Design competition for beach huts and umbrellas launches in South Al Sharqiyah

Muscat: South Al Sharqiyah Governorate has launched a competition today, Sunday, to design beach huts and umbrellas.

The Governorate of South Al Sharqiyah, in cooperation with the General Directorate of Housing and Urban Planning, today launched a competition for designing beach huts and umbrellas, targeting young Omanis specialised in the fields of architectural planning, civil engineering, architecture and design.

Engineer Ahmed bin Khalfan Al Shuaibi, Director of the Urban Planning Department at the General Directorate of Housing and Urban Planning in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, and Chairman of the Beach Huts and Umbrellas Design Competition Committee, said: "The idea of the competition came from the standpoint of interest in Omani youth, listening to them and benefiting from their ideas to achieve the aspirations of Oman Vision 2040, and the priority of developing the governorates."

Al Shuaibi explained that the competition aims to provide the tourism sector in the governorate with modern and innovative projects. The South Al Sharqiyah Governorate is characterised by a coastal strip that attracts many tourists throughout the year, especially in the summer, which is characterised by moderate temperatures.

"The competition will encompass the fields of urban planning, civil and urban engineering, and design. Participants can apply individually or within a team consisting of two to five members. The participant can present modern designs with a contemporary artistic vision for beach huts and umbrellas, that suit the nature of the governorate’s beaches, and are compatible with the terms and conditions of the competition, " Al Shuaibi added.

Al-Shuaibi explained that the competition’s supervisory committee has prepared a technical guide that contains the conditions and standards that must be adhered to. These include:

- The design components (space and purpose),

- Evaluation criteria,

- The competition’s timeline.

He pointed out that the contestant can register via a link designated to receive entries. After that, in the first stage, ten qualifying participants will be announced for the second stage of the competition, and will present their project idea to the jury. In conclusion, three contestants will qualify for the first three places.