detection of problems and the development of content.
• Agents involved: institutions, universities, municipalities and public or private developers, involved in, interested in or related to the proposals and locations.

Organisation of the Competition

The competition includes several phases:

• Pre-competition. Initial debate to select themes and locations (this takes place during the previous edition of Active Debates).
• Competition. The launching of the competition, after its management and the preparation of the rules.
• Acceptance of proposals and administration of resources.
• Assembly of the Jury, the selection of winners and the nomination of proposals for Priority Action.
• Post-competition. Exhibition of winners, the handing out of awards and the adjudication of the Priority Action award, as well as the coordination and first steps towards the execution of the Priority Action.
• Diffusion of proposals and the debate on results and themes (see Publications).

Contestants

The convening of the competition is aimed at professionals related to architecture, landscape, urban design, urbanism, engineering, arts, economy, geography, ecology and all the areas of knowledge related to the theme proposed in each edition.

The competition is aimed at multidisciplinary teams to working at various scales: industrial design, architecture, urban design, urbanism, landscape design, territorial planning, engineering, etc. with the intention of developing ideas which will help the construction, planning, rescuing and consolidation of the American architectural landscape, a forum "where all activity will be legitimate".

The Jury

The Jury is formed of various members (between 9 and 12) represented at local, national and international level. It will insure the fulfilment of the competition rules, being free of personal or professional links with the competition, and will be formed by professionals of highly regarded prestige with international careers in the scope area of the themes proposed.

The Jury will assemble on two occasions. The first taking place once the proposals of the contestants have been received, where the winners per location will be pronounced and between one and three proposals will be nominated for Priority Action. The second, as guests at the Active Debates which are convened post-competition, when the prizes are awarded, the proposed solutions debated and the Priority Action awarded.

Official languages: Spanish, Portuguese and English.