The following responses address frequently asked questions:

 

I. Registration Questions

 

Q: May independent designers without institutional affiliation participate?

 

A: Per the Competition Guidelines, the Professional Group is open to domestic and international architectural/interior design practitioners. Participants must submit entry forms as Lead Designers with official endorsement (seal) from their affiliated organization. Therefore, independent designers without institutional affiliation cannot participate.

 

II. Competition Categories

 

Q: (New Housing Design): Are apartment unit size thresholds based on gross floor area (GFA) or net internal area?How should regional variations in area calculations be handled?How many unit types must one building block        include?May units of different sizes be combined into a single block or building?May multiple design schemes for one unit type be submitted?

 

A:Unit size thresholds refer to gross floor area (GFA).Competitors must select a city; designs must comply with the Code for Residential Projects (GB 55038-2025) and all applicable national/local standards.Entries must designate one primary apartment unit size category as the core design focus.Unit combinations within blocks/buildings, inclusion of other size categories, or multiple schemes per unit type should align with residential product positioning and user needs.

 

Q: (Renovation and Upgrade of Existing Housing):May adjacent existing units be combined into a single redesigned space?

 

A: Entries must focus on one authentic existing apartment unit in multi-/high-rise housing. Combining adjacent units violates competition requirements.

 

III. Submission Materials

 

Q (Design Booklet):Are there formatting requirements (headers/footers) for inner pages beyond the cover template?How should the grey area on the cover be designed?Does the 20-page limit include the cover? 

 

A:Only the cover page template is mandatory (download from official platform). The cover must display the entry title and registration number; the grey area is customizable.Inner pages (≤20 pages total, excluding cover) require no specific header/footer formatting.Content should fully address competition requirements.

 

Q (Design Board):Must the header/footer zones in the template be retained?Must content strictly adhere to the six grey rectangular zones’ size/position?

 

A:Header/footer zones must be preserved.Content organization should emphasize key innovations; layout within the central area is flexible and need not follow template zones rigidly.

 

 

We appreciate your engagement. Stay updated and participate actively in the National "Better Housing" Design Competition!

 

The Architectural Society of China

 

China Engineering and Consulting Association(CECA)

 

 

August 20, 2025