1.1 The IIA Cochin Centre (Promoter) with a view to create the right threshold for fresh architects who have just graduated from architecture colleges across Kerala has instituted the Kerala Awards for Thesis in Architecture (KATHA) to create a collective discourse of architects, academicians and students, broadening the horizons of architecture discipline.
1.2 The aim is to promote, reward and give visibility to young graduates of architecture who are capable of bringing forward exceptional works, ideas and experimentations, taking architecture to the next level, to change the kind of built environment around us and make a better world.
2.1 The term ‘student refers to a bonafide student of an Architecture college who has appeared and passed in the final year B.Arch. examination.
2.2 KATHA is open to all young graduates who completed thesis in the academic year 2023- 2024 from colleges affiliated to the following six universities:
a. Calicut University
b. APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University
c. Mahatma Gandhi University
d. Kerala University
e. NIT Calicut
f. Cochin University of Science and Technology
2.3 Only individual submissions are permitted.
2.4 There is no limit on the number of entries from a particular college. We appreciate maximum participation.
2.5 All students who appeared for thesis can appear for KATHA 2024 with declaration form from the institution as they have the freedom to rework on their thesis sheets before submission for awards.
3.1 No blood relative of any member of the Jury Panel shall participate in the award program either directly or indirectly nor be entrusted with any work related to the award-winning thesis, directly or indirectly.
4.1 The conditions for participation and registration forms are available for download on the website www.katha.iiacochincentre.com
4.2 The complete set of registration forms (Registration Form and Declaration Forms A, B and C) duly filled in and completed in all respects should be uploaded on the website not later than 8.00 p.m. on 4th November 2024. No registration fee is charged.
4.3 Each thesis project shortlisted for the final round shall be allocated a code number by the IIA Cochin Centre and the author shall be duly informed of the same via e-mail not later than 11:59 AM on 13th November 2024.
4.4 The thesis projects submitted should not bear any proof of identification like name, college or roll number.
5.1 The members for the Jury Panel shall be appointed by the Promoter to advise on the conduct of the awards program, judge the thesis projects submitted and choose the winner of the award. The appointments shall be made from amongst the eminent architects.
6.1 The Promoter undertakes to accept the decisions and the awards of the Jury Panel and pay all the shortlisted entries a sum of Rs. 3,000. The winners will be given prizes and additional amounts as decided later.
7.1 Submission of the thesis projects implies that one has accepted the terms and conditions of the awards programme.
7.2 Participants are recommended to retain copies of the submitted material.
7.3 All drawing panels comprising an awards programme entry must bear on the right-hand top corner a sticker (bearing only the code number of the entry) provided by the Promoter. No other symbol, motto or distinguishing mark will be placed on any part of the panel except the title of the project. The entire design project of each participant shall be dispatched in a single packet using the label.
7.4 Each competitor must be prepared to satisfy the Jury Panel that he/she is a bonafide author of the thesis project that has been submitted.
7.5 Shortlisted students for Phase II Jury’s Submission of drawing panels, bearing the allotted code numbers on the reverse side, delivered by hand should reach the IIA Cochin Centre not later than 5.00 p.m. on 20th November 2024. The address is provided on the website www.katha.iiacochincentre.com.
8.1 The promoter will place a secretariat at the disposal of the Jury Panel to minute their meetings and record their decisions.
8.2 The deliberations of the Jury Panel will be secret. No member of the Jury Panel or Technical Advisor or member of the Promoter’s staff or competition secretariat may disclose any details of the competitions or decisions.
8.3 The decisions of the Jury Panel are final and binding on the Promoter.
8.4 The judging of the entries is scheduled to take place in two stages as follows:
Stage 1 (Shortlisting)
A team of three eminent architects will visit the IIA Cochin Centre and shortlist the best 20 thesis projects for the Phase 2 evaluation. This will be a closed-door assessment and the list shall be handed over in a sealed envelope to the representative of the Promoter. The code numbers of the selected thesis projects shall be announced and communicated to the participants on 13th November 2024..
Stage 2 (Final Jury)
The participant must remain present in person to make the presentation to the members of the jury attended by the public and students, held in a public hall on 22nd and 23rd November 2024 at the Vanitha Veedu Pavillion.
The promoter or their representative will open the envelope containing code numbers of the shortlisted projects 30 minutes before commencement of first presentation. At the beginning of the first presentation, the code number of the second presenter will be announced. Each participant will be given a minimum of 20 minutes for presentation and an additional 10 minutes for Q&A. The best 5 projects will be selected as the winners and will be awarded.
9.1 The Jury Panel may disqualify entries for the following reasons:
a) If participants disregard any of the conditions of the programme.
b) If the participants attempt to influence any member of the Board of Assessors.
c) If the work submitted is not original or if there is any case of plagiarism
10.1 If against all expectations entertained by the promoter, the result of the awards program is such that none of the participants could be declared by the assessors as the winners of the awards, the programme could be regarded as terminated and the promoter will on the advice of the Jury Panel award ONLY the consolation awards to all thesis projects selected for the final Jury.
11.1 Only code numbers of all authors will be displayed at the exhibition of entries for the jury.
12.1 The sheets of the finalists will not be returned by the Promoter.
13.1 Copyright of all thesis projects including the thesis projects winning the first prize will be that of the authors of the designs, however, the promoter will have the right to publish the projects received, in architecture journals and as compilation of entries received, for the purpose of records and academic interest.
14.1 In the event of dispute not related to the judging procedure or the award of the Board of Assessors, the settlement will be by arbitration without recourse to the legal authorities.
Phase 1
The students are to register with details and submit a softcopy of their thesis sheets along with an authentication letter from the college in our online portal – www.katha.iiacochincentre.com
Phase 2
The shortlisted participants are to submit their design in 10 A3 or 5 A2 sheets along with physical model and 3D walkthrough for the Phase 2 evaluation at the IIA Cochin Centre before the deadline.
The submission should be sent at the following address:
IIA Cochin Centre
2nd Floor, GCDA Shopping Complex, Kadavanthara, Kochi – 682020, Kerala, India
Tel: 0484 4010474
Email: katha.iiacochincentre@gmail.com
Any changes in dates or details of the events will be displayed on the website www.katha.iiacochincentre.com