Sukkahville 2012

Sukkahville 2012 Design Competition

Reimagining the Sukkah

Kehilla Residential Programme invites architects, students, artists, builders and allied design professionals to submit design proposals for the second annual Sukkahville Design Competition. The aim of this open competition is to design a temporary, free-standing Sukkah to be built in Mel Lastman Square in Toronto on the eve of the holiday of Sukkot. We encourage you to re-imagine the traditional notion of Sukkah, with a contemporary design language and approach.

Challenge

A Sukkah is a temporary structure constructed for use annually during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. It is described in Leviticus as a symbolic wilderness shelter, symbolizing the frailty and transience of life. While building a Sukkah is a particular Jewish ritual observance, it represents many conceptual themes surrounding the essential nature of dwelling, which are universal in nature. Proposing an innovative Sukkah design which delicately balances the inherent dichotomies of new / old, open / closed, temporary /permanent is the challenge inherent in this competition. The temporary structure must adhere to the following traditional constraints:

• The footprint of the sukkah must be no smaller than 27”x27”, but no larger than 100 square feet
• The height of the Sukkah must be taller than 38” high, and no taller than 30’0”
• The Sukkah must have a minimum of two walls, with a partial third wall at least as wide as a single hand span.
• The roof of the Sukkah must be made of some form of natural materials. During the day it must provide more shade than sunlight. During the evening, the stars must be visible at night from within the Sukkah. Large roof openings are inconsistent with the sheltering quality of a Sukkah.
• The roof must not be comprised of and must be fully detached from any living tree, branch or plant.
• Roof material may not be tightly secured with wire. Metal roof supports may not be used to support the roof material.
• Wall materials are not limited, and pieces of the wall can be spaced up to a maximum of one foot apart.
• Walls must be sturdy enough to withstand a steady wind.
• While the Sukkah must be built anew each year, a sustainable design approach, which minimizes the
• waste and disposal of the Sukkah materials is strongly encouraged.
• The Sukkah may not be anchored to the site, but must be stabilized or weighed down without penetrating or damaging the hard surfaces or exceeding the maximum permitted footprint.

Recognition

Five winning designs will be chosen by a select high profile jury to be constructed in a visionary village on Mel Lastman Square from September 29 to October 1, 2012. Finalists will be notified by August 15, 2012 and will be responsible for obtaining construction materials and constructing their designs. A stipend of $3,600 per winning design will be awarded to assist with construction, materials and transportation costs.

Submission

Sukkahville Competition submissions must be received by 12:00:00 EST on August 1, 2012 to the office address listed below. One single board size ARCH D (36" x 24") per entry will be accepted. The presentation layout and technique is absolutely open and at the discretion of the entrant. The presentation should clearly document the proposed design as well as the approach to the construction. Presentation boards should be completely anonymous. Please tape a single, sealed, letter-sized envelope to the back of the board containing the name and contact information of the entrant. Entrants must register by June 1, 2012; please send an email with your name or names of team members to [email protected].

Timeline

June 1, 2012            Registration Deadline
August 1, 2012            Deadline for Submissions
August 15, 2012        Finalists will be notified
September 28 to 29, 2012    Construction Period
September 30 to Oct 1, 2012    Public Display
September 30, 2012        Awards Presentation

Background

Kehilla Residential Programme is a non-profit housing agency whose mandate is to identify and champion housing initiatives responsive to the needs of the Jewish community in the greater Toronto area. Established in 1982, Kehilla is an affiliate agency of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Under its mandate, Kehilla has been both a leader in the development of many affordable housing initiatives as well as in offering property management services for community housing projects. With the goal of raising awareness to support Kehilla and its initiatives, the Sukkahville competition has been instituted to bring focus to the many significant affordable housing issues that are prevalent in our own community.
Feel free to send us any question or concerns you have by email or phone!

Kehilla Residential Programme
262 Ridley Boulevard
Toronto, ON M5M 4N6
Tel: 416 932 1212
Fax: 416 932 1214

www.sukkahville.com

email: [email protected]
facebook: www.facebook.com/kehillaresidentialprogramme
twitter: @kehillarp