KVDF Writing Competition | CEPT University

The intention of the Kurula Varkey Design Forum has been to curate discussions centered around the thoughts of students and young graduates. It has constantly tried to bring the agency which students hold, to forefront; to provide a platform for students to display their opinions to the profession they’ll be entering soon. Writing becomes a tool to examine one’s own thoughts; at the same time it provides an important platform to express one’s voice to a larger community.

Theme:

The processes which create, alter, and dismantle the built environment, are layered by multiple influences forming a complex ecosystem. These influences include but are not limited to political, social, ecological, and economic aspects.

Within this system lie various entities, for example, communities (professional/non-professional), flora and fauna, natural resources etc. These entities use various methods and agencies, ranging from local to global; existing to potential; introspective to outward-looking, thus forming a web of (inter)dependencies.

The existence of these dependencies and their influence on the built environment is undeniable. With the world advancing towards a more collaborative paradigm, does it become necessary for the profession to assess its standing in this network? What is the locus of a professional in this complex ecosystem? By acknowledging and factoring these ties of the lattice within which it operates, would architecture become increasingly serviceable to a larger sphere?

The interpretation of the theme, for this competition, can be flexible. One can attempt to creatively explore a single idea/notion/question or deliberate on multiple aspects discussed, or even simply contemplate on the gist of it. Within the categories, methods of writing can be diverse and exploratory. We look forward to getting a peak at your thoughts.

Eligibility:

Undergraduate students and recent graduates (graduated on or before August 2020) of architecture, planning, design, and other associated fields.
Team participation (2 people per team) is allowed.
The competition is open to people of all nationalities.

Categories and Submission Guidelines:

– Short Essay

“The good old essay, and a strong impact.”

1. A 1000-1500 word essay expanding on the theme, along with a suitable title, in a pdf file with minimum font size 12. The name of the participants must not be included. All references must be cited.
2. One square cover image (1200 x 1200 pixels, jpg)
3. Student ID Proof of all team members (jpg format).
4. All the above requirements to be uploaded in a zip file not exceeding 4 MB, titled as: “essaytitle_category.zip”.

– Story/Narrative

“Nothing bleeds caution and warning more than a well written story.”

1. A 700-1000 word story expanding on the theme, along with a suitable title, in a pdf file with minimum font size 12. The name of the participants must not be included.
2. One square cover image (1200 x 1200 pixels, jpg)
3. Student ID Proof of all team members (jpg format).
4. All the above requirements to be uploaded in a zip titled as: “storytitle_category.zip”.

– Photo/Illustration Essay | Submission Guidelines:

“Some of the best stories are often told through mere still images.”

1. 4 to 7 images/illustrations/graphics, expanding on the theme in jpg format. The size of each image must not exceed 2400 pixels in height or width. We suggest the photographers and illustrators to include only the images which are necessary to build a narrative, in order to maintain the impact of the series.
2. A short essay/description of the images (Max: 500 words) in a pdf file with minimum font size 12. The method of drawing/not drawing a relationship between the images and the text is upto the author.
3. A maximum of 2 images can be taken from existing sources with due credit given. The rest of them must be original works of the author.
4. All the above requirements to be uploaded in a zip file not exceeding 4 MB, titled as: “essaytitle_category.zip”.

Names of Jurors:

To be announced soon.

Evaluation Criteria:

1. Accessibility to a wider readership.
2. Simplicity of language and clarity of thought.
3. Interpretation of the theme.
4. Creative development of the essay/story/photo essay.
5. Writing/Graphic Style.
6. Relevance in the current context and time.

Prize:

1. Top 3 entries from each category shall be published in the KVDF magazine, website, and Instagram handle.
2. Goodie bag with KVDF merchandise.

More details: check KVDF site..

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