Frequently asked questions

1Are the teams allowed to share their work for the competition before the winners are announced by the organizer?

The participants are only permitted to share their proposal for the competition on social media or any other platform once the winners are revealed officially. Archdais will also publish each submission at this date and will be working with many design platforms to attract publication opportunities.


2What is the competition brief?

The competition brief is a document that explains the design problem you'll be solving. It includes site details, design requirements, and criteria for judging. This document can be downloaded from our website.


3Are multiple entries allowed for submission and can hand-drawn sheets be submitted?

Participants are free to submit multiple entries or projects, but each entry must be registered by a separate email ID. One sheet will have one project only. Hand-drawn sheets are allowed for submission, participants can scan and mail them to us on submission@archdais.com. Follow all the submission guidelines carefully.


4How can I get a discount on the competition fee?

Discounts can be obtained in two ways. Firstly, through a promo code, which is a tool to obtain a discount on the competition fee. It's not mandatory for registration, but it can help reduce the cost. You can get a promo code either from an Archdais influencer or by writing to us at competition@archdais.com. Secondly, if you are registering a group, a discount is available for a minimum of five teams. During registration, continue adding teams and their information using different email IDs for each team registration. If you encounter any issues while availing this discount, please write to us at competition@archdais.com with the subject line "Group Discount Query”.


5Where all do the participants need to use their unique team code?

All the participants would be using their team code on the top right corner of their sheets, as the name of their submission and wherever requested by the organizer. This code will be their only identification for the process related with this competition. Kindly read the submission guidelines given in the brief carefully.


6Is there an entry fee for the competition?

Yes, participating in the competition does require an entry fee. Archdais.com is a community-supported platform and the entry fees help us manage competitions sustainably. They also support us in publishing and promoting outstanding submissions across the Archdais community throughout the year. You can find specific entry fee details in the competition brief.


7Further Help and Support

For additional inquiries related to the competition, visit the 'Ask us a Question' section located under the FAQ page of the competition. Please note, this section becomes visible after you've logged in. Feel free to write your queries there, and our team will respond as soon as possible. We also encourage you to browse through our FAQ section, as it addresses most common concerns.


8How does a team receive their unique Teamcode code?

All the participants will only receive the unique teamcode on completion of the registration process.


9Where all do the participants need to use their unique team code?

All the participants would be using their team code on the top right corner of their sheets, as the name of their submission and wherever requested by the organizer. This code will be their only identification for the process related with this competition.


10What is the limit or cap on the number of team members and can anyone participate individually?

A team can have up to 3 members and cannot exceed this number. The participants who desire to participate individually can do so by filling and submitting the details for the team leader.


11Can I change team members after I register?

Teams are welcome to add any new members as long as their total members do not exceed 3. However they are prohibited from swapping or removing any existing member of the team. To do this please send us your request on competition@archdais.com with the details of the new team member along with the team Unique Teamcode.


12Are the teams allowed to share their work for the competition before the winners are announced by the organizer?

The participants are only permitted to share their proposal for the competition on social media or any other platform once the winners are revealed officially. Archdais will also publish each submission at this date and will be working with many design platforms to attract publication opportunities.


13What file name should be given to submission material?

The participants are requested to submit the files with their unique team code as its name. Follow the submission guidelines given in the brief carefully.


14What should the participants do in case the payments are not available in our country?

We request the participants to send us the queries on competition@archdais.com to get an alternate payment method. We would send you all the possible payment methods.


15What does the participant do when they don’t get a unique identification code after the payment is made?

In case of such a problem we request you to send us screenshot of your payment receipt to competition@archdais.com with the “unique identification code” as subject matter within two working days of the transaction.


16Are multiple entries allowed for submission? or can we submit multiple projects in one entry only?

Participants are free to submit multiple entries or projects, but each entry must be registered by a separate email ID. One sheet will have a One project only.


17Are hand-drawn sheets allowed for submission?

Yes, they are allowed, participants can scan and mail them to us on submission@archdais.com. Follow all the submission guidelines carefully.


18What is a promocode? & How to get one? Is it mandatory for registration?

Through Promocode participants can avail discount on the competition fee. You can get it from an archdais influencer, or by tagging 5 friends in any recent post of the competition shared on social media handles of @archdais & @archdais.competitions . It is not mandatory for registration.


19Minimum number of teams eligible for Group Discount? & How to avail?

Minimum 5 Teams or more are eligible for group discount. Write us on competition@archdais.com with number of teams willing to participate in the Competition. Archdais Team will guide you with the procedure.


20What are the modes of submissions?

The participants are requested to submit their work through mail on submission@archdais.com in A2 size sheet in 150 DPI resolution formats. All the submissions will be taken digitally only.


21What should be the submission file size?

The file size should not exceed more than 8MB.


22What would the size of the sheet be?

The participants are required to use an A2 sheet i.e. (594 mm X 420MM), (23.4 X 16.5 inch). The sheets must be composed in Landscape orientation, with the Unique Team Code on the top right corner.


23What is the nature of the competition and is it open for all?

Mars Calling is an International Art Competition and this competition is open for all the Students, Artists, Graphic Designers, Illustrators, Architects, Painters, Teachers, Designers, firms and professionals from all corners of the Earth. Archdais do not reserve any rights on the submitted design proposals.


24What is the judging criteria for this Art Competition?

The sketch or illustration would be judged on: 1. Emotive and experiential feel of illustration. 2. Creative ways of exploring and illustrating the walk 3. Imaginative and unique exploration of the environment 4. Sense of rhythm, scale and proportion in the built form


25Entry fee for the competition & timeline?

Fees & Timeline (All the deadlines are 11:59pm IST) 1. Early Registrations (1st November - 19th December , 2020) - Indian Nationals: INR 600 - Foreign Nationals: USD 15 2. Standard Registrations (20th December 2020 - 25th January 2021) - Indian Nationals: INR 1200 - Foreign Nationals: USD 30 3. Late Registrations (26th January - 15th Feb , 2021) - Indian Nationals: INR 1800 - Foreign Nationals: USD 45


26What is the level of details expected while sketching the habitations?

Participants are expected to detail out those aspects of habitations, which will help viewers experience the space they are sketching. For example, the idea of openings, textures of materials, or height of built forms are important aspects to evoke one's experience. On the other hand, details of joinery, details of how doors or windows might exactly work or how pavement or roadblocks are fixed to the ground, are not expected from the participants.


27Can I sketch for this competition, without worrying about the atmosphere or physiology of the planet?

Although the competition asks participants to be imaginative and explore their own ideas of the street, it is imperative to keep in mind the basic characteristics of how the Martian climate, atmosphere and physiology might allow us to build. As we do not want participants to go into a detailed research on this, we have given a few pointers in the brief which will need to be kept in mind.


28Will high-end graphic renders, which are often used to express realistic experience, be the ideal solution for this competition?

A sketch, even a basic sketch, has the power to move audiences, and temporarily transport one to another planet. We are looking for evocative ideas and expressions of creativity, rather than high-end graphic renders. While imagining a sense of experience in space, participants need to conceive certain aspects of scale, proportion, colours, form, solids, voids, street relationships and so on. A pencil sketch is as much welcome, as a 3D Lumion render in this competition.


29Can the presentation be done in a comic format?

Yes, any format that might help evoke an experience on the Red Planet is welcome. Participants may even write a poem to help us imagine what it might feel like to be there.