The City of Prato is launching a design competition to select two plans for two new nursery schools to be built in the City: one in the Galcetello zone, in via Marie Curie, and the other in the Ponzano zone, in viale Montegrappa.

This is a design competition in which anonymous entries will be ranked in a single phase, resulting in the choice of the winning proposal. The City will directly assign the following stages of the winning proposal’s realization to the designer(s) of the project, if he / they possess the qualifications set forth in this regulation. If the work is carried out, the City Administration reserves the right to entrust the supervision of works, of accountability and of safety to the winning designer(s) presenting the necessary qualifications. 

The competition’s goal is to generate two distinct preliminary proposals for the construction of two new nursery schools (each housing six classes) and the organization of the outdoor spaces and the green areas for recreation on the school grounds. The first plot is located in the Galcetello zone, in via Marie Curie, and the other in the Ponzano zone, in viale Montegrappa. The proposals must respect the directions given in the preliminary document for design, written by the
Person in Charge of Proceedings; proposals must also respect the guidelines attached to this regulation
and conform to the laws currently in force. The two projects will be constructed out in two functional phases, each made up of three sections, as is further specified in the preliminary document.

Eligibility
The competition is open to architects and engineers enrolled in their respective Orders or Professional Registries in the countries where they practice / reside and who are therefore authorized to exercise their profession and to participate in design competitions at the date in which this regulation was published.

The competition is open to those professionals who are qualified according to the directives set forth by the European Union as long as they are not excluded from exercising their profession independently by law, by contract, or by disciplinary act, in keeping with the incompatibilities set out in art.

Several professionals as well as individuals may participate in the competition: designers working together may take the form of stable firms, of temporary work groups or of other associative forms. Competitors participating together must specify the architect or engineer who will serve as legal representative of the group (enclosure A); the duties and attributions of each member will be defined within the group itself without ascribing any responsibility to the Competition Authority.

Prizes
First Prize: 10.000 Euros
Second Prize: 5.000 Euros
Third Prize: 2.500 Euros

If three projects should be found deserving of special mention then they will each receive a prize of 1.000 Euros each.

Jury
- Herman Hertzberger (Architect, President of Jury)
- Paolo Bartalini (Engineer )
- Marco Meozzi (Architect)
- Mario Daneri (Engineer)
- Fabrizio Gallanti (Architect)
- Luca Molinari (in charge of architecture publications for Skira Ed.)
- an expert pedagogist, to be nominated.

Substitute Members (to be nominated)
- Andrea Corsi (Architect)
- Francesco Risaliti (Architect)

Submission
The competition’s official language is Italian.

Competitors must present a single design proposal, to be chosen between the area of Galcetello, via Marie Curie, or of Ponzano, viale Montegrappa otherwise they shall be excluded.

Candidates are allowed full freedom in the formulation of their design ideas as long as these conform to the competition requirements, the preliminary document for design, and the guidelines.
a) Report, max. 4 pages, that illustrates the criteria that led to the main design decisions, with particular reference:
- to the educational project and the correlations between designed space and educational / pedagogical activities
- to the design choices and the laws in force, with the possibility of integrating and modifying the spatial parameters derived from them in relation to a proposal that includes solutions tied to a specific educational project and process
- to the environmental design, the energy-saving solutions and the eco-compatibility of materials, keeping in mind the guidelines of the Regione Toscana as well as the guidelines here attached.

b) technical report, max 2 pages, complete with all the parameters indicated by the DM 18-12-1975 as well as the measurement of all the project’s square areas.

c) Exhibition of the idea in a graphics format, in two boards UNI A0 format, laid out horizontally and mounted on a light-weight rigid support with a maximum thickness of cm 0,5; a general site plan and drawings which must be composed of at least the following elements:
- general site plan of the project, complete with measurements, and where access to the area, parking and green areas are all indicated (scale1:500)
- all meaningful plans (indicating the destination of space), prospects and sections- of the school complex, complete with measurements (scale 1:200)
- scheme specifying the two phases of the school’s construction and the strategy adopted, keeping in mind the area of intervention
- print-outs, freely chosen by the competitor, to illustrate the design, perspectives, axonometric drawings, sketches, etc..

d) rough calculation, maximum 2 pages, of the management expenses and cost of the work subdivided into the main categories of the works:
- masonry
- electric plants
- thermo-hydraulic plants
- structural works
- works to create accessibility to the new building.

Apart from the paper based evidence, the participant will provide a copy of each print-out on a CD.

Schedule
21 March 2008: Clarification requests 
05 April 2008: Answer to clarification requests
24 April 2008: Deadline for delivery of project entry
30 May 2008: End of Jury deliberations