The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has launched an architectural design competition to enhance the Gahunje Cricket Stadium with a top-tier international clubhouse. In collaboration with the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), Pune Centre, the competition invites professional architects, architectural firms, and students to present creative designs for upgrading the stadium into a cutting-edge, self-sustaining venue.
MCA President Rohit Pawar announced the news during a press conference held in Pune. Pawar said, โWe are happy to announce an architectural design competition in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Architects, Pune Centre, that seeks to blend the passion for cricket with innovative architectural design. It is a unique opportunity for professionals and students alike to contribute to the vision of a world-class facility, which will serve as a beacon for cricket in Maharashtra.โ
โPromoting Cricket as a global sporting event, expanding the existing facility for increased participation, integration of residential facilities and most importantly making the MCA International Cricket Stadium at Gahunje a self-sustaining venue are the key objective behind developing an international clubhouse and the competition is being organized to get the best design for this projectโ, he added.
The competition is organised into two categories- a โSingle Stage Competitionโ for professional architects and an โIdeas Competitionโ for architecture students. The IIA Pune Center will manage the competition and evaluate the entries. Registration will be open from September 10th to 30th, and design submissions will be accepted from October 5th to December 14th. Shortlisted entries will be showcased between January 5th and 8th, with the final results announced on January 15th, 2025.
The selected architect will be appointed as the Project Architect, overseeing the development and successful execution of the International Clubhouse project. The clubhouse will feature luxurious rooms, banquet halls, a sports bar, restaurants, a state-of-the-art gym, a swimming pool, indoor cricket pitches for year-round practice, and various other indoor sports facilities.
The competitionโs prizes include INR25 lakh, INR15 lakh, and INR10 lakh for the top three professional entries, along with five merit prizes of โน3 lakh each. In the student category, the top three prizes are INR3 lakh, INR2 lakh, and INR1 lakh. Selected works will be showcased at a special exhibition during the awards presentation. (picture courtesy: en.wikipedia.org)