Not at all. Depending on when you registered, your unique order number may consist of either 4 or 5 digits. Both formats are equally valid. Please use this order number to name your JPG and PDF files and include it on your A1 board (JPG).

Yes, you can use AI tools for rendering and visualization just like you would use Photoshop. However, the design and core concept must be fully developed by the participants.

The webinar recording will be available in the Participants Area. It will remain accessible there, and you can watch it as many times as you need.

There is no mandatory physical separation or fence required between the primary and secondary schools. The secondary school can be independent simply by occupying its designated area within the plot. You may keep the current entrance for the whole site, relocate it, or design two separate entrances for each school.

We strongly recommend sticking to the official standard: 7 × 9 meters, rectangular—even for the multipurpose room—so that, if needed, it can be converted into an additional classroom. This dimension is required for the school to be validated as a governmental secondary school and will simplify approval and construction. The real design challenge of the competition is developing an innovative roofing system that is low-cost, easy to build, thermally efficient, replicable, and based on local or easily available, sustainable materials.

The proposal must be inherently low-cost, and earth should be the primary construction material, as it is locally abundant and almost free. Industrial materials such as steel beams or imported products will significantly increase costs and complicate logistics, especially given the transport challenges that exist.

Wood—including bamboo—is highly problematic due to termites. Several treatments have been tested without success. In addition, structural timber (e.g., beams) is typically imported, which makes it less economically viable.

A key focus is the roofing system: participants are encouraged to propose a thermally appropriate, low-cost roof using local or easily sourced materials. Corrugated metal sheets are discouraged because they provide poor thermal insulation—even when used as a double layer with an air gap and ventilation between sheets. But, no material is strictly banned, as long as it meets the criteria above.

As noted in the briefing, the locally available bamboo is primarily suitable for decorative uses, such as screens, doors, or windows. It is too thin and small to be used for structural elements. In addition, there are serious termite issues on site, and effective long-term treatments have proven difficult to implement.

The competition focuses on strong concepts and innovative ideas—especially for the roofing system—rather than exhaustive technical specifications. You do not need to include a detailed cost breakdown, a specific soil-stabilisation formula, exact local tree/plant species for the orchard, specific furniture selections, detailed activities for the multipurpose space, or the exact plant-based fibres used by local artisans.

These elements belong to a later project development phase, during which details can be refined and adapted on site.

The soil is very silty and sandy, with little or no clay. Because of this, we need to bring laterite (a local red earth) and mix it with the soil from the site, and then stabilize this mix in order to obtain a material that is suitable for building. For the purposes of the competition, you do not need to know the exact mineral composition of the soil or include a specific stabilization formula in your proposal. This analysis and testing will be carried out on site by the NGO before construction.

You should receive two emails at the email address entered during the payment process. The first confirming your payment with an order number you must use to identify your project, and a second welcome email with the link to download the contest material. If after 24 hours you have not received these emails, check your spam folder, and if you can’t find them, contact us via our email: info@archstorming.com.

Make sure you are checking the email address you provided during the payment process, not the one entered in the registration form. All confirmation and welcome emails are automatically sent to the email used at checkout. Don’t forget to check your spam or promotions folder just in case.

These areas are indicative. Participants may adjust them as needed for their design, but should avoid unnecessarily large spaces to keep construction costs low.