Jury

Q: Why LA+ ICONOCLAST?
A: An iconoclast is “a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions” (Oxford Dictionary, 3rd ed.). There’s no “institution” more cherished in New York than Central Park, and it is a canonical work of landscape architecture that this competition seeks to challenge. 

Q: How seriously should we take the “fake news” report of the eco-terrorist event?
A: The degree to which you engage with the fictional eco-terrorist event is up to you, but every entry must begin from the basis that all plant matter in Central Park has been destroyed. Fauna has been relocated and trees have been felled and removed. Please note that soil and waterbodies are uncontaminated, so there are no restrictions on future planting or reintroduction of fauna and flora.

Q: What was left in Central Park after the fictional eco-terrorist attack, and do I have to keep it?
A: All non-plant material is intact: topography, buildings, paths, waterbodies, statues, infrastructure, etc. Whether you keep these things in your design or treat the space as a “blank canvas” is up to you! As mentioned in previous question - there are no restrictions on future planting or reintroduction of fauna and flora.

Q: Who can enter LA+ ICONOCLAST?
A: The competition is open to students and professionals from any discipline and from anywhere in the world.  No professional qualifications are required to enter. 

Q: Can we submit a team entry?
A: Yes; however, teams are limited to a maximum of three (3) persons.

Q: What will the judges be looking for?
A: The competition favors conceptual rigor and imagination, and places a premium on engagement with the four questions outlined in the Brief. Please note, however, that the jury will take into consideration basic questions of feasibility, materiality, circulation, and programming. No budgetary limitation is imposed.

Q: Do I need to conform with the Competition Template?
A: Yes. It’s important that submissions conform to the page dimensions provided in the LA+ ICONOCLAST Competition Template, which is designed to assist journal layout for winning and other entries selected for publication. The competition template is available for download in .pdf, .indd, and .idml formats HERE. Please note that while Sheets 1 + 2 are required to enter LA+ ICONOCLAST, Sheet 3 is OPTIONAL. Image files must be under 10MB each and with a minimum of 300dpi resolution - .jpeg, .jpg, .tif, .tiff image files are accepted.

Q: What's the significance of the margin lines indicated on the Competition Template?
A: Don't worry about the margin lines - they are only for reference. The main thing is that your entry conforms to the page dimensions shown on the template. Sheet 1 should be 8.75 x 10.5 inches (that's the page size of LA+ Journal) and Sheet 2 and the optional Sheet 3 should be 17.5 x 10.5 inches (that's a full double-page spread of LA+ Journal). Images can bleed in any direction to the edge of the page. We just request that if you do use margins in your design, you take note of the margin dimensions provided. It just helps us achieve visual conformity across the publication. 

Q: Will you supply base files/site information?
A: At the Competition Template link, you’ll find .3dm, .dwg, and .dxf base files with site information about Central Park including contours, the park’s pathways, water boundaries, site boundary, building footprints, 3D extrusions of the buildings, and street lines. This information has been compiled from open sources for the information of entrants. You need not use or consult these files to enter.

Q: Can we design outside the bounds of Central Park? (audience submitted)
A: Yes, your design can extend beyond the boundaries of Central Park if you wish. 

Q: Must the plan on Sheet 1 have the same orientation as the Competition Template? (audience submitted)
A: Yes - the specified plan orientation is required for publication purposes.

Q: What’s the metric conversion of the suggested scale for the plan on Sheet 1? (audience submitted)
A: The suggested 1" = 1600' scale translates to a relational scale of 1 drawing unit to 19,200 units. It’s there to help you fit your Central Park design into the journal’s publication template. At 100% print scale in the journal (1" = 1600' or 1 : 19200), Central Park is approximately 213.44mm by 44.5 mm, or 8.39" by 1.75". 

Q: Can I put anything in the white space around the plan on Sheet 1? (audience submitted)
A: Yes. So long as the plan orientation and sheet dimensions are followed, you may present the sheet as you wish (e.g., you can include the surrounding city context and/or designs extending beyond the park boundaries, so long as the current park boundary is clear). Incidental text and labels may appear on this sheet, BUT PLEASE DO NOT place your supporting statement on any of the image sheets. You will be asked to input your statement separately during the submission process. 

Q: What sort of things constitute “supporting imagery” for Sheet 2 (and the optional Sheet 3)?
A: Design details, views, supporting data, artistic evocations, illustrations, infographics, sections, anything you like! Both Sheets 2 and Sheet 3 should be 17.5 x 10.5 inches, as per the Competion Template. Sheet 3 is optional.

Q: Do I have to provide 3 sheets of imagery?
A: No, only Sheets 1 and 2 are required. Sheet 3 is optional. Use it if you feel you need extra space to convey your design ideas.

Q: Can I provide more than 3 sheets of imagery?
A: No, only 3 sheets are permitted. You must provide Sheets 1 + 2 to enter. Sheet 3 is optional.

Q: How important is the supporting statement?
A: The statement is an important part of your submission and will be judged along with your design. It should be under 400 words supporting and explaining the design. The text should be of publishable quality. Please DO NOT put your supporting statement on the image sheets. You will be asked to input your statement separately during the submission process.

Q: Should the statement appear on the image sheets?
A: No. You will be asked to input your statement into the online platform separately during the submission process.

Q: Can any text at all appear on the image sheets?
A: Absolutely! You can include incidental text such as labels or legends on Sheet 1 (plan). You can do whatever you want with Sheet 2 and the optional Sheet 3 (supporting imagery). Keep in mind that any text has to be easily readable at the size of the journal, as indicated by the dimensions of the Competition Template.

Q: Does my entry need a name or title?
A: No.

Q: What file formats do you accept for image submission?
A: .jpeg, .jpg, .tif, .tiff image files are accepted. Files must be under 10MB each and with a minimum of 300dpi resolution.

Q: Are there rules about anonymity and eligibility?
A: Yes. See the "Enter" page on this website (tabs above) for details. Participants who breach the conditions and non-conforming entries will be disqualified.

Q: Will you accept physical/mailed submissions?
A: No. All submissions must be made digitally through the competition platform: https://laplus.slideroom.com. See the 'Enter' page on this website for more details.

Q: Is there an entry fee?
A: Yes. Payment of the competition entry fee of US $60 is the last step before submission. You'll receive official confirmation of your entry upon submission and payment. Major credit and debit cards are accepted.

Q: How do I submit my entry?
A: See the "How to Enter" section on the "Entry" page on this website. Submissions must be made through our online platform (https://laplus.slideroom.com) before October 10, 2018. You'll be asked to sign up to a SlideRoom account to get started. Go ahead and sign up now! You can log into your account to check out requirements and finalize your entry at any time. You'll also have a chance to review your materials before final submission and you don't need to pay the entry fee until you submit.

Q: If I entered LA+ IMAGINATION last year, will my SlideRoom account login be the same?
A: Yes, your login credentials with SlideRoom remain the same, although you may create a new login with a different email address if you wish.

Q: Can I enter more than once?
A: Yes, you may make multiple entries but you must make a separate application (using a new SlideRoom account under a different email address) and pay a separate fee for each entry.

Q: When will I know if I have received an award?
A: Award-winners will be announced on November 27, 2018. Contact will be made within 8 weeks of announcement to arrange transfer of prize monies.

Q: Will I be able to view the winning entries?
A: Yes, winning entries and honorable mentions will be published on this website. They will also be published in LA+ ICONOCLAST (fall 2019), along with interviews with each juror and other material. Even if you are not a winner, your entry may be selected for publication and/or exhibition. Click here to subscribe to LA+ Journal for $29.90/yr and receive two beautifully produced, provocative, and thoughtful print issues of LA+ each year delivered to your door. Our coming issues are on the themes IMAGINATION, DESIGN, TIME, and VITALITY.

Q: What could I win?
A: Each of the five winning teams will receive US$4,000 prize money, a certificate, and publication in LA+ ICONOCLAST. The honorable mentions will receive a certificate and publication in LA+ ICONOCLAST. The total prize pool is US$20,000.

Q: If I did not win an award, how will I know if my work will appear in LA+ ICONOCLAST?
A: You'll need to buy the journal in fall 2019 to find out! Select non-winning entries may be published in whole or in part. We’ll be revealing some of the non-winning entries selected for the LA+ ICONOCLAST Salon des Refusés on our social media accounts. You can follow us on twitter, instagram, or facebook by clicking on the icons to the left of your screen.

Q: If my work is chosen for publication, how will it appear in LA+ ICONOCLAST?
A: The way in which entries selected for publication appear in the journal (or associated exhibition or promotion) is solely at the discretion of LA+ Journal and will be subject to considerations of overall layout and aesthetic continuity, among other things. Selected entries may be published in whole or in part. By entering you give LA+ Journal a license to use, publish, exhibit, distribute, edit, alter, and make derivatives of your submitted materials. For further information, see the Conditions of Entry.

Q: Will there be an exhibition of LA+ ICONOCLAST entries? (audience submitted)
A: We’re working on a NY venue, so stay tuned! Follow LA+ on social media or join our mailing list to be apprised of LA+ ICONOCLAST exhibition news. Links in menu on left hand side.