COMPETITION-CONDITIONS

ESTONIAN EXHIBITION AT THE XIV INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA: CONDITIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CURATOR COMPETITION 1.

COMPETITION ORGANISERS Estonian Centre of Architecture (hereinafter EAK) – organiser of the exhibition and of the curator competition Union of Estonian Architects (hereinafter EAL) – co-organiser Estonian Cultural Endowment (hereinafter EKK) – partner Ministry of Culture (hereinafter KM) – partner

2.

COMPETITION OBJECTIVE The objective of the competition is to find the best idea and curator for the Estonian exposition to exhibit Estonian architecture eximiously in Venice at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition la Biennale di Venezia that will open on 7 June 2014. Proposals are welcome from art theorists and critics, art historians, architects, designers, interior designers, historians and curators from other professions associated with the field of architecture. The content of the work is to work out the concept of the exhibition and its subheading together with the concept of the informative materials accompanying the exhibition and the staffing of the exposition team. The Artistic Director of the 14th International Architecture Exhibition is Rem Koolhaas and the main theme is Fundamentals: Absorbing Modernity: 1914-2014. The introduction by Koolhaas is included in the competition conditions (Appendix 1).

The conceptual design has to take the ideas of the general curator into account, it has to be globally relevant, and it must deal with important aspects of the ideas and practices of Estonian architecture of the last hundred years and of contemporary Estonian architecture. Tying the idea of the exposition in with the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia in 2018 adds value to the idea. The transportability of the exhibition and the possibility to repeatedly exhibit it elsewhere after the end of the Venice architecture biennial are important considerations.

3.

3.1.

FORM OF THE COMPETITION The competition is international, public, two-stage, and anonymous in the first stage.

3.1.1. An anonymous description of the idea of the exhibition consisting of up to 5000 characters (including spaces) and including a motto is submitted in the first stage.

Eesti Arhitektuurikeskus MTÜ Lai 31, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia Tel +372 611 7436 info@arhitektuurikeskus.ee www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee

3.1.2. The jury will select 6 participants for the second round. The second stage will take place in the form of a public event without the requirement of anonymity. In the second stage, the curator will present his exposition idea in the form of a short presentation (9 minutes).

4.

RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE Participation in the curator exhibition is not restricted with the exception of the persons named in Clause 5.

5.

PARTICIPATION BAN The chairman of the jury, jury members, alternate jury members and experts, similarly the compiler of the competition conditions and individuals who are clearly at an advantage due to preparing and organising the competition and/or who could influence the decisions of the jury may not participate in the competition. Persons connected with the persons named above (spouses, life companions, relatives in the ascending and descending lines, sisters, brothers), business partners associated with the chairman of the competition jury, jury members and experts who are partners or shareholders in an incorporated entity that operates with them in the same field of activity, and subordinate coworkers of the chairman of the competition jury, jury members and experts also may not participate in the competition.

6.

LANGUAGE OF PARTICIPATION The languages of participation are Estonian or English.

7.

BEGINNING AND END OF THE COMPETITION Beginning of the competition: 2 April 2013.

Deadline for submitting questions regarding the competition conditions: 25 April 2013.

Deadline for submitting competition entries: 2 May 2013 at 14:00 hours.

Participants selected to participate in the second round will be announced on 9 May 2013.

The second stage of the competition will be held on 23 May 2013 at 19:00 hours.

The jury’s decision will be announced on the website of EAK www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee by 27 May 2013 at the latest.

8.

8.1.

AWARDS Participants who reach the second round will be awarded 300 €, which will be paid by the EAK. The EAK will sign an agreement for the implementation of the idea with the winning team. The work ensuing from the agreement will be remunerated in accordance with the conditions of the agreement that is concluded.

Eesti Arhitektuurikeskus MTÜ Lai 31, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia Tel +372 611 7436 info@arhitektuurikeskus.ee www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee

8.2.

The curator will not be chosen only if no entry that meets the required standards is received and if the jury declares the competition to be unsuccessful and the decision is made not to participate in the 14th International Architecture Exhibition la Biennale di Venezia.

9.

9.1.

JURY A jury composed of the following persons has been formed to evaluate the curator competition: chairman: Peeter Pere, architect, Chairman of the EAL members: Veljo Kaasik, architect, EAL Liina Siib, artist from the Estonian Artists’ Association (EKL) Tüüne-Kristin Vaikla, interior architect from the Estonian Society of Interior Architects (ESL), curator of the 2012 exposition Yoko Alender, architecture advisor at the Ministry of Culture Ülar Mark, commissioner of the Estonian exposition in Venice Expert: Piret Lindpere, art theorist from the Estonian Society of Art Historians (EKÜ) Secretary: Lill Sarv, project manager, EAK The jury has the right to invite experts to participate in the selection process if necessary.

9.2.

The chairman and members of the jury have the right to vote. The chairman of the jury manages the work of the jury and generally represents the jury in public. The chairman of the jury is also a jury member. A jury expert is a qualified person in an area of specialisation whom the jury engages when necessary or from whom the jury asks for an assessment in regard to a particular special question. Experts do not have the right to vote. The secretary of the jury organises the work of the jury, participates in it and draws up its minutes. The secretary does not have the right to vote. The decision of the jury is final and cannot be contested.

10.

RULES AND COORDINATION OF COMPETITION CONDITIONS The Union of Estonian Architects has coordinated the competition conditions. The competition conditions contained herein will be observed in the competition.

Eesti Arhitektuurikeskus MTÜ Lai 31, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia Tel +372 611 7436 info@arhitektuurikeskus.ee www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee

11.

ISSUING AND PRICE OF THE COMPETITION CONDITIONS The competition conditions can be downloaded from the EAK website at www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee/en/ starting on 2 April 2013. The competition conditions are free of charge.

12.

QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE COMPETITION CONDITIONS Questions concerning the competition conditions may be submitted to the e-mail address: info@arhitektuurikeskus.ee until 25 April 2013. Answers to questions will be disclosed within two business days at the website www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee/en/ as an information appendix concerning the competition.

13.

MANNER, PLACE, DEADLINE AND TIME FOR SUBMITTING COMPETITION PROJECTS Competition projects are to be submitted electronically. The subject line of the e-mail must be marked as “Venice 2014” and be sent to the address kristiina@arhitketuurikeskus.ee by e-mail. The recipient will check to ensure that the entries conform to the conditions and will ensure anonymity in forwarding documents to the jury members. An e-mail with the required essay must be received by 14:00 hours (+02.00 GMT) on 2 May 2013 at the latest. The person receiving the entries will send a confirmation in reply to the e-mail address of the participant who submitted the entry concerning receipt of the entry and its conformation to the competition requirements.

The submitted e-mail must include: - a pdf file containing the description of the exhibition idea together with its motto (up to 5000 characters without spaces) - a pdf file with the project motto containing data concerning the curator and key members of the project team: - CV’s of the key members of the project team (curator, architect, designer). The technical or professional competence, work experience in international projects and knowledge of languages must be highlighted in the CV of each key member. The key members and authors may be but do not have to be the same individuals.

- a name card including the name(s), address(es) and bank account number(s) of the project author(s); - a confirmation letter from the author(s) stating that the author(s) assume the responsibility for bringing the Estonian exhibition at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition la Biennale di Venezia to fruition, and for working out and completing the informative materials accompanying the exhibition, and for the preparation of the materials for the Bienniale’s general catalogue, adhering to the time schedule prescribed for completing the work and to the given budget; Eesti Arhitektuurikeskus MTÜ Lai 31, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia Tel +372 611 7436 info@arhitektuurikeskus.ee www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee

14.

ASSURANCE OF ANONYMITY 14.1. The anonymity of the author(s) of the idea description and project must be assured in the first stage in submitting the competition projects.

Information referring to the author(s) (in the file names, meta data, and so on of the author(s), bureau and other information) must be removed from the submitted digital materials.

14.2. The chairman of the jury, the secretary, jury members, alternate jury members or experts may not receive competition entries. The receiver of the entries assures the anonymity of the received competition projects.

The projects of all competitors will be presented and the projects will be evaluated anonymously.

15.

COMPETITION PROJECT REQUIREMENTS 15.1. An idea for putting together and designing the Estonian architecture exhibition corresponding to the theme of the 14th International Architecture Exhibition la Biennale di Venezia must be submitted to the competition together with the budget for realising the idea. The cost of the exhibition not including transportation, remuneration of the project manager and expenses in Venice must be under 33 000 euro (including VAT and contractual fees of the project team, equipment costs, informative materials accompanying the exhibition and if necessary, storage costs of the exhibition in Tallinn/Estonia). It is possible to increase the budget by engaging additional supporters.

15.2. The idea project must include: 15.2.1. in the first stage: description of the exhibition idea (up to 5000 characters including spaces) where the concept of the exhibition is described along with the methodology by which the specified topic is to be researched, the design idea, and the principles for drawing up the informative materials accompanying the exhibition. The principle of selection of the objects to be exhibited and an enumeration of materials introducing the exhibition must be submitted.

15.2.2. in the first stage: preliminary line-by-line calculation of the cost of the exhibition; 15.2.3. in the second stage, 6 authors selected by the jury present their ideas at a public event. Each author is allotted 9 minutes for his/her presentation.

Participants have the opportunity to show slides or other such visual material to illustrate their presentations.

Eesti Arhitektuurikeskus MTĂœ Lai 31, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia Tel +372 611 7436 info@arhitektuurikeskus.ee www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee

15.3. The description of the idea does not have to take into account the exhibition space that will be allotted to Estonia for its exhibition since it is not yet known which space will be allotted. The size of the space will be approximately the same as in previous years (about 110 m2).

15.4. It must be easy to move the exhibition and the repeated exposition of the exhibition later must be facilitated.

15.5. By submitting the competition project and the corresponding confirmation letter, the author assumes responsibility for bringing the Estonian exhibition at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition la Biennale di Venezia to fruition, and for working out and completing the informative materials accompanying the Estonian exhibition, and for the preparation of the materials for the Bienniale’s general catalogue. In the confirmation letter, the author must assume responsibility for bringing the project to fruition within the prescribed time schedule and for adhering to the given budget.

15.6. The winner of the curator competition must be prepared to sign an authorisation agreement with the EAK for bringing the Estonian exhibition at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition la Biennale di Venezia to fruition in Venice and for working out and completing the informative materials accompanying the Estonian exhibition. The EAK is responsible for the technical project management of the exhibition.

16.

ASSESSMENT OF PROJECTS AND WORK OF THE JURY 16.1. A register will be drawn up of the competition projects received in the first stage, where the total number of projects, the correspondence of the sequential number of the receipt of the project to its motto, and the composition of the project corresponding to the motto are recorded.

The jury will decide which projects are accepted for assessment.

Competition projects will not be assessed for the following reasons: 16.1.1. the competition project was not submitted in time for the deadline, 16.1.2. the competition project does not meet the competition conditions, 16.1.3. the anonymity requirement has been violated, 16.1.4. the jury considers the submitted project to be unprofessional.

16.2. Minutes of the jury session will be recorded. The minutes of the working meeting are not subject to public disclosure.

16.3. A good and outstanding idea that takes the ideas pointed out in Clause 2 into account, the competence of the project team and the likelihood of Eesti Arhitektuurikeskus MTĂœ Lai 31, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia Tel +372 611 7436 info@arhitektuurikeskus.ee www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee

bringing the idea to fruition within the budget given in Clause 15.1 are the criteria for assessing projects.

16.4. The audience of the public event in the second round will have the opportunity to choose the audience’s favourite from among the 6 presentations. The jury may, but is not obligated to, take the audience’s choice into account.

16.5. The jury’s work is considered finished after the selection of the 6 projects for the second round and after the winning entry and two projects of merit are determined after the second stage of the competition through a simple majority of votes or as the result of a consensus and the recording of this decision using the appropriate mottos in the final statement. The final statement contains: 1) general characterisation of the six projects selected for the second stage and subject to assessment, 2) the reasons for not assessing the projects that are not subject to assessment, 3) the recording of the winning entry and the two selected projects of merit using their mottos, 4) proposals for supplementing the winning entry (if necessary).

The final protocol will be disclosed publicly on the EAK website.

17.

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THE RESULTS OF THE COMPETITION The jury’s final protocol and the winning entry will be publicly disclosed on the Estonian Centre of Architecture’s website on 27 May 2013 at the latest.

18.

ACTIVITY FOLLOWING THE COMPETITION 18.1. The author (authors) of the winning entry will be assigned the task to draw up the Estonian exhibition at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition la Biennale di Venezia according to the conditions in Clause 15 and to the extent indicated therein. The author(s) retain(s) copyright in terms of their projects and the rights that accompany that copyright.

18.2. The exhibition will be exhibited in Venice at the Arsenale as an independent exhibition in a presumably 110 m2 exhibition space. The precise location of the exhibition remains to be determined.

18.3. The deadline for submitting the materials to be submitted by the winner of the curator competition for 14th International Architecture Exhibition

Eesti Arhitektuurikeskus MTÜ Lai 31, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia Tel +372 611 7436 info@arhitektuurikeskus.ee www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee

la Biennale di Venezia general catalogue will be determined in the agreement that is to be concluded.

18.4. The 14th International Architecture Exhibition la Biennale di Venezia will be open officially from 7 June until 23 November 2014 (the exhibition will be open to guests with invitations on 5 and 6 June). The deadline for the completion of the Estonian exhibition will be specified in the agreement that is to be concluded.

The EAK has drawn up these competition conditions in cooperation with the EAL.

Eesti Arhitektuurikeskus MTĂœ Lai 31, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia Tel +372 611 7436 info@arhitektuurikeskus.ee www.arhitektuurikeskus.ee

14th International Architecture Exhibition

Fundamentals

Fundamentals will be a biennale about architecture, not architects. After several biennales dedicated to the celebration of the contemporary, Fundamentals will focus on histories – on the inevitable elements of all architecture used by any architect, anywhere, anytime (the door, the floor, the ceiling etc.) and on the evolution of national architectures in the last 100 years. In three complementary manifestations – taking place in the Central Pavilion, the Arsenale, and the National Pavilions – this retrospective will generate a fresh understanding of the richness of architecture’s fundamental repertoire, apparently so exhausted today.

In 1914, it made sense to talk about a “Chinese” architecture, a “Swiss” architecture, an “Indian” architecture.

One hundred years later, under the influence of wars, diverse political regimes, different states of development, national and international architectural movements, individual talents, friendships, random personal trajectories and technological developments,

architectures that were once specific and local have become interchangeable and global. National identity has seemingly been sacrificed to modernity.

Having the decisive advantage of starting work a year earlier than the Biennale’s typical schedule, we hope to use this extra time to introduce a degree of coordination and coherence among the National Pavilions. Ideally, we would want the represented countries to engage a single theme – Absorbing Modernity: 1914-2014 – and to show, each in their own way, the process of the erasure of national characteristics in favour of the almost universal adoption of a single modern language in a single repertoire of typologies.

and imperceptible ways of remaining “national.” In a time of ubiquitous google research and the flattening of cultural memory, it is crucial for the future of architecture to resurrect and expose these narratives.

By telling the history of the last 100 years cumulatively, these exhibitions in the National Pavilions will generate a global overview of architecture’s evolution into a single, modern aesthetic, and at the same time uncover within globalization the survival of unique national features and mentalities that continue to exist and flourish even as international collaboration and exchange intensify…

The First World War – the beginning of modern globalization – serves a starting point for the range of narratives. The transition to what seems like a universal architectural language is a more complex process than we typically recognize, involving significant encounters between cultures, technical inventions

Rem Koolhaas