Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning launches the Map Bank competition

The competition aims to provide integrated and innovative architectural maps for citizens benefiting from the housing assistance program, and to raise the efficiency of housing assistance housing designs, in addition to enhancing the community participation of consulting offices and specialized design offices to serve the social housing sector program.

Faisal bin Rabie Al-Farsi, Acting Director of the Design and Quantities Department, said: The target group for participation in this competition is architectural design offices and consulting offices, as part of enhancing communication and participation in developing design concepts that serve the social housing category, provided that the designs are distinctive and innovative and take into account sustainability and non-standard standards.

Adapted from or similar to other designs and not previously implemented. The competition is divided into two phases; Where the first stage includes a brief description of the idea and the four facades of the building for each model and presenting a three-dimensional perspective, horizontal and vertical projections for each model, as well as the estimated cost of construction.

As for the second stage, it consists of providing detailed, structural and electromechanical maps, a list of materials used, a table of quantities, and a video of the interior design. Requirements will be evaluated according to cost and feasibility.

The Acting Director of the Design and Quantities Department added that the competition includes general requirements, such as the design being flexible, capable of future expansion and suitable for all age groups of family members, and presenting a package of designs for three categories of beneficiaries of the social housing program, indicating that the submitted architectural designs will be subject to a set of evaluation bases that It is based on innovation, sustainability, future expandability and flexibility in space utilization.

He pointed out that the outputs of the competition contribute to facilitating and saving effort while reducing the time period by providing integrated architectural and structural maps, in addition to ensuring that there are various options of designs commensurate with the size of the Omani family benefiting from the program and with modern facades and high quality with the ability to renew, add and expand in the future with emphasis on That the beneficiary is not obligated to use the maps, and leave room for freedom of choice between the designs available in the Ministry or the freedom to design a house plan according to his desire and choice. It is worth noting that the first five projects will receive cash prizes.