Pune: MCA Announces an Architectural Design Competition for designing International Club House at Gahunje Cricket Stadium

Pune, 4th September 2024: In a bid to expand the Cricket Stadium facility by accommodating an international club house for providing the state-of-the-art infrastructure as per the international standards to promote Cricket with training, fitness coaching, residential and other support facilities the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) is organizing an architectural design competition for professional architects, architectural firms and the students of the architecture in collaboration with the Indian Institute Architects, Pune Center.

This was announced by Rohit Pawar, President of the Maharashtra Cricket Association during a Press Conference held at J W Marriott today. Kamlesh Pisal, Secretary MCA, Ar Vikas Achalkar, President, IIA Pune Center and Ar Kapil Jain, EC Member of IIA Pune Center were present on the occasion.

Commenting on the competition Rohit Pawar said, “We 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 the sport of cricket in the state of Maharashtra.”

“Promoting 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 club house and the competition is being organized to get the best design for this project”, he added.

Ar Vikas Achalkar, President IIA, Pune Center said, “In this competition architects and students of architecture are invited to submit designs for the proposed international club house adjoining the MCA Cricket Stadium at Gahunje, Pune. We are proposing an adequate number of rooms at this club house which can be run by a reputed international hotel chain so that the players can stay there during the matches.”

“Good accommodation at the stadium will save precious time of players and the support staff which is otherwise spent in travel from the city hotel to the venue on important day of the players. It will also reduce the burden on logistics and security. This will make MCA International Cricket Stadium the first stadium in the country to have world class accommodation for the players”, Ar Achalkar stated.

This open competition is divided into two parts including a ‘Single Stage Competition’ for professionals and the ‘Ideas Competition’ for the students of architecture. IIA Pune Center will shoulder the responsibility of designing and executing the competition along with the evaluation of entries received. Information about the competition is available on the MCA website.

Registration for entering this competition can be done between September 10th and 30th, the designs submission process will take place between October 5th and December 14th, presentation of shortlisted designs will take place between January 5th and 8th and the final result shall be declared on January 15th.

The author of the winning design shall be appointed as the Project Architect to render architectural & other allied services for successful implementation. The International Club House project at the MCA International Cricket Stadium is proposed to have world class rooms for the stay, banquet halls, sports bar, restaurants, ultramodern gym, swimming pool, indoor cricket pitches for the all year round practice and many other sports with indoor format.

Details of the prizes of this competition are as follows

For Professionals Rs.25 Lakhs, Rs.15 Lakhs and Rs.10 Lakhs would be the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cash prize respectively. In addition, five merit prizes of Rs.3 Lakhs each shall also be awarded in this category.

For the students category cash prizes of Rs.3 Lakhs, Rs.2 Lakhs and Rs.1 Lakh would be given as the top three prizes.

Works of some participating professionals and students selected by the Jury would be displayed at the special exhibition on the day of awards presentation.