RIYADH, 25 February 2003 — The Arriyadh Development Authority is inviting entries for a “Design Competition for a Modern Saudi House” with the emphasis on affordability and sustainability, a spokesman told Arab News yesterday. The competition is open to professional architects, designers and architectural students worldwide, he added.
He said that the competition is a sign of the growing demand for housing in Riyadh, whose population is projected to hit eight million by 2010, dictating the need for an additional 1.5 million housing units over the next 20 years.
The capital’s population has been surging by 32 percent annually, as against the national average of 3.7 percent. Recent studies indicate that government support to the housing sector in the past two decades has helped to solve the problem of the housing shortage in the Riyadh area. According to the most recent reliable survey, which was conducted five years ago, the percentage of Saudi home owners increased from 59.2 percent in 1987-1991 to 77.5 percent during 1991-97.
The ADA survey also revealed that 30.3 percent of the Saudis were living in rented houses, 30.8 percent in apartments, and 22.8 percent in other homes. Families with SR36,000 in annual income spend 37.4 percent of that amount on housing.
The migration of job-seekers from the surrounding areas is said to be responsible for the population explosion in the capital. The government is trying to address the problem by setting up an industrial estate at Sudair on the outskirts of Riyadh as well as establishing technical institutes in small towns to supply skilled manpower to the private sector. The ADA spokesman said it had become difficult for an average Saudi household to own the contemporary Saudi villa.
Participants in the competition have to satisfy a range of requirements, both architectural and functional, with due regard to the physical and environmental context. Cost should also be considered, as the Kingdom’s average per capita income currently stands at $7,500 per year.
Two sets of submission will be accepted and judged separately for professionals and students. Entries can be made by individuals or groups. The winners will receive share total prizes worth SR525,000 ($140,000) in addition to certificates, souvenirs and traveling expenses, SR200,000 ($53,333) for the first prize. Further details are available with Arriyadh Development Authority, e-mail competition@arriyadh.
