Core77

The OAN launched its latest competition yesterday. Sponsored by Google SketchUp, "Sportables" invites designers, architects and dreamers to design a portable sports product library, product development studio, and soccer field. Here's the pitch:

Nothing connects kids like the power of play. In areas of great need are opportunities to use sports as a catalyst for social change. Where resources are scarce, products can be distributed to deliver vital services. In many parts of the world sporting activities, especially local and traditional sports, are being incorporated into a variety of programs geared toward helping youth address a broad range of issues affecting their lives. By emphasizing a "team" approach, these programs help impart the skills needed by the next generation to overcome the many challenges faced by their countries, from poverty to HIV/AIDS, malnutrition to low educational access. The Sportables play area and product library aims to provide the youth in communities with limited resources the opportunity to play sports safely, securely, and frequently.

Transport yourself to Capao Redondo, a densely packed, but colorful, friendly and energetic settlement on the outskirts of Sao Paolo, Brazil. Here the youth run through the narrow alleys and small spaces mimicking the moves of football heroes like Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, but in bare feet. Open space is a premium, and not always available (i.e. market spaces). Your challenge is to design a solution to create a highly demountable, portable sports product library, product development studio, and futsal (soccer) play area. This "pop-up" facility will be deployed to provide much needed (and desired) jerseys, shoes, and balls to communities that would welcome and use them to inspire change for youth of both genders. The design should comprise of a structure and construction mechanism that can unfurl to provide a space to rent sports gear as well as a safe space for youth to play, but must be re-packaged securely to protect the goods and equipment when the play area is not used or space is not available, or when it moves from one location to another.

All details at the site. More competitions here.