Dencity 2017 - A Competition to Improve Informal Settlements

The world’s population is rapidly growing and places all over the world are having to adapt with an unprecedented increase in urbanization. Towns are quickly growing into cities, and some of the densest places in the world are comprised of makeshift homes, otherwise referred to as slums. Right now, well over 1 billion people around the world live in slums. This number is rapidly growing and it is expected to reach 2 billion by the year 2030.
Design has always played a tremendous role in generating new ideas for the future. Now, more than ever, we need to turn our focus to cities and play a central role in the development of substandard neighborhoods. Slums effect much more than just housing; they affect almost all living conditions and communities as a whole.
The intent of this competition is to foster new conceptual ideas about how to better handle the growing density of unplanned cities. Contestants should consider how design can empower communities and allow for a self-sufficient future. For this year’s competition, the focus will be on improving living conditions in urban settings.
There are no restrictions in regards to site, program, or size. Projects can be based on a specific urban location or a general concept. The object is to limit constraints and give participants the freedom to think in the most creative way possible. Submissions do not need to be created exclusively for the Dencity Competition, but should not have been submitted or published elsewhere.