Over 40 national and international architects, urban practitioners, and students participated in the International Urban Design Competition: Public Open Spaces in Nepal's Municipalities, submitting creative, inclusive, and sustainable designs for five municipalities: Dhangadhi, Birendranagar, Chandragiri, Sunwal, and Tansen.
The competition, launched by the Cities4Women: Inclusive and Climate Resilient Urbanisation in Nepal project, aimed to provide municipalities with functional, inclusive, and ecologically sustainable design solutions for public spaces.
The call for competition was global, receiving entries from Nepal, India, Kenya, Togo, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the USA. The jury, composed of nine national and international experts, reviewed the entries anonymously. The winning designs were submitted by Nepal-based individuals and companies:
Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City: Kailali River corridor - "Connecting the dots"
1st prize: Trina Manandhar, Bihendra Maharjan and Ruchi Khakurel
2nd prize: Yunish Bhatta Chhetri and Biplov Shrestha
Birendranagar Municipality: Greater Ghantaghar Park- "Linear play"
1st prize: Shrinkhala Khatiwada, Sadar Bhandari, Shuvam Koirala and Singpa Tamang
2nd prize: Devendra Dahal, Mohit Pant, Nishaj Kunwar, Rojita Sharma, Sadichchha Shrestha and Sandeep Malla Thakuri
Chandragiri Municipality: Kanchanbasti Aarogya Udhyan Park- "Park for all"
1st prize: Anil Acharya and Ujan Manandhar
2nd prize: Rashid Ahmad
Sunwal Municipality: Shomnath Haatbazar - "Where people connect"
1st prize: Prajal Pradhan, Niranjan Shrestha, Chandra Hakumila Prajapati, Kusum Shrestha, Ruchi Khakurel, Prashant Dhital, Kreepa Timsina, Anish Shrestha and Pratibha Dhakal
2nd prize: Sushmita Ranjit, Aakanshya Singh, Pralisha Manandhar, Aayusha Koirala and Prajwal Joshi
Tansen Municipality: Kudapani Park - "Picnic and more"
1st prize: Rahul Bajracharya, Sajan Raj Manandhar, Ashish Baraili, Tanish Rauniyar and Prasoon Shrestha
2nd prize: Aanchal Paudel, Aastha Sharma, Manoj Thapa, Ritika Yadav, Safal Bhattarai, Sworup Maharjanand Tinkal Pathak
The competition jury included urban design, architecture, and gender studies professionals:
- Prof. Dr. Sanjaya Uprety (Nepal)
- Mr. Iswar Lal Joshi (Nepal)
- Ms. Anju Malla Pradhan (Nepal)
- Mr. Kiran Mathema (USA)
- Ms. Eloisa Fernandez Astudillo (Spain/Belgium)
- Ms. Jasleen Waraich (India)
- Prof. Dr. Bindu Pokharel (Nepal)
- Dr. Stefanie Leontiadis (Greece)
- Prof. Dr. Manlio Michieletto (Egypt)
All entries will be displayed in a curated exhibition to celebrate Urban October 2024 and will be published in an exhibition catalogue. The next International Urban Design Competition is planned for August 2025, with the Lamki Chuha municipality joining the initiative.
The Cities4Wome project in Nepal is co-funded by the European Union and USAID, and jointly implemented by UNOPS, UN-Habitat, and Cities Alliance.
