The Ministry of Information and Culture of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is proud to announce and endorse this International Architectural Ideas Competition for the design of a new National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul. As Afghanistan’s paramount museum of the archaeological and ethnographic history of the nation, the Museum’s mission is to conserve, collect, study and exhibit important examples of the nation’s uniquely rich and diverse cultural patrimony, while educating the local and international communities and advancing the world’s knowledge and appreciation of Afghanistan’s remarkable history and traditions. The Museum itself is a symbol of this culture and of its perseverance and survival.

This Competition presents a significant opportunity for collaboration between the international and local design communities and it will generate new and creative visions for the future of the Museum and for Afghanistan in the 21st century. Once the best of these ideas is fully developed and implemented, the Museum’s ability to carry out its stated mission, and to serve the people of Afghanistan and the world, will be greatly enhanced. It is the honor of the Ministry of Information and Culture of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to support this International Architectural Ideas Competition, which is being carried out with the collaboration and sponsorship of the Government of the United States of America and the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

The Competition is an open one-stage ideas competition. Due to the sensitive character of this Competition, S.E.E. | office for architecture and design reserves the right to execute a pre-qualification procedure to determine a shortlist of Applicants who will then proceed to design competition entries. For this purpose, the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire has to be completed by every Applicant and to be sent to the Organizer. It is expected to select on this basis appropriate candidates.

Eligibility The Competition is open to architects, engineers, planners, designers and artists to develop and visualize a proposal capable of responding to emerging challenges for a national museum in Afghanistan. Practicing architects, engineers and other professions participating in the Competition must be registered with their National Registration/ Regulatory Authority. Professionals with more limited experience in the delivery of relevant projects may wish to consider collaborating with another practice, but the proposed delivery arrangement should be clearly articulated in the proposal document. However, Applicants must demonstrate the capability to work in Afghanistan and apply required technical building and construction standards as outlined in the competition package.

The competition Jury is chaired by His Excellency Minister Dr. Sayed Makhdoom Raheen (Minister of Information and Culture) and composed of international architects, museum planners, archaeologists and related design professionals, including Dinah Casson (architect), Klaus Bode (environmental engineer), Toby Allen (structural engineer), Susanne Annen (architect), Jolyon Leslie (architect), and William Remsen (architect).

The following prizes will be awarded: a first prize of 50,000 US$, a second prize of 30,000 US$ and a third prize of 20,000 US$. In addition, three Honorable Mentions with no cash prize are to be awarded.

Submission of Design Proposal: 06 June, 2012

Registration deadline: 16 April, 2012