deadline today! 99+ stories on making architectural competitions

Posted on: 16th February 2015
Architecture Competition Practices in Europe:
99+ stories now touring through Europe in an exhibition by wonderland

On March 11th, the opening event of wonderland’s exhibition „Deadline Today! 99+
stories on making architectural competitions“ pulled about 100 guests into the
Architecture Gallery in Brno (Galerie architektury). The hosts, wonderland – platform
for architecture, based in Vienna, and Galerie architektury Brno, had invited to an
evening of contemporary architecture, embedded in the event of the Austrian Week of
Architecture in Brno.
„One of the most important questions concerning competitions surely is: Is it worth
the effort?“ With this, Silvia Forlati, former chairwoman of wonderland, opened the exhibition “Deadline Today!”.
„Architects invest more than 5.000 hours of work per year averagely for about ten competition entries. However, only one of those projects is getting realised. The reliability in the competition system exists nonetheless: for 40 percent of all participating architects’ offices in this exhibition, competitions are the principal source of income.“
At the Galerie architektury the exhibition „Deadline Today!“ will be shown until April 22nd. It is based upon a wonderland study, a call for individual experiences with competition practices – displayed in stories, ideas and photos – that went out to over 100 European architectural teams.

Exhibition Opening on March 11th
After the opening presentation by Hannes Schreckensberger, chairman of wonderland,
and Silvia Forlati, numerous visitors could see the exhibition far into the night in a friendly atmosphere. Amongst the guests were various representatives of the wonderland teams, as well as national and international architects. The innovative
exhibition design by wonderland and Katarina Ciglanova, Maria Majdakova/ FOAM from Bratislava presents the architectural stories in texts, quotations and photos. Five
thematic lines are guiding through the exhibition: Design Strategies, Collaborations, Turning Points, Realisations and Side Effects. Besides the thinking behind competition entries and possible effects on office developments, also the unexpected, often private, follow – ups are displayed.
Future Stations
“Deadline Today!” is now adapted as a touring exhibition. As a first station it was presented successfully in June 2009 in Vienna and will travel in autumn 2010 to Barcelona. This concept also reflects the main focus of wonderland to provide a platform for young European architects and to extend the existing network, in order to exchange personal experiences and approaches.
Also the successful wonderland symposium series is going to be expanded and
continued over the next years after „Getting specialized“ and „Making Competitions“.
The events highlight the European dimension of competition practices, and illustrate
what happens to competition entries in further consequence.
2010, the wonderland symposium will be held in Barcelona.
“Deadline Today! 99 stories on making architectural competitions”
Galerie architektury, Starobrn

602 00 Brno