Doshisha University - Jury Presentation at Kyoto

Simple Q&A on Doshisha University Chapel Complex Competition...extract from the competition official site:

What is the Doshisha University?

Doshisha University is an educational institution founded on Christian morals and values. The school, originally the Doshisha English Academy, was established in 1875 by Joseph Hardy Neesima (Nijima Jo). Our Kyotanabe campus, located in Kyoto, gathers departments related to science and engineering, and those whose aim is the integration of arts and science. The campus is positioned as a center for an integrated education, valuing “experiment, practice, and fieldwork”, as well as an international center for advanced research, focused on “body and life, advanced technologies, and information”.

What is the Doshisha University Chapel Complex Competition about?

Currently, we plan to construct a new chapel with an expansion of the existing facilities for the Center for Christian Culture, an organization that promotes the school’s Christian education. The school owns nationally significant cultural properties on Imadegawa campus dating back to the late 1800s. This chapel too, is expected to symbolize the Christian education provided at Kyotanabe campus and valued by students, alumni and staff members.

What is the reason for the Doshisha University Chapel Complex Competition?

Selecting a designer for these religious facilities on a proposal basis.

Who were in the Judging Committee?

Eiji Hatta (Doshisya University, President)
Takashi Matsuoka (Doshisya University, Vice President)
Makoto Mizutani (Doshisya School of Theology, Department Head)
Makoto Hara (Doshisya University Center for Christian Culture, Director)
Technical Advisors
Taro Ashihara (Taro Ashihara Architects)
Waro Kishi (University of Kyoto, Professor)
Toshihito Yokouchi (Kyoto University of Art and Design, Professor)
Professional coordinator:
Shozo Baba (Institute of Information Systems Architecture, Director)

When  was the submission deadline?

2012 November 30

How many submissions were made? and From where?

The application number total 379, submission from around the world were received.

Brief description of the Judging process?

There were 5 submissions selected in the shortlist.  The shortlisted submissions were presented to the Judging panel in Doshisha University's Kyoto Imadegawa Campus, on 2013 February 03.  Final results were announced the same day.  Facet Studio was announced the winner of the Competition.

.........So what happened at the Jury Presentation for Doshisha University's Chapel Complex Competition?

Facet Studio was the 4th to present on the day of Jury Presentation; this presentation order seemed to be decided by pulling numbers out of a hat...  We have sent in Yoshi as the spokes person on our behalf, sending him our love and support from Sydney...

 

Other shortlisted presenters seemed to have made modifications to the presentation materials, we have decided not to change our submitted panel and talked from there.  There was a 10-minute plain talking presentation focusing on the philosophy behind our scheme; although this presentation style was quite different from the other presenters, it was a bit of gamble.

 

After the 5th (last) presentation, there was a discussion period of 1.5 hours amongst the Judging Committee.
It was then announced "The selected winning scheme is... from facet Studio!"

 

Yoshi was completed overwhelmed... according to him, he could hardly comprehend what exactly has just happened.
He was then requested to go up to the stage.

 

 

He received the Certificate of winning, and catalog of the competition.

 

He was then asked to say a few words about the winning.... all his talking capacity went into the presentation, and found himself short of words..
Lastly was the photo with Judging Committee, and the shortlisted presenters.
Again, he could do with some practice on smiling as well...

(Front row from left: Doshisha University Center for Christian Culture Director, Head of Theology Department, Vice President, President, Yoshi, Architect Taro Ashihara, Waro Kishi, and Toshihito Yokouchi)

Doshisha University Official Announcement

Now the Doshisha University website is updated with the competition winning announcement and top 5 design schemes, check it out HERE!

Unfortunately only the Japanese site is updated, but it is obvious that the 5 images there are the schemes..
Despite the spelling mistake in my name (Yoshi's name was spelt wrong when finalists were announced... I guess this is only fair...), I am over the moon!

Here is our scheme.. the winning scheme.... woohoo~

click to enlarge

There were 856 registrations, and 379 submissions from around the world made for the competition.
5 schemes were selected as finalists, and were presented to jury panel on February 3rd at Doshisha University Imadegawa Campus, Kyoto.

Winner announced for Doshisha Chapel competition!

Facet Studio has won the Doshisha University's Chapel Complex Design Competition!

This was freshly announced yesterday (Feb 3rd) after the verbal presentation and Q&A session with jury panel at Kyoto, we even beat it to the official website to announce the result!

Looks like we are off to a brilliant start for 2013.
Together with quite a few projects across a wide spectrum of variety, we are surely going for a busy busy year - all for a good reason of course.

I will try to elaborate on the winning scheme soon!

Find out more on the Doshisha competition scheme HERE

Here comes 2013!

image source: ABC News

Such cliche.. but can I say, every single time, when it comes to festive seasons, I simply ADORE Sydney?
The town is just cheerful and positive, without the winter chill and sentiment.. almost like an energetic child powerfully embracing all the excitement... How does one not love it?

Anyhow, Facet Studio had a few days break over the new year's and have already been back to work for a while now.
Looks like it will be yet another busy busy year!
But hey!  Let's embrace the excitement and power on!

First Round, Top Five!

Facet Studio has been selected as 5 of the proposals to proceed beyond the First Round Jury Session of Kyoto's Doshisha University Competition!!

ok there is a spelling mistake with Yoshi's name.... but we have received the contact phone call in our Osaka office, and double checked the Registration Number.... it IS us!

There has been 379 entries to the Doshisha University's Chapel Complex Design Competition.
The Second Round Jury Session will take place on February 3rd, and requires a verbal presentation in front of the jury members - public speaking in Japanese, anyone?

Find out more about the competition HERE

IDEA 2012 Winner Photos

So it took me a while to realise that we do have access to some professional photos taken of us as winners of IDEA 2012 - Emerging Designer and International Project Category.

(More about the Award in the previous blog entry HERE)

I believe it is ok to still feel excited about our hard-earned awards - in fact I will keep on being excited for a while!

 photo (c) Cynthia Sciberras

 Yoshi - photo (c) Cynthia Sciberras

Olivia (me) - photo (c) Cynthia Sciberras

Late Shift

As mentioned in earlier entry, SL Dental has proceeded into construction and work has been generally carried out during 17:00 - 24:00 due to various restrictions.

While we are wrapping up most of the construction work this week, I have witnessed unusual population density within this tiny tiny tenancy at odd times such as 23:00....

Within 55sqm there were 7 people including me the architect... and lets not forget the amount of joinery boxes delivered earlier, waiting to be installed (picture below)

This is like less than half of the amount of joinery for this tiny fitout......

... I came to realise that joiner is quite an acrobatic profession.....

.... I also came to realise that builders rely a lot on their friendships....

 I think we are so lucky to have a great team working with us, to push through tough deadlines and deliver as promised!

This always reminds me of what Tadao Ando said: "Architecture are made possible by 3 parties - Clients, Contractors, and Architects".  We are never alone in our profession.

Emerging Facet Studio!

Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2012 has revealed the winners - Facet Studio has been crowned twice under International Project category and Emerging Designer!

 Me and Yoshi on stage receiving the Emerging Designer Award

Over a range of high profile projects of all different types in the inaugural International Project category, M House has won high praises from the jury for the simple beauty and persistence in bringing the idea to life.

Here is what the Jury had to say about the International category:

On top of gaining recognition for our projects, we have also brought home with us the Emerging Designer award:

Leading up to the event we have been so immersed in the actual event design itself (which will be covered in a separate entry) that we were totally unprepared for a speech...but I think we did much better than last year, shows that practice (last year at IDEA 2011, Melbourne and earlier this year at Frame Moooi Award, Milan) does make things better - please note the improvement in our facial expressions!

The Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) is Australia’s largest and most successful independent design awards program. Launched by (Inside) magazine in 2003, the program celebrates the best of Australian interior and product design across 11 categories and five special awards.

To find out more about IDEA Awards:

Official Website click HERE
Official announcement click HERE
More about IDEA Awards from our blog click HERE
More about shortlist announcement click HERE

The other projects also shortlisted are:

Uchi Lounge 01 - Hospitality

Uchi Lounge 02 - Hospitality

Connect Sydney - Workplace under 1000sqm

We will try to upload more photos soon!

Burning midnight oil

What happened with time?!
It's November already!!

Finally we are starting the bumping in for IDEA 2012 tomorrow at Seymour Centre....
And this is how the Facet Studio office looked like today during the last day of off-site preparation... Yes, a complete mess!

IDEA 2012 Gala Party will take place on November 9th.
Last year we flew down to Melbourne to pick up the trophy for Sneakerology/ Streetology (Best Retail Design winner), this year on top of nominations in 4 categories, we are also designing the actual venue.
All in all, nervous but exciting.

At the same time, SL Dental has started construction.
Due to numerous restrictions, the builders have been working in the wee hours of 17:00 ~ 24:00.
This kind of works in with my schedule quite well, that I can ride past the construction site on my way home almost everyday.
More on this a bit later... After I survive this week of IDEA...

Uchi Lounge on ARQA

Uchi Lounge has again shown its international appeal - this time to Argentina!

 

The article is published in ARQA - Argentinian-based web magazine, open community of architecture, construction and design.

Click HERE to see the article!