17th International Professional Architecture Biennale 2024

May, Wednesday 29, Thursday 30, Friday 31 and June

Saturday 01
Guidelines for Professionals

Presentation
The College of Architects of Costa Rica calls for the 17th International Professional Architecture
Biennale 2024 to be held from May 22nd to 25th, 2024, under the theme "Circular Architecture."
The event will be in a bimodal format (2 virtual days, 2 on-site days).

The organization during the International Architecture Biennale 2024 will work towards achieving
each of the objectives set for the event.

The Committee designated for the International Architecture Biennale "Circular Architecture" will
oversee the thematic direction driving the project.

The International Architecture Biennale 2024: Circular Architecture

The International Architecture Biennale 2024 is presented as a space for reflection and exploration
of circular architecture, a growing trend that seeks to rethink the way we design, construct, and
use spaces, with the aim of creating sustainable and environmentally respectful environments.
Costa Rica, recognized for its focus on sustainability, is the perfect setting for this gathering of
innovative ideas and proposals.

Circular architecture is based on principles of a circular economy, where materials and resources
are used efficiently, waste is reduced, and reuse and recycling are promoted. The Architecture
Biennale 2024 in Costa Rica aims to highlight projects that embrace this approach, showcasing
how circular architecture can contribute to the creation of more resilient and sustainable
communities.
General Objective

Raising awareness about the importance of architecture for society and the development of nations
through a technical, informative, and educational event that encourages architectural culture by
providing exposure and training opportunities to both professionals and architecture students.

Description of the Professional Biennale

The Biennale event is based on two main stages:

A. Competition: exhibition of professional projects

B. Academic: thematic conferences and panel discussions

A. Competition

In the 17th International Professional Architecture Biennale 2024, CIRCULAR

ARCHITECTURE, only projects, research, and publications by architecture professionals from all
countries properly licensed to practice according to the regulations in their country can participate.
These projects should have been built and/or designed in the last five years and should not have
participated in other editions of the Architecture Biennales of Costa Rica.

B. Academic

In addition to the exhibition of participating projects in this 17th International Professional

Architecture Biennale 2024, there will be conferences and workshops aimed at professionals,
students, and the general public, focusing on CIRCULAR ARCHITECTURE. One of its objectives
is to educate people about the importance of architecture in society.
Categories

1. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
1.1. Built
1.2. Not Built

2. URBAN DESIGN
2.1. Built
2.2. Not built

3. URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING

3.1. Built
3.2. Not built

4. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
4.1. Built
4.2. Not Built

5. REHABILITATION AND HERITAGE

5.1. Built
5.2. Not Built: It Will evaluate the proposed intervention to the built heritage work.

6. HABITAT AND COLLECTIVE HOUSING

6.1. Built
6.2. Not Built

7. SOCIAL HOUSING
7.1. Built
7.2. Not Built
8. ARCHITECTURE DISSEMINATION
8.1 Research (unpublished texts, can be academic but not undergraduate theses).
8.2 Publications (printed magazines and books).
8.3 Electronic media (Documentaries, social networks, blogs, You tube, Instagram, digital
media only).

9. BEST CLIMATE ADAPTATION

9.1. Built
9.2. Not Built

10. NEW GENERATIONS

10.1. Built
10.2. Not Built

NOTE: Projects that have participated in previous editions of the International Architecture
Biennale, in the Not Built category, will have the opportunity to participate with the same project
in the current edition in the Built project category if the work has been developed in the last five
years.

1. ARCHITECTONIC DESIGN

This category covers any new architectural project, built or not built in the last five years and that
has not participated in other editions of the Architecture Biennales of Costa Rica, without scale
limitations and not included in the other categories of this call. This category will evaluate elements
specific to Architectural Design, so elements corresponding to other categories will not be
considered. All national projects must comply with the corresponding legislation.
 2. URBAN DESIGN

This category includes public or private proposals, built and not built, made in the last five years
in the areas of territorial planning, urban planning, and design. This category will consider: The
functional integration of human settlements, protected natural areas at a regional scale,
development and regulation of urban areas, urban integration of public transport or other large
infrastructures, informal settlement rehabilitation, housing complex design, mixed urban
complexes, as well as the quality of public space at an urban scale. All national projects must
comply with the corresponding legislation.

3. URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING

This category includes proposals, plans, and projects for territorial planning and development at
the national, regional, inter-municipal, municipal, and zonal scales, including normative projects
that are under execution and duly approved by the corresponding entities. These projects,
considering social, cultural, economic, physical, and environmental aspects, have had a direct
positive impact on urban context conditions and the territory. All national projects must comply
with the corresponding legislation.

4. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

This category includes projects carried out in the last 5 years involving intervention in the natural,
rural, or urban environment, both built and unbuilt, that consider planning, design, construction,
and management for: the rehabilitation of degraded landscapes, new developments, adaptation and
mitigation related to climate change, heritage protection, conservation of natural and cultural
landscapes, sustainable management of natural, agricultural, rural, and urban landscapes aiming to
create places that promote health and social, economic, and ecological well-being.

Fields of action: territorial planning, conservation areas, urbanism, biological corridors,

infrastructure, and public works for mobility, public space, squares and parks, green and blue
infrastructure, historical-cultural heritage, tourism, leisure, recreational and sports activities,
commercial and corporate squares, agricultural and livestock activities, energy infrastructure, and
telecommunications, health centers, therapeutic gardens, educational centers, residential gardens,
artistic expressions, among others. Every national project must comply with the corresponding
legislation.
 5. REHABILITATION AND HERITAGE

Built and unbuilt projects, historically relevant to society's development in any urban and suburban
architectural typologies, that have not participated in other editions of Architecture Biennales in
Costa Rica. This category will evaluate proposals for intervention in heritage or building
rehabilitation.

Projects may refer to building rehabilitation, changes in use, space revaluation, conservation, and
restoration. Proposals will be evaluated based on the specific project, whether it was executed
(built) or proposed (not built). Every national project must comply with the corresponding
legislation.

6. HABITAT AND COLLECTIVE HOUSING

This category encompasses collective housing projects comprising a minimum of four units,
regardless of their social, economic, scale, and complexity. It includes not only social interest
projects or state investment but also multi-family projects, condominiums, and similar
developments by the private or mixed sector, contributing to the collective construction of cities
This category allows us to understand housing interventions that strengthen urban fabric, integrate
public spaces, consolidate communities, proposing new ways to conceive development from local
realities. All national projects must comply with the corresponding legislation.

7. SOCIAL HOUSING

This category encompasses architectural projects for social housing, ranging from one to three
housing solutions, financed entirely or partially by state subsidies. These projects may be
constructed or not built within the last five years and should not have participated in previous
editions of the Architecture Biennials or Social Housing Competitions in Costa Rica. They must
comply with the minimum and maximum area requirements established by the corresponding
legislation and should encompass all elements necessary to ensure habitability. They should meet
high standards in architectural design and construction, incorporating strategies for low
maintenance costs and climate adaptation.
This category allows for understanding small-scale social interest housing projects that provide
housing solutions to families with limited economic resources or in extreme need. Despite cost
limitations, these projects include innovative aspects in their design related to functionality,
aesthetics, construction systems, cultural response, bioclimatic adaptation, among others. All
national projects must comply with the corresponding legislation.

8. DISSEMINATION OF ARCHITECTURE

It has three subcategories (which may remain unoccupied if there are not enough entries):
• Research (unpublished texts, can be academic, but not undergraduate theses).
• Publications (printed magazines and books).
• Electronic media (Documentaries, social networks, blogs, YouTube, Instagram,
exclusively digital media).

a) Research

This category encompasses all research, published or unpublished, related to architecture or the
field of construction in general, referring to historical, current, or future circumstances.
Postgraduate theses will participate in this category (done by authorized professionals from CACR
in Architecture). However, undergraduate theses done within or outside the country are not
accepted.
Attached to the submission, a link redirecting to the research should be provided. For example: A
digital folder in the cloud.

b) Publications

This contest category aims to recognize, promote, and encourage media and editorial projects
specialized in disseminating topics related to Architecture. It should focus on the following axes:
• Architectural Design
• Urban Design
• Landscape Architecture
 • Rehabilitation and Heritage
• Research
• Theory and history
• Technical information
• Ecology and environment

The Publications subcategory is broken down as follows:

Periodical Publications

Magazines, columns, and printed supplements whose content addresses the aforementioned
themes may participate. Publications will be evaluated based on 40% of their content referring to
the exposed theme, thematic quality, content, graphic design, photography, and trajectory over the
last seven years.

Books, monographs, exhibition catalogs that cover at least 50% of the aforementioned themes may
participate. Books will be assessed based on content quality, graphic design, photography, and
editing.

In addition to the online registration, the following must be submitted:

• Magazines, supplements, newspapers, and columns: four copies of three different editions,
including the latest publication, edited during the mentioned dates. Two digital copies
should also be included.
• Books, monographs, catalogs: four copies of the publication and complete digital material.

Electronic Media

Likewise, it aims to recognize the approach to these themes in non-specialized media, but whose
coverage of these topics is carried out with the responsibility conferred by the exercise of
communication. Acknowledging dissemination on social networks and other media such as
cinema, radio, and television, whose support is entirely digital, not printed.

Links to at least five programs dedicated to architecture and the categories indicated in the previous
point must be submitted. At least 50% of each program should focus on these themes. Original
scripts and references for the consulted material for the program should be attached.
The following should be sent together with the online registration:
• Magazines, supplements, newspapers, and columns: 4 copies of 3 different editions,
including the latest publication, edited during the mentioned dates. It should include 2
submissions in digital format.
• Books, monographs, catalogs: 4 copies of the publication and complete digital material.

9. BEST CLIMATE ADAPTATION

This category invites built and unbuilt projects that exhibit a clear vision in the use of passive
strategies in design and demonstrate appropriate use concerning energy savings, potable water
usage, reduction of resource waste, and promotion of biodiversity, aiming toward sustainability or
resource regeneration independently of social, economic, typological, scale, or complexity
conditions.

Projects should demonstrate clear resilience that impacts and challenges previous crisis-
management practices, with activities and actions focused on catalyzing change and improving
through adaptive models as drivers of opportunity scenarios.

Being part of the concept of resilience as environmental management capable of absorbing changes
and disturbances without losing the functionality of buildings, the city, services, and infrastructure,
reducing the impact, recovering to restore normalcy in the shortest possible time, and having the
capacity to reduce vulnerability to natural or man-made phenomena and prevent them from causing
minimal possible damage with a view to the future will be parameters to consider. All national
projects must comply with the corresponding legislation.
 10. NEW GENERATIONS

This category brings together projects in the field of housing and small housing and urban furniture
interventions, carried out by young professionals up to 35 years of age in the year of the Biennale,
whose architectural work presents innovative solutions, breaking paradigms of good construction
and design, in terms of new technologies, spatiality, use of materials and atypical alternatives of
the environment where the project is developed.

NOTE: Projects that have participated in previous editions of the International Architecture
Biennale in the "Unbuilt" category will have the opportunity to participate with the same project
in the current edition, under the "Built Projects" category.

Material to be submitted

Reception of files will only be accepted through the registration platform or with the characteristics
described in each case.
The documents to be submitted are:

1. Texts

• Descriptive report in Word format, maximum 2500 characters including spaces.

• Affidavit ((downloadable format from the web page www.bienalcostarica.com)
• Authorization for the publication of the project in the Report of the Biennale.
• In the HABITAR magazine and in other media for dissemination and exhibition.
• (Downloadable format from the website)
2. Images

• 10 photos in JPG format, 300 DPI, 8.5 x 11 size, file size less than 6Mb, and CMYK
color format.
• 5 plans, sections, facades all in JPG, 300 DPI, file size less than 6Mb.
• 1 selected photograph of the project to be used in the Biennale Report, in JPG
format, 1965x890 pixels and 300 DPI, file size less than 6 Mb
• 1 image of a plan, floor plan, or other representative element of the project in JPG
format, 300 DPI, file size less than 6 Mb.
• (These mentioned images will be official for use as representations of your project
in the Report (Memory), Magazine, website, and media.)

3. Sheet Design

• Sheet of the presented project at actual size at 150 DPI, in PDF format (maximum 300
megabytes), CMYK color format, and JPG (maximum 5 megabytes) in RGB color
format. (Other formats such as DWG, RVT, among others, will not be considered).

4. It must be uploaded to the platform in 2 formats with maximum file size:

• PDF: maximum 300 megabytes.
• JPG: maximum 5 megabytes.

The downloadable template is available on the website www.bienalcostarica.com

Participation Rights

Each participant, whether a company or an individual, can submit a maximum of TWO (2)
projects. However, only ONE (1) project per category is allowed. Considering the limitation to
two projects, if you make changes in the system, only the last two registration processes will
remain, and any previous entries will be eliminated.
Every project must be accompanied by its technical information sheet (complete team of
participating professionals).

Architectural professionals worldwide who are legally qualified according to the regulations in the
country where they practice their profession, either individually or collectively, in private or public
sectors, are eligible to participate.

Members of the Board of Directors of the College of Architects of Costa Rica are not allowed to
participate with architectural projects or presentations.

The following requirements must be provided:

• Affidavit. This statement includes points such as the consultancy contract number (for
projects carried out in Costa Rica), the complete list of professionals involved in the work
with their identification numbers, and the building permit document (parameters will be
established from the registration form and adjusted according to the documentation
provided by the municipality or relevant entity).

• Authorization from the property owner specifying their consent for the project to
participate in the 17th International Architecture Biennale 2024 and to be exhibited to the
public at this event or other events determined by the organization. In the case of winning
the grand Biennale prize, a plaque will be placed on the project as part of the recognition.

Layout Format
The art of the sheet will measure 60 cm (23.62 in) wide by one meter high (39.37 in) in vertical
orientation, with a maximum of one sheet per project.

• Each project must contain the complete technical information as per the
registration form.
• Other graphic elements may be included to aid in understanding the design.
• The design of the sheet should be in graphic-diagrammatic format, in high-quality
print.
• The base template for the sheet must be downloaded from the registration
platform.
• It should have margins and excess space of 4cm (1.57in).
The descriptive report should NOT be included in the sheet. Instead, it will be presented
through a web link accessible via the QR code provided to each participant.

The QR code can be downloaded directly from the registration platform once all files are properly
uploaded and approved by the CACR administration.

The organization of the 17th International Professional Biennale of Architecture 2024, Circular
Architecture, reserves the right to exclude any project to ensure the high quality of images, format,
and presentation of all projects.

The exhibition of projects for the 17th International Professional Biennale of Architecture 2024
will be managed by the organization. It will be presented in digital and/or printed format at the
respective venues where the Biennale takes place.

This format and material will allow for indoor and outdoor exhibition at various events showcasing
the 17th International Professional Biennale of Architecture.

Jury

The College of Architects of Costa Rica - CACR, the Events Committee, and the Coordination of
the International Biennale of Architecture will appoint the jury, delegating to them the
responsibility of selection based on the established evaluation criteria. The jury will be composed
of at least 5 members for each category, comprising both national and international professionals.

National jury members may include professionals in architecture, urban planning, landscaping,
heritage specialists, or others related to the discipline. If the judging panel deems it necessary, a
project may be transferred to a different category than the one it was initially registered in.

The Jury's decision will be final, irrevocable, and firm. The Jury will make its decision public
on the day of the awards ceremony. .

Teachers or professors of participating projects are not eligible to serve as jurors.

Awards

• The winning project of the General Category of the 17th International Professional Biennale
of Architecture will be chosen among all winners from different categories.

• A certificate and award will be granted to the winner of each category and subcategory.

• The project's exhibition material is the property of CACR and may be used at the Biennale
and other venues for display, as determined by CACR.

• Winners in architecture professions who receive the National Prize will be part of various
Biennales, local, regional, and global, to which the country, through CACR, is invited or
summoned.

• The decisions of the Jury will be final and unappealable.

• The following is the breakdown of the different awards:

Prize in Cash

• National Prize of the 17th International Professional Architecture Biennale 2024, Circular
Architecture (only for nationals): $2,000 USD.

• International Prize of the 17th International Professional Architecture Biennale 2024,

Circular Architecture (only for international participants): $2,000 USD.

• Grand Prize of the 17th International Professional Architecture Biennale 2024, Circular
Architecture (open to both nationals and international participants): $3,000 USD.
Calendar

• Project Registration Period:

From Monday, December 4th, 2023, to Tuesday, February 29th, 2024.

• Project Upload to the Platform:

From Monday, February 19th to Monday, March 18th, 2024.

• Project Submission to the Jury:

From Tuesday, March 19th to Friday, April 19th, 2024.

• Deadline for Physical Publication Submission:

Before March 14th, 2024, at the central offices of CACR from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm or
from 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm

• Exhibition, Academic Event, and Award Ceremony:

Wednesday, May 29, Thursday, May 30, Friday, May 31th, and Saturday, June 01, 2024.

Costs

Nacional International*

Cost per project Cost per project

₡70.000 ₡90.000
Professional
* Exchange rate of the day * Exchange rate of the day
Projects
according to the Central Bank of according to the Central Bank
Costa Rica* of Costa Rica*
 • Participants registering before December 31, 2023, will receive a 10% discount on the
registration fee.

• All participants submitting a project will have access to the Biennale Week
CONFERENCES.

• As per the agreement of the Events Committee and the Board of Directors, the registration
fee paid by each participant for their project cannot be refunded. If a refund is requested
due to circumstances beyond their control, only 80% of the total amount will be refunded
(the organization reserves the right to take the necessary time for processing).

• The registration fee can be paid in US dollars (USD), although the amount is expressed in
Costa Rican colones (CRC).

• Participants are responsible for covering any international transfer fees.

• Payment for each registered project should be made through the digital platform used for
project registration. The system will guide participants through the payment process step
by step.

• If payment is made through other means, participants must send the payment receipt to the
email address [email protected] and allow three business days to complete the
registration process on the platform.

Contact

Herminia Aragón Leytón, Public Relations / Commercialization

Phone: (+506) 2103-2424, Email: [email protected]

Marilyn Quesada Rojas, Public Relations / Commercialization

Phone: (+506) 2103-2426, Email: [email protected]
Benefits

• Access to all activities during the Biennale Week.

• Publication of a formal documentation containing all the participating projects of the
Biennale. A copy of this will be given to the project lead (1 copy of the documentation).
• Possible dispatch of a sample showcasing the winning projects to different countries and
competitions, such as the Quito Biennale, Colombia Biennale, Guatemala Biennale, Ibero-
American Biennale, among others.
• Publication of the activity in HABITAR Magazine, the official communication medium of
the College of Architects of Costa Rica.
• Placement of a plaque on the winning property (constructed in Costa Rica).
• Awarding of a certificate and trophy accrediting them as winners.
• Certificate of participation as a contestant.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS COMPETITION, PRIOR,

DURING, AND AFTER THE EVENT MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGES DUE TO
EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THE ORGANIZATION'S CONTROL.