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BUILDIPIGS
ELSEVIER Energy and Buildings 23 (1996) 299-306

Are design ideas competitions hitting the target?

Comments on the International Design Ideas Competition for a resort
hotel by the Dead Sea, Israel
I.A. Meir, E. Erell, Y. Etzion, D. Pearlmutter
The Desert Architecture Unit, The J. Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede-Boker Campus, 84990 Israel

Abstract

The question of information dissemination among architects on subjects such as energy conservation and bioclimatic design has been dealt
with by different professional and governmental groups, but with limited success. One of the tools for the promotion of new ideas and
technologies is that of design competitions. Numerous such competitions are held regularly both on international and national levels. This
paper attempts to assess the limitations and drawbacks of such competitions vis-a-vis the real impact these have on participants, organizers
and the wider professional and student communities, as reflected in the International Design Ideas Competition for a resort hotel by the Dead
Sea, Israel, held in conjunction with the 11th PLEA International Conference.

Keywords: Climate-conscious design; Design education; Design competitions

1. Introduction (iv) stimulating the architectural discourse in Israel.

Design ideas competitions are a tool for the promotion of
new trends and ideas and, as such, are widely used around
the world. Such a competition, held in conjunction with the
1 lth PLEA (Passive and Low Energy Architecture) Inter-
national Conference, 1994, was aimed at promoting interest
in and focusing attention on issues of climate-conscious, sus-
tainable design in extreme environmental conditions. The site
chosen overlooks the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth,
amidst surroundings that are dramatically barren and harsh.
Summer weather is very hot and dry, yet the Dead Sea is
becoming a tourist attraction and winter resort area. Com-
petitors were challenged tc demonstrate that climate-con-
scious designers can respond to this unique environment, and
come up with sensitive and innovative solutions.
The competition organizers, the Desert Architecture Unit
of the J. Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, had several
aims in launching the comFR:tition:
(i) promoting interest in climate-conscious, environmen-
tally responsive design, both among students of architecture
and within the design profession;
(ii) increasing the awareness of designers and architecture
students to the special problems and opportunities in desert
regions;
(iii) demonstrating that passive and low-energy solutions
are feasible even under extreme environmental conditions;
These aims were reflected in the design brief, the environ-
mental data presented and the criteria suggested for the eval-
uation of competition entries.
2. The competition brief
Submissions were requested for a conceptual design of a
400-room resort hotel, on a site by the Dead Sea. The com-
petition was carried out as a public design ideas competition,
and was supervised by the Israel Association of Architects.
It was held in two parallel tracks:
(i) Student track: open only to students enrolled in aca-
demic institutions, studying toward a degree in architecture,
design or related professions in the field of building design.
It was hoped that schools of architecture would integrate work
on competition entries within normal design studio courses;
(ii) Professional track: open to any individual or firm
engaged in the design of the built environment.
The competition entries were judged by an international
jury consisting of leading architects engaged in private prac-
tice or teaching in academic institutions, committed to pro-
moting climate-conscious architecture: Arch. R. Lahav,
Israel, chairperson; Professor S. Yannas, AA School of Archi-
tecture, UK; Arch. A. Tombazis, Greece; Arch. T. Leiters-
dorf, Israel; Arch. B. Hayutin, Israel; Arch. A. Gonen, Israel,

0378-7788/96/$15.00 © 1996 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved

SSDI O378-7788( 95 )OO955-W
300 LA. Meir et al. / Energy and Buildings 23 (1996) 299-306
competition secretary. (According to the rules of the Israel
Institute of Architects, the competition organizer may invite
judges on its behalf, but may not be one of the judges.)
2.1. Site characteristics
The proposed resort hotel was to be part of a complex of
tourist facilities which will be built on the western shores of
the Dead Sea, Israel, at about 31°N 35°E. The coast of the
Dead Sea is the lowest land surface on earth, approximately
405 m below mean sea level. Its water has the highest con-
centration of salts and minerals of any sea, five times as high
as that of the Mediterranean Sea. The topography bears evi-
dence of the great tectonic upheavals which formed the Great
Rift Valley. Sheer cliffs and canyons, hundreds of meters
deep, are etched in sharp, jagged lines in a landscape almost
entirely devoid of vegetation. However, in the few places
where fresh water springs are present, such as at Ein-Gedi,
only five km north of the competition site, the lush, green
vegetation is reminiscent of tropical climates. The Dead Sea
is a landlocked body of water, draining a catchment area
reaching from Mt. Hermon on the Syrian border to the Negev
highlands in the south. The Dead Sea has been receding over
the last several decades, due to over-utilization of the water
sources in its catchment area, and its water level has declined
by over 12 m in the past twenty years. However, a particularly
rainy season may result in a rise of up to 2 m in the water
level. The design of the beach and sports facilities serving
the hotel were to take these factors into account.
Competitors were free to select any site within an area of
approximately 6 km 2, bound on the east by a regional road
artery running parallel to the Dead Sea about 100 m from the
beach, and on the west by a nature reserve which includes the
whole of the cliff face which dominates the landscape. Loca-
tion and size of a particular site within the available area were
up to the competitors, who were requested to consider the
orientation (northeast through southeast), slope, landscaping
requirements, distance from the sea, etc., see Fig. 1.
2.2. Climate
The climate of the Dead Sea area is hot and arid [ 1 ]. The
mean annual rainfall is only 88 mm, all of which occurs
between November and March. Several factors affect the
local climatic conditions:
(i) the site is situated at an elevation of approximately 400
m below mean sea level;
(ii) the regional airflow generates adiabatic heating, as
westerly winds descend along the eastern slopes of the Judean
Mountains and cause a rise in temperature and decrease in
relative humidity;
(iii) the site is over 80 km from the nearest large body of
water, the Mediterranean Sea, and is thus characterized by a
basically continental climate, and
(iv) the proximity to the Dead Sea, despite its small area,
has a slight moderating effect.
35 °
330
TebAvDj DEADSEA
.~,~SedeBoqeCampus
lr
,, ... / 31 °
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•~, (
30o
0 25 50km
Fig. 1. Site location map.
Summer conditions are extremely hot and dry. July tem-
peratures range from a mean daily minimum of 25 °C to a
mean maximum of 38 °C. The relative humidity ranges from
a mean daily minimum of 27% to a maximum of 63% during
the relatively cooler night. Daytime maximum temperatures
in excess of 40 °C are fairly common. Winter conditions are
mild, with mean daily temperatures in January ranging from
a minimum of 10 °C to a maximum of 20 °C. As in summer,
the air is fairly dry during this period, with relative humidity
ranging on average from a daily minimum of 42% to a daily
maximum of 76%. The annual heating requirement, based on
a design temperature of 18.3 °C, is 318 degree-days. The
wind regime in the area is affected mainly by the topography
of the Rift Valley, as well as by the proximity of the Dead
Sea itself. The daily pattern of winds is characterized by light
southerly sea breezes in the morning and early afternoon,
which change to a northerly direction in the late afternoon
and evening, continuing throughout the night, all year round.
The effect of the Mediterranean Sea is felt only during sum-
mer evenings, when a fairly strong wind (20--40 kin/h)
blows from the west or northwest. Sky conditions are gen-
erally clear all year round, and cloud cover is significant only
for short periods during the winter, when low pressure sys-
tems affect the whole of the southeastern Mediterranean.
Solar radiation is intense; total daily insolation on a horizontal
surface exceeds 7 k W h / m z during the summer, and 4 kWh/
m 2 during sunny winter days. However, a significant portion
of the UV rays are filtered by the thick atmosphere, so that
prolonged exposure to the sun is less hazardous than in higher
elevations. (This is one of the attractions to tourists.) Corn-
 LA. Meir et al. / Energy and Buildings 23 (1996) 299-306
plete climatic data, including wind roses, monthly tempera-
ture and humidity levels and solar radiation were provided
on separate sheets.
The functional brief (adapted from Israel Ministry of Tour-
ism standards for 4-star hotels) called for the hotel to be built
as one building or as a complex of several buildings perform-
ing as one homogenous unit with entrances, corridors, lifts
and staircases for hotel use only. The public areas were to
include an attractive main entrance with vehicular access; a
separate entrance for the restaurants, commercial areas, multi-
purpose halls and for external functions such as health spas,
swimming pool, sports areas, etc., which were to be accessible
directly from the hotel. Commercial facilities included a hair-
dresser, news agent, travel agency and jewelry store. Access
to swimming pool and bathing beach were to be provided
without passing through the main lobby. Access for handi-
capped persons was to be provided to all public areas.
The program required the design of 400 guest rooms, all
with attached bathrooms. At least 100 to 120 of the rooms
were to have direct access to attached outdoor space (gardens
or terraces, not balconies).
Swimming pool and s p o t . facilities included a swimming
pool with adjacent children's pool, tennis courts and multi-
purpose ball court. Provision was required for enclosure of
the swimming pool and some of the surrounding pavement.
Parking requirements included on-site parking for 100 pri-
vate vehicles and for four buses. At least one third of all
parking spaces were to be covered.
2.3. Presentation guidelines and requirements
All drawings, sketches, etc., for each entry were to be
presented on two posters measuring 70 cm × 100 cm each.
Competitors were required It present the customary plans
and drawings necessary to display the architectural design,
as well as schematic presentation of the climatic control meth-
ods employed.
3. Criteria for assessment of design entries
Members of the jury were instructed to use the following
criteria to evaluate the proposed designs:
(i) excellence within the context: how well does the design
respond to the specific environmental conditions and prob-
lems associated with the site;
(ii) quality of the climatic design solution: integration of
passive climate control techniques into the overall design of
the project; use of a variety of methods as appropriate to
achieving environmental comfort (a schematic diagram
explaining the climatic design principles was essential);
(iii) design of adjacent outdoor spaces: a comprehensive
design encompassing the whole site is preferable to a stand-
alone building; a conceptual approach to treatment of outdoor
space surrounding the hotel, cr of a particular part of it, should
be displayed;
301
(iv) originality and innovation: use of advanced building
materials or innovative design features was encouraged, and
(v) clarity of communication: ideas should be communi-
cated effectively; the designs and passive climate control
elements should be easily understood not only by the jury but
by students as well as by the general public, such as com-
munity leaders and others outside of the building design pro-
fessions.
4. Participation and results
The competition drew 18 submissions in the professional
track, and 58 in the student track. Only 8 submissions were
by Israeli architects. The winners of the competition, as
selected by the jury, were:
4.1. Professional track
Third prize: TBV Consultants (G. Wilson and A. Stephan-
ides), UK. Citation: Miletic Dejan, Yugoslavia. The jury did
not award first and second prizes in this track.
4.2. Student track
First prize: Gustavo Frias, University of Arizona, USA.
The second prize was awarded to three entries: by Laura
Garavoglia, David Jaggers and Katie Molnar, all of the Uni-
versity of New South Wales, Australia. Third prize: Elizabeth
Steel, University of New South Wales, Australia. Honorable
mentions were awarded to Helen De Luis, University of New
South Wales, Australia; Clare Sutton, Portsmouth University,
UK, and Lyzbett Bernaldez and Mariana Reid, University of
Arizona, USA.
5. A general critique of the competition
The designs submitted to the competition were of varying
quality; some were very original and innovative, while others
displayed little appreciation of the unique characteristics of
the site. There were, however, a number of failings common
to nearly all entries.
In spite of being provided with an extremely comprehen-
sive set of climatic data, many contestants failed to conduct
a sufficiently thorough analysis of local climatic conditions,
and displayed an incomplete understanding of the constraints
upon the design. For example, the fact that passive climate-
control devices may not always be sufficient in themselves
to provide thermal comfort under the extreme weather con-
ditions characteristic of the Dead Sea in summer appears to
have been ignored. Thus, many designs incorporated a very
open, spread-out plan with a large surface area to volume
ratio, precisely the opposite of what may be required if inte-
rior conditions are to be markedly different from those pre-
vailing outdoors.
302 I.A. Meir et al. /Energy and Buildings 23 (1996) 299-306

The functional program which constituted part of the mate-

rial sent to all competitors was very detailed, and was based
on the requirements for 4-star hotel rating by the Israel Min-
istry for Tourism. The site for the competition was also based
on the existing plan for commercial development of the area
for tourism, and was limited on the west by a nature reserve,
and on the east by a major arterial road, both marked clearly
on the map of the site and on the aerial photo provided.
However, many contestants allowed themselves great liber-
ties with the design brief, providing in effect solutions to
requirements of their own choice. Thus, many submissions
failed to provide the required number of guest rooms, parking
spaces or other facilities. Others failed to acknowledge the
site limitations, namely that neither the dramatic cliffs west
of the site nor the shore of the Dead Sea were within the area
set-out for commercial development and designed buildings
outside of the competition site. The lack of respect for limi-
.... . i
tations imposed in order to preserve the unique environment
of the area is particularly disappointing, coming as it does
from students and designers with an avowed interest in the
environment, and not from rapacious real estate developers.
The entries submitted raised a number of interesting and
- - sometimes worrying - - points, some of them demonstrat-
ing dichotomies of the design profession already recognized,
others posing interesting questions as to the value of design
ideas competitions in general, especially those aiming at cre-
ating a new momentum within the profession.

5.1. Professionals versus students

There was a distinct gap between the quality of most of the
professional entries and that of students, the latter often reach-
ing a much higher standard. This point was stressed by the
Jury's decision not to grant professionals first and second
prizes. Furthermore, student entries in general were richer in
ideas, concepts, technical solutions and general design.
Among them were several that related to the landscape and
the natural features of the site in unique and interesting ways,
see Fig. 2.
This gap may be attributed to a number of factors:
(i) students are more receptive to new ideas and are more
(d)
willing to tackle new design problems, whereas professionals
present a certain rigidity;
(ii) the relatively low value of prizes (US$ 2000 first prize
in the professional track) did not attract the interest of archi-
tects familiar with the subject matter of the competition. This
was reflected in the low number of entries by practicing archi-
tects, and
(iii) the quality of student-designed projects indicated that
both students and their tutors invested thought, knowledge
and time in a serious effort to find appropriate and innovative
solutions.
Fig. 2. Student entries: (a) third prize: E. Steel, University of New South
5.2. Stereotypes versus 'Gestalt' Wales, Australia, tutor G. Hewett; (b) honorable mention: H. de Luis,
University of New South Wales, Australia, tutor G. Hewett; (c) honorable
Although the competition brief clearly stated the different mention: L. Bernaldezand M. Reid, University of Arizona, USA, tutors H.
limitations ~ environmental and programmatic, many der Boghosian and M. Yoklic; (d) C. Fan'ell, University of New South
entries totally disregarded them. Thus, numerous solutions Wales, Australia, tutor: G. Hewett.
 I.A. Meir et al. / Energy and Buildings 23 (1996) 299-306
were based on stereo-typical patterns. Some of them incor-
porated night ventilation, although ambient air temperatures
in summer are too high for thermal comfort even in the coolest
hours of the night. Others located the project wholly or in
part over the water to enhance evaporative cooling, a solution
which is not feasible due to the high salinity of the Dead Sea,
which leads to serious corrosion problems. Foundation solu-
tions in the vicinity of the water are technically difficult and
economically questionable. Other solutions integrated the
complex into the cliffs - - a very interesting architectonic
concept, but impossible to implement under the specific con-
ditions due to soil mechanics and seismic problems. The brief
took these limitations into consideration and located the site
far enough from both the water's edge and from the cliffs.
Many entries presented a stereo-typical solution based on
another i m a g e - - that of the oasis in the desert. These entries
featured wide, open spaces covered with vegetation and
ample bodies of water (fountains, channels, pools, water-
falls). The relative scarcity of fresh water would appear to
indicate a more focused use of water in the landscaping of
small, clearly marked out areas where the micro-climatic
benefits would be greatest. The large number of palm trees
evident in many of the presentations is another manifestation
of this stereo-type: while palm trees may flourish in many hot
climates, they provide little shade and are found in deserts
only in oases, since they require considerable amounts of
water.
These solutions, based on images rather than reality, show
a typical lack of understanding of specific conditions (such
as evapo-transpiration potential), although they had been
clearly stated in the brief. It is important to note such dis-
crepancies since a design approach based on images and
proto-types appears to guide not only students, but also
professional architects.
5.3. A e s t h e t i c s v e r s u s f u n c t i o n
There were discrepancies between the design articulation
of many entries, and the level of functional and climatic
solutions. This points to a cerlain lack of balance between the
'architectural' level of design and the 'technical' one.
Although it may be assumed by the technical expertise of
some of the solutions that many of the entrants have had
previous acquaintance with passive and low-energy design,
many entries displayed the traditional gap between what is
mistakenly considered the architect's domain and that of the
climatic/energy consultant. Almost all entries attempted to
present the design solutions as totally passive or low energy,
disregarding the actual climatic conditions which make such
solutions insufficient in themselves for the given location,
especially during the summer, and for large spaces such as
dining and assembly halls. The obvious solution of limiting
air-conditioning energy investment through higher insulation
values and the incorporation of energy-efficient and heat-
recovery systems was not stressed in any of the projects. The
treatment of outdoor space often showed a similar disregard
303
for simple functional solutions, such as the provision of shade
by planting suitable trees, or by other means, rather than
planting formal arcades of palm trees.
• The conflict between architectural style and good climatic
design is apparent in other design competitions, among them
the International Competition to Design a Solar Heated Res-
idence in Phoenix, AZ, USA, held in 1957 by the Association
of Applied Solar Energy [ 2 ]. In retrospect, it appears that the
winning designs were selected mostly for their aesthetic qual-
ities and conformity to the current architectural style, and not
for the quality of their climatic design, even though this was
the theme of the competition. Submissions which displayed
elaborate and effective passive heating and daylight control
features as well as good architectural design, but which did
not conform to the accepted aesthetic theory of the period,
among them entries by Victor Olgyay and by Paolo Soleri,
were not considered by the competition jury worthy of prizes.
6. Critique of winning entries
The winning entry in the student track, by Gustavo Frias,
tutored by Professor Harry der Boghosian and Martin Yoklic
at the College of Architecture, University of Arizona, was a
highly articulated design seeking to create a dramatic silhou-
ette on the water's edge. The guest rooms occupy two wings
to be constructed on piers jutting out into the Dead Sea, while
public facilities are arranged along a perpendicular axis run-
ning north-south along the beach (Fig. 3). The landscaped
areas are minimal, and attention is focused on enhancing the
experience of contact with the Dead Sea water. The major
circulation spaces in the hotel are therefore in the form of
long, open arcades defined by a series of evaporative cool
towers which are also intended to cool the air.
The jury considered the submission to be '...a good, well-
worked-out design scheme. The project is located between
the road and the sea, continuing into the Dead Sea, as such
creating climatic and design qualities. The orientation is good
from both climatic and view considerations. It has outdoor
climatized spaces, and roof shading for the buildings; it has
a clear plan, and well-worked-out design features'.
However, several important issues were overlooked:
(i) The competition site marked out by the organizers did
NOT extend to the water's edge. One of the challenges of the
design brief was the resolution of a workable scheme con-
necting the hotel site with beach facilities situated over a
hundred meters away, in a manner appropriate to the local
climate. The entire submission was therefore worked out
outside of the intended site.
(ii) Analysis of climatic conditions at the competition site
indicates that full air-conditioning is required for at least part
of the year. Appropriate climatic design may reduce cooling
loads during the height of the summer, and extend the pos-
sibility of spending time outdoors in sheltered areas. The
circulation spaces in this scheme expose hotel guests and staff
304 LA. Meir et al. / Energy and Buildings 23 (1996) 299-306
Fig. 3. First prize: student track: G. Frias, Universityof Arizona, USA, tutors: H. der Boghosian and M. Yoklic. (a) site plan; (b) section; (c) bioclimatic
design details.
to outdoor conditions regardless of whether they are in fact
comfortable, offering no alternative route from one part of
the hotel to another. Thus, while the circulation pattern dom-
inated by the cool towers is an example of how outdoor space
may be treated to improve climatic comfort and at the same
time make a dramatic architectural statement, it is also an
example of the type of strategy which designers might do
best to avoid.
The winning entry in the professional track, by Gordon
Wilson and Akis Stephanides of TBV Consultants, UK, fea-
tured a linear building etched into the landscape from west
to east, consisting of units of varying sections totaling nearly
1000 m in length, see Fig. 4. The design presents a stark and
very controlled exterior, particularly in the form of a stone-
faced wall which makes up the south elevation, contrasting
with a rich, textured interior garden which runs the length of
the building. This atrium not only unifies the design and acts
as the main circulation space, but provides a sheltered, cli-
mate-controlled landscaped area adjacent to most of the guest
rooms. The hotel has no outdoor spaces, other than the
required sports facilities and access to the shore of the Dead
(~
Sea, by means of a promenade extending from the eastern
guest wing to the water.
The jury felt '...the scheme is a strong statement of a snake-
like wall building, but with too long a wall of continuous
rooms facing north-south. It has interesting climatic features,
with stack ventilation to the atrium, and an interesting cli-
matic section. The north elevation is monotonously long, and
not worked out properly'.
A number of issues which, in our view, should be central
to environment-conscious design, were not addressed:
(i) The response to local environmental conditions must
not be allowed to become the sole factor influencing the
design process. The design must not only provide thermal
comfort, but also satisfy the functional requirements normally
associated with the relevant building type. The winning entry,
incorporating as it did a hotel building of such length, would
appear to create functional problems associated with the pro-
vision of services to guests spread out over great horizontal
distances. While not insoluble, there was no reference in the
submission to an appropriate approach to the resolution of
this problem.
 I.A. Meir et al. / Energy and Buildings 23 (1996) 299-306 305

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bioclimaficdesigndetails.
306 LA. Meir et al. / Energy and Buildings 23 (1996) 299-306
(ii) While presenting a complex and flexible climatic treat-
ment of the building, the design fails to recognize that summer
conditions near the Dead Sea are so hot that evaporative
cooling by itself may not be sufficient to provide acceptable
levels of comfort; and that nighttime temperatures in summer,
even in the coolest pre-dawn hours, are too high to enable
ventilative cooling.
7. General conclusions
Design competitions focus attention on the particular prob-
lems raised by the design brief as well as those posed by the
unique characteristics of site, culture, prevailing architectural
theory, etc. By emphasizing particular features of the design
process, the organizers of a competition may hope to attract
interest in the specific issue in question - - that is often the
essence of a 'design ideas competition', where there is little
prospect of the winning design actually being executed.
Having declared a design ideas competition, organizers
have little control over the result. Design entries may be
appropriate or otherwise; the relevant issues may have been
explored in the desired depth, resulting in original and inno-
vative solutions, or they may not have. The quality of the
designs submitted depends to a certain degree on the willing-
ness of competitors to devote considerable time and thought
to the issues raised by the design brief. Practicing architects
rarely have the incentive to do so, unless the prospective
rewards are enough to justify the allocation of resources nor-
mally devoted to standard design work, or unless the architect
is already deeply committed to the issues at hand. The poten-
tial for innovative work is perhaps greatest among students
of architecture, who are anyway involved with theoretical
projects, and are less constrained by the financial considera-
tions of a design firm. However, students require guidance.
In declaring a design ideas competition, the organizers pre-
sume that there are tutors sufficiently knowledgeable and
interested to promote participation amongst their students.
The success of students from the University of New South
Wales, who won five out of eight prizes in the student track
of this competition, reflects as much on their tutor, Graeme
Hewett, as on the students themselves, and is testimony to
the potential benefits of a school policy dedicated to imparting
the ideals of climate-conscious architecture to future design-
ers [ 3,4 ]. In the absence of such a policy or of staff members
who are suitably qualified, the benefits of participation in
such competitions may be limited, as is their capacity to break
new ground. An objective assessment of the value of design
ideas competitions probably leads to the conclusion that they
may at best be able to promote and sustain interest in areas
where the groundwork is already present.
Many design competitions are a one-way process: com-
petitors rarely have the privilege of receiving a critique of
their entries, or of seeing the winning design. This is partic-
ularly true of international competitions. The competition
organizers are thus limited in their capacity to 'educate', in
the sense that it is difficult to give exposure to a particular
philosophy or approach. The only real means of doing so is
through a stimulating but very clear design brief, where the
principles at issue are expounded clearly and accurately. As
organizers of the Design Ideas Competition for a resort hotel
by the Dead Sea, we were aware of these limitations. The
project brief was detailed and elaborate, and the criteria for
evaluation of the submissions were stated clearly and pre-
cisely. The issues to be addressed by the entrants should have
been clear, without placing undue restraints on the creative
aspects of the design process.
In retrospect, design ideas competitions such as the one
described in this article should be proposed with a very clear
perception of the limitations inherent in this format. While
they appear fairly straightforward to organize, their appeal to
competitors, particularly established firms, is often insuffi-
cient to attract their participation. At the same time, the ina-
bility to respond to entrants and to create a continuing
dialogue with them on the issues raised by the brief are a
frustrating feature of such competitions. We hope this article,
along with the exhibition of selected entries and the open
discussion held during the 1 Ith PLEA International Confer-
ence held in an hotel located only a few minutes drive away
from the competition site, goes some way towards addressing
this problem.
References
[ 1] A. Bitan and S. Rubin, Climatic Atlas of Israel for Physical and
Environmental Planning, Ramot Press, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv,
1991.
[2] AASE, Living with the Sun, Vol. 1 - - Sixty Plans Selected from the
Entries in the 1957 Int. Architectural Competition to Design a Solar
Heated Residence in Phoenix, AZ, USA, Association of Applied Solar
Energy, Phoenix, AZ, USA, 1958.
13l S. Roaf and M. Hancock, Assessing and meeting the needs in energy
and environmental education in the 1990s: the situation in Britain, in S.
Alvarez, J. Lopez de Asiain, S. Yannas and E. De Oiiveira Fernandes
(eds.), Architecture and Urban Space, Proc. 9th Int. PLEA Conf.,
Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1991, pp. 809-816.
[4] I.A. Meir, Information Dissemination in the Fields of Bioclimatic
Design and Energy Conservation. Rep. submitted to the British Council
and the Israel Ministry of Science and Technology, Sde-Boker Campus,
1992.