It was also irrelevant. The winner, meanwhile, suffers from having aspirations it cannot meet. Its enormous, curved wall of glass is obviously meant as an impressive architectural statement, but it doesn't meet even the simplest functional requirements. Facing the scorching southern light, it promises to roast the judges, juries, lawyers and clients inside. The clients, of course.
Great architects can often produce mediocre buildings.
Don't begin by handcuffing architects to volumes of banal restrictions and guidelines. The essence of a competition is risk. The result may be the kernel of an idea, a fantasy that needs to be reined in. But the reality is that some people are better equipped to make certain decisions than others. Selection committees should be made up of people with the ability and skill to identify a first-rate design when they see it.