Yes, the total height of the building should not exceed 15.6 m

The challenge is to design an inclusive and accessible educational centre for the visually impaired that offers a transformative experience for learners.

As the primary users are visually impaired, the design should provide a rich sensory experience – including touch, sound, and smell – to compensate for the lack of visual cues.

Yes, parking should be minimum 20% of the Site-up area as per the competition brief.

This competition is a perfect fit for anyone passionate about innovative architecture and social change, especially architects, architecture students, urban planners, and design enthusiasts. If you believe in the power of design to reshape experiences and transform lives, especially for blind learners, this competition is a platform for you to manifest your ideas.

The competition follows a timeline with three registration periods: 1. Early Registration: Ends on 31st August 2023 2. Standard Registration: Ends on 25th September 2023 3. Late Registration: Final date for registration is 30th September 2023 Please note, all participants have until 5th October 2023 to submit their design proposals. Plan accordingly to make sure you don't miss these important deadlines!

The design criteria include wayfinding and navigation, sensory engagement, flexibility and collaboration, and safety. These are described in detail in the competition brief.

Yes, the project is located in Guwahati, Assam, India. A detailed description of the site context, as well as a 2D CAD file and photographs of the existing school, can be downloaded from our website. Search the location of the site through these coordinates: 26°06'06.8"N 91°47'54.3"E

Vision Beyond Sight: A School for Blind Learners" is an open ideas competition, looking to ignite imagination and innovation worldwide. We aim to encourage designs that serve the distinctive needs of blind learners, but there are no plans to construct the winning designs. This competition is open to anyone passionate about design - whether you're a student, an architect, or a design enthusiast. It's an invitation to reimagine, innovate, and shape a brighter future for blind education.

The central theme is 'Inclusive Design for Blind Learners', but we encourage creative interpretations. We're looking for designs that cater to blind learners and transcend conventional design approaches. Feel free to explore your creativity within this inclusive design framework.

The location in Assam was selected due to the region's need for more educational facilities for the visually impaired, despite its dense population. Its strategic position offers better accessibility, connecting remote areas with urban hubs. As for the existing school, this competition is purely hypothetical and is designed to stimulate innovative design ideas for schools catering to blind learners. The suggested replacement of the existing school is part of this idea exploration process, not an intent for actual construction.

The brief suggests areas for education, culture, and administration within a total built-up area of 5000 sq m. Participants have the freedom to propose additional spaces and determine space allocation. Public access is permitted in areas like the exhibition spaces, cultural center, and cafe during specific events. Innovation is encouraged, considering the needs of visually impaired individuals.

A team can have up to 3 members and cannot exceed this number. Participants who desire to participate individually can do so by filling and submitting the details for the team leader. Teams can add new members as long as their total members do not exceed 3. 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.

The participants are required to use 1 (ONE) A1 sheet i.e. (841 x 594 mm), (33.1 x 23.4 inch). The sheets must be composed in Landscape orientation, with the Unique Team Code on the top right corner.

The file size should not exceed more than 10MB.

The competition's judging criteria focus on four key areas: the inclusiveness and innovation of your design, the originality and creativity it demonstrates (the 'X-Factor'), how comprehensively your design meets the competition requirements, and how effectively you present and communicate your design idea. Ultimately, we're looking for thoughtful designs that can truly serve and enhance the learning experience for blind students.

We will be announcing an exciting panel of seasoned experts specializing in inclusive design and educational spaces for the visually impaired for the 'Vision Beyond Sight' competition. Stay tuned to archdais.com for the big reveal soon.

To register, visit ‘Vision Beyond Sight’ Competition page on archdais.com and click on the 'Participate Now' button. Fill out the registration form with your team's details and make the payment. You will receive a unique team code via email upon completion of the registration process. If you don't receive the team code after making the payment, retrieve it by visiting the competition page, clicking on 'Get my Teamcode', and entering your transaction ID and registered email ID. If this doesn't work, email us at competition@archdais.com with the subject line "Unique Identification Code Issue" and include a screenshot of your payment receipt. We aim to resolve such issues within 24-36 business hours. Participants can submit their entries through the 'Submit' button found on the competition page after registering. Your submission should adhere to the guidelines provided, which include design proposal sheets and a project description. For issues, entries can be sent to submission@archdais.com. Detailed submission requirements can be found in the competition brief.

You will receive your Team Code only after completing the registration process. You can also find it in your profile under My Orders.

The Team Code must be used in the email subject line, file names, and on the submission sheets as specified. It is the only identifier used during evaluation.

Yes, multiple entries are allowed. However, each entry must be registered separately using a unique email ID and will receive a separate Team Code.

Please first check your spam or promotions folder. You may also find your Team Code in the My Orders section under your profile on the Archdais website. If you still do not receive it within 24 hours of payment, kindly write to us at competition@archdais.com and share your payment confirmation or screenshot. Our team will assist you further.

Please email us at competition@archdais.com and we will guide you with alternate payment methods.

Your Team Code is your only identification for the competition. It must be used wherever requested by the organizers, including on your submission sheets and in file names, as mentioned in the submission guidelines.

Yes, updates to team member details are allowed until the registration deadline ends. Please email competition@archdais.com with your Team Code and the updated details.

Participants may use either metric or imperial units. Ensure dimensions are clearly marked wherever required.

The official language of the competition is English. All explanatory text in submissions must be in English.

Participants are requested not to publicly share their competition proposal before the winners are officially announced, to maintain anonymity and fairness.

Yes. All participants receive a digital Certificate of Participation irrespective of winners.

A promo code is a special discount code that may be offered for certain competitions. It is not mandatory for registration, and participants can register without one at the regular fee. Promo codes, when available, may be shared through Archdais’ official social media handles. If any offer is active, the promo code can be applied during registration to avail the discount.

Yes, a group discount is available for a minimum of 5 teams registering together. While registering, you can keep adding teams and their team members under the same registration process. Once the minimum requirement is met, the group discount will be applied automatically. After registration, each team will receive a separate Team Code. If you face any issue while availing the group discount, please write to us at competition@archdais.com and our team will assist you.

Submissions that do not follow the required format, anonymity rules, file naming, or submission limits may be disqualified.

No. The registration fee is non-refundable.

All Terms & Conditions and updated rules are available on the Archdais website under the competition page.

Only if absolutely necessary, Archdais may make limited changes to the competition timeline, submission requirements, or related guidelines. In such cases, the updated information will be shared through the official competition page and/or Archdais’ official communication channels. Participants are advised to check the competition page regularly for any important updates.

No. The competition follows an anonymous evaluation process. Your submission sheet must not contain your name, logo, college name, firm name, watermark, or any other identifiable mark. Any such information on the sheet may lead to disqualification

You may use any clear and readable font style in your submission. There are no specific restrictions on fonts; however, participants are advised to avoid overly decorative or hard-to-read fonts, especially where clarity of information is important for evaluation.

Yes. Team members may be updated or changed any time before submission. To request a change, please write to us at competition@archdais.com, and our team will guide you further.

Yes. You may add a team member after registering, provided your total team size remains within the maximum team limit allowed for that competition. To request this, please write to us at competition@archdais.com, and our team will guide you further.

If you have made the payment twice by mistake, please write to us at competition@archdais.com and share screenshots of both payments. Our team will review the details and assist you further.

Yes. Hand-drawn submissions are allowed, provided they are neatly scanned and submitted in the required format mentioned in the brief.

No. For this competition, the Design Proposal must be submitted as a maximum of 5 A1 sheets in landscape orientation, along with the Area Statement as a separate A4 PDF, as specified in the brief. Participants are requested to follow this format strictly to ensure consistency in review and evaluation.

No. The ownership of your design remains with you. However, by participating in the competition, you grant Archdais the right to publish, feature, and promote your submitted work across its platforms and communication materials, with due credit to the participant/team. If a design is selected for further development or execution, the respective participant/team will be contacted separately by IPDS for further communication regarding the next stage, including design fee and associated terms.

Yes. Please name your submission file using your Team Code only.

All competition deadlines and timings are based on Indian Standard Time (IST), regardless of the participant’s country or time zone. Participants are advised to convert the deadline accordingly from IST to their local time zone to avoid missing any stage.

No. To ensure a fair and anonymous evaluation process, only your Team Code is shared with the jury. Participants are requested not to contact jurors directly regarding the competition or their submission.

Yes. Registered participants do receive deadline reminders through email and/or Archdais’ official communication channels. Participants are also advised to check their spam or promotions folder in case any email is missed.

Yes. Group discounts are available for five or more teams registering together. The teams may be from the same college, different colleges, or even from different disciplines, as long as the required minimum number of teams is met during registration.

Yes. For any competition-related queries or clarifications, participants may write to competition@archdais.com. They may also use the “Ask us a Question” section available on the Archdais website after logging in.