Note:
Please consider the following changes in the terms of the Competition brief:
1. In the section IV Documents for participation, design and submission, p.1. Documents for participation – the size of the Competition project – the 5 boards are increased up to 20 MB.
The new text in: 1. DOCUMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION is:
The new text in: 2. PROJECT PREPARATION is:
2. There is a small technical mistake in the English version of the Competition brief, in the section III.Design, 6. Functional program, part K – Administration. The size of the area for part K3 – Meeting room and group activities with parents/ volunteers has to be 20m2 instead of 30m2.
The new text is:
K3 – Meeting room and group activities with parents/ volunteers
Area: 20m2
Questions/ Answers:
1. Could architects with limited architectural design legal capacity participate in the competition?
The competition program allows unlimited participation. Architects, who have limited designer’s legal capacity at the date of submission of the project, may also participate in the competition. In this case they are obliged, if nominated for finalists, to be able to provide in their team a designer with a full designer’s legal capacity who has the right to prepare the project documentation, to sign and stamp it, to submit it for approval to the competent institutions, and on the basis of the documentation to receive a building permit. The designer must have the right to supervise the construction process, to implement author’s supervision, and to underwrite documents for commissioning of the building. These requirements are set in order to guarantee that the authors of the first-ranked project havethe technical and legal capacity to develop the project in the next phase of design, namely technical and work design.
Karin Dom Foundation aims to receive schematic design project – subject of the current competition, and this project to be further developed and realized, that is why the designer who wins the project should have the opportunity to implement this task.
2. Can companies and individuals form teams to participate?
You can participate as a company, as a consortium of few companies or persons.We have no specific requirements about the organizations which will participate.
3. I would like to ask if there is any possibility to participate in your competition in group of four people?
Yes, you could participate as a group. One of you should register and in the application form you have to fill in the names of all the other participants.
4. Are students eligible to participate in this competition?
Students could also participate in the competition. According to the Competition brief Persons who do not have designer’s legal capacity at the date of submission of the competition project, could also participate in the competition, but are obliged, if nominated for finalists, to be able to provide in their team a designer with a full designer’s legal capacity. This requirement is set in order to guarantee that the authors of the first-ranked project have the technical and legal capacity to develop the project in the next phase of design, namely technical and work design, to prepare the project documentation, to sign and stamp it, to submit it for approval in the competent institutions in Bulgaria, and on the basis of the documentation to receive a building permit.Please, consider that Karin Dom Foundation will enter with the first-ranked participant into a contract for the development of a technical and working investment project and author's supervision for construction of a new building.
5. In regards to the registration of the competition, are participants required to have in their teams a Bulgarian registered architect?
In case the first-ranked team/ individual is a foreign person, he / she has to have full architectural design legal capacity legalized by the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria (CAB) or to collaborate with such a person.If the participant has architectural design legal capacity in the respective country he/she can legalize that in the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria (CAB). Read more in the competition brief on pages 4, 40 and 41.
6. Is it possible for individuals to participate? Can we form teams? Is there a limit to international individuals?
You could participate as an individual or as a team. International individuals are welcome to participate in the competition.
7. Is it obligatory the pool to be accessible on all sides? Is it permissible for the pool to border on a wall or two walls?
It is recommended the pool to be accessible on all sides in order to guarantee better safety and maintenance.
8. There are pools where the level of the water is at the level of the floor and such, where the level of the water volume is above the floor level. Which of the both variants is optimal and more comfortable for use?
For the needs of Karin Dom is more appropriate the level of the water in the pool to be at the level of the floor.
9. I know different organizations classify GFA differently, so I wanted to know if the strict requirement of 2,400 m2 (below ground + above ground) for the building includes circulation space such as hallways, stairways, elevators, etc.?
The requirements of 2400 m2 include circulation space as hallways, stairways, elevators, etc. The stated square meters of each room have to be considered as internal area. The total sum of stated different rooms (below ground and above ground) is 1994 m2, so the difference to 2400 m2 is for circulation spaces.
10. Is it necessary to send the application for participation in advance or it could be sent together with the boards and the rest of the documents?
It is not necessary to send the application for participation in advance. You could send it together with the boards and the rest of the documents.
11. The question is about the size of the premises in group M – roof, when used for terraces, e.g. recreation zones – Should it be included in the maximum permissible above ground built-up area of 1800m2 ?
The roof space is not included in the above ground built-up area of 1800m2. The desire is to allow getting out there as a recreation area.
12. Is it necessary / wished to have a fence for the outdoor spaces of the garden? (swings, playground, etc.)
Yes, is it necessary / wished to have a fence for the playgrounds.
13. Is it possible to extent the street and design the parking ramo further inside the Block (competition site / or nearby plot ) or is the position of entrance/exit of parking garage fixed as in the scheme at page 13 of the Brief?
The project should be only in the competition area (including the landscape project). It is not allowed to go outside to the nearby plots.
14. How could we get to know the current functioning of Karin Dom – groups, timetable, activities, etc.?
You could get to know the current Karin Dom’s activity through the organization’s website, YouTube channel and the facebook page
https://www.youtube.com/user/karindomcenter
https://www.facebook.com/karindom.org/
Additionally, Karin Dom announces Open door events, for which all the registered / subscribed for updates participants are notified.
15. What should be the size of the specific image?
The specific image is JPEG file up to 10 MB, with 1920 x 1080 px size (72dpi, RGB color mode). You can find more information about the project preparation in the competition brief on page 35-36.
16. Is it necessary to use VELUX products in a project? If yes, which one?
No, the use of Velux products is not necessary!
17. We would like to understand the number of children, their disabilities and the percentage of such children e.g. If there are autistic children what is their percentage, if there are children with cerebral palsy what is their percentage etc.? What are the number of teachers, parents and other facilitators who would be occupying the center?
Karin Dom provides services to children with special needs – with physical, mental and multiple disabilities, with Autism spectrum disorders, with behavioral problems and other conditions. You could visit the webpage and you tube channel of Karin Dom for more information about their current activities:
https://www.youtube.com/user/karindomcenter
The current number of children, who visit the center per day is about 55. For the new center is expected an increase with min.30%. The percentage of the children with different conditions varies through the years. Currently, the biggest percentage of about 45% are children in the autism spectrum and behavioral problems, about 20% are with physical disabilities and about 25% with complex needs/ multiple disabilities, the rest of 10% are different conditions - gene disorders, other developmental delays.
The number of the staff working at Karin Dom is 45. The parents who are visiting Karin Dom per day are about 40-45. The number of students and other trainees varies from 10 to 100 per month.
18. Has the Site development plan, provided in the documents, entered into force and is it final?
Yes, the provided Site development plan has entered into force.
19. Is it preferable (from my interpretations of the schemes) to have the parking entrance from the Prilep street?
The only access to the competition area is from Prilep Str. north/west.
20. My question is about the side regulation lines. There is a statement with numbers (5m/1/3H) in second paragraph, what does it mean?
The side regulation lines are 5 meters from the borders - which is 1/3 from 15 meters – themaximum height of the building. The meaning is 5 m =1/3 H /height/.
21. Where can we place the fence? To the edge of the plot? Do we need to provide a minimum public area around the plot to ensure accessibility to the nearby buildings?
There will be fence at the edge of the plot for security reasons and another small fence for the children's playground/s. You don't need to plan any other direct exits/ public area to the other public buildings.
22. Regarding short-term stopping areas for vehicles: can they be placed outside the plot by the entrance, or do they need to be within the competition plot?
There isn't any opportunity to place the short-term stopping outside the plot by the entrance. According to the competition brief, page 17 "Provision should be made for short-term stopping of vehicles at the main entrance of the building".
23. Does the area for each part of the functional program in the competition brief means minimum/ maximum size or it is just for recommendation?
The functional program gives the minimum size of the rooms, but the whole building area must be not more than 2400 m2.
24. Is it possible to use mechanical stereo garage (mechanical parking, not an elevator or a car lift) in the underground parking lot?
There are no restrictions for the use of mechanical stereo garage in the underground parking. If you can argue it from a budgetary point of view you can use it.
25. According to the brief I know, that access to the plot is available only from the side which is marked on the scheme (page 13) with black triangle. Is this the only access also for pedestrians or they can also enter the plot from other sides?
The only access to the plot for cars and pedestrians is that marked with the black triangle on the scheme, page 13 in the Competition brief. The Karin Dom's plot is directly bordering other plots and there isn't any opportunity for pedestrians to enter the plot from other sides.
26. What is the depth of the bathtub for babies gym? Is it acceptable the bathtub to be on the floor?
Yes, it is recommended that the bathtub is on the floor, e.g. the bathtub doesn't go under the concrete slab but it's on it. It is not a part of the construction of the building, it is mounted additionally. The depth of the bathtub is 0,7m.
27. Can we make car park in all plot boundaries on the undergorund level without considering the permissible construction area on the ground floor. The question is just for the underground level.
The underground level should be no more than 600 sqm., wherever between the maximum building range lines.
28. Should the A1 - RECEPTION (p.19 of the Competition Brief ) be an enclosed space or it may be part of the more general reception area defined mainly by the reception desk?
A1 - RECEPTION is not an enclosed space but area defined by the reception desk.
29. Can you send me links to regulations of Bulgarian building law which I need to know?
The main Bulgarian law you should consider is the Spatial Development Act https://www.mrrb.bg/en/spatial-development-act-82421/
30. Is it allowable deviation from the premises’ areas set in the functional program?
The set areas should be understood as minimum required areas.
31. Could the pool be implemented with the same size but in different proportions?
The pool could be in different proportions but the same size in square meters.
32. Is it possible the block D-Montessori to be placed on other than the ground floor and if yes, is it necessary to have separate access/ staircase or it could use the common horizontal and vertical communication of the other functions in the building?
Yes, block D- Montessori could be placed on other floor. In this case it is used the common horizontal and vertical communication and it is not necessary to have separate staircase.
33. On pages 15 and 16 there are drawings showing pitched roof.Is it necessary to make pitched roofor we can design flat roof?
On pages 15 and 16 is the maximum building range. Yes, of course, you can design a flat roof.
34. Are the three meters, shown on the scheme from the competition brief page 15, limiting the underground building or it is only recommended depth that could be bigger?
The shown depth is recommended, it could be bigger but you have to consider the budget restrictions.
35. What do the three values about the trees in the AutoCADdrawing represent(x/y/z)?
The big blue number is the number of the tree, written in the table on page 31 (for example No 37). For example the meaning of the number 37 is:
13 – Species - the type of the tree /name/
0.5 - trunk diameter
5 - the quality/damages - from 1 to 5
The same information is written in the table on page 31 from the Competition brief.
36. Please, comment the text on page 19. U1 - Parking: '' It is not acceptable to suggest an elevator or a car lift''. Does that mean that no elevators can be installed in the underground level?
This means only for the cars is not acceptable to use a car-lift system.
37. According to the AutoCAD plan (site_Karin_dom) and the brief (page 12, 4. URBAN PLANNING RESTRICTIONS & also page 13) the setbacks or the distances between the maximum building range and the property lines are 3m, 5m and 6m. Is it legal to place the car access ramp to the underground parking in this setback or distance area?
Yes it is possible to place the ramp to the underground parking in the setback (between borderlines and the lines showing maximum building range). Please consider, that the length of the slope to reach the underground level shouldn’t be outside of the plot,
38. Could the project be with less than 5 boards? Could I present some of the boards in different scale?
Yes, 5 is the maximum number of the boards. You could present also less than 5 boards and use other scales.The set requirements for the presentation of the projects are with the aim to provide to the jurymembers similar visions for assessment, but they are not mandatory. Projects, that didn’t met exactly the set requirements for presentation,will not be removed from the competition.
39. In the competition brief is said that on every floor there needs to be (3) toilets with sinks, so would these be single room toilets that either gender can use?
Yes, the toilets will be single rooms that either gender can use.
40. Does the deadline for electronic submission will remain the same - 19th February?
Yes, the deadline for the competition is 12 o'clock on the night of the 19th of February, Bulgarian time. Please, consider that Bulgaria is in the Eastern European Standard Time - Time zone in Bulgaria (GMT+2).
41. We will use the electronic option for submission of the project? Should we send also our documents by international post (courier)?
In case you have chosen electronic submission of the project and you have uploaded all required documents for the competition, you don't have to send them conventionally - by international post.
42. In case the services are in different buildings, is it obligatory to have warm connection between the functional blocks?
Yes, it is obligatory. During the day children use different kind of therapy services, so there should be a warm connection between the functional blocks.
43. What is “quiet corner”?
The quiet corner is a separate part of each Karin Dom therapeutic and group room, which size is about of 150/100 cm. This is space for a short break, where children could stay for about 10-15 minutes for quiet activities. It is equipped with soft modules or a mattress on the ground according to the condition of the children. You could see an example of the quiet corner on the competition’s facebook page:
44. On page 19 of the brief under 'U1-Parking' mentions that the height should allow access of a minibus - should a larger parking space provided for such vehicles or will a temporary loading area be sufficient?
There is no need to provide a larger parking space for the minibus. The minibus transports children with special needs and their parents. The passengers get off the minibus in front of the entrance of the building or in bad weather in the underground parking. Temporary loading area is enough, maximum near to the vertical communications - lift and stairs.
Anyone interested in participating in the competition may request written explanations regarding the competition.
Questions can be asked up to 10 days before the deadline for submission of the competition projects – 10 February 2020 on the following email: competition@karindom.org