A contest made in the context of the research project Visual Spaces of Change (VSC)

U.Porto – AAI | CEAU | FAUP
U.Minho – Centro ALGORITMI – Lab2PT

Deadline for the submission of projects: 31st of December, 2020

CONTEST: RULES AND PRIZES

The International Drawing and Photography Contest (DPIc) – Architecture, Art and Image – UTOPIA 500 is directed at the Space and Identity of the Universities, and it is open to the entire academic community.

The core theme of the contest is the idea of Utopia and Visual Spaces of Change (VSC), focusing on the spaces and identities of the Universities. This second edition counts with the participation of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and of the Chalmers University of Technology (CUT)that come together in this contest through an international network for dissemination and strenghtening of the research, AAi2 Lab articulated with the Visual Spaces of Change (VSC) research project. The contest is organized by the research group AAI (FAUP) integrated in the I&D centre of FAUP (CEAU) and by AEFAUP, in partnership with the Student Associations of all other Faculties of U.Porto, being promoters of the consortium of the research project VSC, alongside with the project AAi2 Lab, counting with the institutional support of U.Porto’s Rectorate and FAUP.

The coordination of the contest is the responsability of the Center for Studies in Architecture and Urbanism of the Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto (CEAU/FAUP) through its research group AAI and the Centre for English, Translation and Anglo-Portuguese Studies of the Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto (CETAPS/FLUP).

Visual Spaces of Change is the first stage of an Architecture, Art, Image, and Innovation (AAI2) Project, which has a significant component of Contemporary Photography combined with complementary research in Space Syntax and Information Technology. Building on earlier research from the Center for Communication and Spatial Representation (CCRE), this project will investigate the conditions for the creation of a network of public and collective spaces capable of catalyzing emerging dynamics of urban change in Oporto Metropolitan Region (AMP). The territory of this study is simultaneously used as the laboratory for empirical experimentation and as the stage for visual representation of the agents and processes of urban change. This research project will produce visual synthesis of these dynamics in order to render visible aspects of its interconnected nature and historical singularity, which are difficult to perceive without the purposeful use of image and photography. This project breaks new ground in proposing an original combination of visual research methods and spatial analysis, departing from the identification of a set of strategic city spaces and pathways connected by network points (VSCNP) identified in the urban grid. These network points are calculated by using syntactic measurements, which allow for the identification of the location of optimal interaction between public and collective spaces. Contemporary Photography Projects (CPP) will be developed and implemented in the selected locations, conceived as visual narratives that intentionally interfere with the metropolitan territory in a self-reflective representation of its own process of change. (See more in chapter VIII).

The main ideas present in the Drawing and Photography Contest (DPIc) – Architecture, Art and Image – UTOPIA 500 contest is to open the Universities to the Civil Society through diverse submitted projects, showcasing the multifaceted richness of activities, experiences and architectures related to the Learning institutions and its diverse spaces of experience and work.

The candidates, individually of as a team, should creatively explore the universe of Drawing and Photography transmitting, on the one hand, an other “gaze“ about each Faculty and the way it relates to the City, that is, a critical and poetic gaze about the spaces and experiences that characterize and identify them, revealing facets that before were invisible or forgotten. On the other hand, offer a prospective and utopian gaze about these spaces of teaching which means a work where the drawing and the photography are present and direct the design of the creator as instruments of thought and imagination allowing to amplify an idea of Architecture and the City, as well as the appropriation and experience of its spaces.

CHAPTER I – OBJECTIVES

In keeping with the Visual Spaces of Change (VSC) rationale, the overall goal of this initiative is to create new communication and dissemination channels between Universities (and respective academic communities) and the Civil Society, by opening up these institutions to society through different interactions, socialisations, studies and research projects, and by promoting an interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge and experiences between different fields of knowledge and social strata.

Specific goals of the contest:– Raise the awareness of the new generations towards the transforming potential of Architecture, and its relationship with the concept of City, encouraging them to explore the ideas of Utopia and Visual Spaces of Change (VSC) and use them in their artistic processes;
– Increase the awareness of students and citizens towards the need to think of alternatives for the education spaces they attend, whether they have, or haven’t already been created;
– Increase the awareness of students and citizens towards the need to think of alternatives for the education spaces they attend, whether they have, or haven’t already been created;
– Promote a better understanding of Image and its uses as a method and a medium of representation that opens up new ways of transforming and interacting with Architecture and Urban spaces;
– Highlight the potential of Image as a medium tocross borders and dislocate boundaries between different Architecture and Art problems and applications, with a focus on University spaces.

CHAPTER II – THEME, MEDIA OF REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPANTS

The core themes of the contest are the ideas of Utopia and Visual Spaces of Change (VSC). The challenge is to presenta visual diptych (two images) that may, or may not, combine photography and drawing. The first image, in A3 format, must represent a University space (a classroom, an auditorium, an outdoor or indoor communal area, etc.) just like it is today. The second image, also in A3 format, must offer a forward-looking and utopian vision that represents the potential of change of the same space, and the ways in which it can be experienced. Both images must be accompanied by a text explaining the ideas expressed by the visual diptych, with a minimum of 200 and a maximum of 500 words.

We accept individual and collective applications, but we encourage the formation of multidisciplinary teams. The teams can consist of members with different academic profiles; however, at least one of the members must be connected to the world of Architecture, Plastic Arts or Image, be enrolled in higher education or be part of a research centre. The age limit for participating in the contest is 35 years. Each individual or team may only submit one work.

This initiative is specifically directed at national and international university students from any area of study. The participation of the Students’ Councils is welcome, as it facilitates the formation of multidisciplinary teams. The institutional partners of the Contest, U.Porto’s Students’ Councils and the Rectorate of U.Porto, will be responsible for receiving the submitted works, debating ideas and managing communications.

CHAPTER III – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Contestants must use, at least, one of the two proposed forms of representation – Drawing and/or Photography – without limitations in terms of manipulation, including collage and photomontage, or regarding the combination of both forms of representation.The images submitted to the contest must not bear any signature or watermark. All images containing photographs must have a high printing quality; otherwise, they may not be published in Scopio Editions’ catalogue.

Is it the objective of this contest that each visual narrative – diptic – communicates a real space and an idealized one capable of flourishing a new conscience about the portrayed place, stimulating people to experience these spaces from new perspectives.

Diptics that correspond to an aesthetic appropriation where architectural photography and drawing are present in a significant way and that is capable of constituting points of departure to a new understanding and perception of these places of teaching. Visions capable of documenting and register architectures, experiences and places in permanent change, as well as constituting a way of knowledge of the real in confrontation with prospectic and utopian visions of those spaces.

CHAPTER IV – APPLICATIONS, JURY AND SELECTION

The works must be submitted by e-mail at dpic.vsc@arq. up.pt.In order to be considered complete, applications must include:
1) the application form, duly completed;
2) two separate files, in JPEG or TIFF format (with a maximum of 5 MB each), corresponding to the rst and the second imagens of thevisual diptych (described in CHAPTER II of this Regulation); the files must be identi ed with the abbreviated name of the project followed by the numbers 1 and 2, respectively.
3) a Word document with a text explaining the visual diptych, with a minimum of 200 and a maximum of 500 words.

The jury will be composed of curators, architects, artists and experts from the eld of arts. The jury will initially select the 20 best works and invite the authors to send their original works in order to be exhibited in several indoor and outdoor public spaces. The exhibition visitors will be invited to vote on their favourite works through an online platform developed for this purpose. The public votes will rank the works on a scale of 1 to 20 points. The winner selected by the jury cannot be contested. The members of the management bodies of the promoting or partner institutions cannot participate in the contest.

This contest has an important component of network and internet that are understood as instruments capable of creating sinergies and establishing communicative bridges and allowing a larger coverage of the message, as well as creating sinergies with the diverse exhibitions related to the approached themes based on the produced contents.

CHAPTER V – PRIZES

The 20 selected works will be on exhibition between the 2020 and 2021 Edition of the Visual Spaces of Change (VSC) project and published on Scopio Editions’ catalogue. All authors of the selected works will receive a certificate. The jury will select one winner and, possibly, distinguish one or two works with honourable mentions; the awarded works will receive a document certifying the jury’s decision. The works will also be featured in VSC and Scopio Network’s Web sites, as well as in U.Porto’s platform Sigarra. The winner of the contest will receive 3 (three) copies of Scopio’s catalogue, and the authors of the honourable mentions will receive 2 (two) copies. The Organising Committee will make its best efforts with the sponsors of the Contest to provide attractive prizes to the winner and the authors distinguished with honourable mentions.

CHAPTER VI – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Only the works that comply with this Regulation will be accepted. All other applications will be disqualified. The organising committee will only admit drawing and/or photography – based projects that meet the proposed theme and minimum standards of quality. The organising committee shall not be liable for any digital copies of the submitted photographs. Any omitted situation will be settled by the Jury of the Contest. The organising committee reserves the right to publish the works submitted to the contest, as per the Portuguese Law No. 2/99 of 13 January. The authors agree to transfer the copyrights of the submitted works to the Organising Committee of the Contest. The original works will not be returned to the authors without their express request, and will only be returned against payment of the shipping costs.

CHAPTER VII – TECHNICAL AND ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE:
Research group AAI (FAUP) integrated in the I&D centre of FAUP (CEAU) and the Centre for English, Translation and Anglo-Portuguese Studies of the Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto (CETAPS/FLUP). 

Partnerships: Projects Architecture, Art and Image (AAI), UTOPIA 500, VSC, AAI2 Lab and AEFAUP, with the institutional support of U.Porto’s Rectorate and of the Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade do Porto.

Contacts: AAI / CEAU / FAUP
Universidade do Porto
Via Panorâmica s/n 4150-564 Porto
dpic.vsc@arq.up.pt

CHAPTER VIII – VISUAL SPACES OF CHANGE

Visual Spaces of Change is the first stage of an Architecture, Art, Image, and Innovation (AAI2) Project, which has a significant component of Contemporary Photography combined with complementary research in Space Syntax and Information Technology. Building on earlier research from the Center for Communication and Spatial Representation (CCRE), this project will investigate the conditions for the creation of a network of public and collective spaces capable of catalysing emerging dynamics of urban change in Oporto Metropolitan Region (AMP). The territory of this study is simultaneously used as the laboratory for empirical experimentation and as the stage for visual representation of the agents and processes of urban change. This research project will produce visual synthesis of these dynamics in order to render visible aspects of its interconnected nature and historical singularity, which are difficult to perceive without the purposeful use of image and photography. This project breaks new ground in proposing an original combination of visual research methods and spatial analysis, departing from the identification of a set of strategic city spaces and pathways connected by network points (VSCNP) identified in the urban grid. These network points are calculated by using syntactic measurements, which allow for the identification of the location of optimal interaction between public and collective spaces. Contemporary Photography Projects (CPP) will be developed and implemented in the selected locations, conceived as visual narratives that intentionally interfere with the metropolitan territory in a self-reflective representation of its own process of change.

This network of public and collective spaces will constitute an “Open Museum” within the metropolitan area, allowing for the piloting of experimental curatorial actions, which will stimulate artistic and cultural institutions to extend their reach to a larger public audience. By articulating material and immaterial resources which together give more visibility to on-going urban change dynamics, this project aims to alter public perceptions about the transformation of the public space and to collectively transform imaginings of the city at the metropolitan scale. The strategy for promoting this articulation is based on the identification of physical properties of integration, connectivity and synergy between public and collective spaces, which are potentiated by the development of online facilities for virtual interaction at multiple scales. A digital platform will be developed in order to insert visual data into a georeferenced system with several temporal layers in 4D (space and time), allowing for the accessibility, diffusion, monitoring, and sharing of visual information. This platform will also enable an active dialogue between researchers, institutions, and the public, contributing to the identification of opportunities of co-evolution between citizens, institutions, and the urban environment.