Jan 12 2007
Living Steel presents an opportunity for UK architects to provide a creative solution addressing the challenge of supplying cost effective housing to the world’s growing population, and in turn shine on an international stage. The deadline for expressions of interest for the second competition in the worldwide Living Steel programme is Friday 19 January 2007.
Housing a developing global population that is growing at the rate of a small city every day poses a unique set of challenges. Flexible, sustainable, cost effective housing solutions must be found.
This is the gauntlet that has been thrown down by Living Steel to architects across the world as they are asked to design sustainable housing for Brazil, China and the United Kingdom. Winners will receive a prize of ˆ50,000 and see their submission developed for construction in 2007-8.
Colin Ostler, Living Steel Competition Chairman, comments: ‘Time is nearly up to become involved in this exciting initiative. Living Steel presents an opportunity to launch the reputation of the winning architects into a global arena. The problem of housing the world’s growing population is enormous and complex, and Living Steel offers architects the chance to help by actively addressing this issue through design.’
A UIA approved international jury will judge entries with confirmed jurors including:
Glenn Murcutt, 2002 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Price; Charles Correa, widely acclaimed architect with expertise in housing and urbanisation; Andrew Ogorzalek, one of the founding partners of UK-based PCKO Architects; Jaime Lerner, International Union of Architects past president; James Berry, Design Director of Skanska, Cui Kai of the China Architecture Design & Research Group and Roberto Loeb one of Brazil’s premier contemporary architects.
‘We want people to think about how housing can be made more efficient with steel, from design through to construction’, continues Ostler.‘ Steel delivers great value. An innovative material, it offers a solution that facilitates speed of construction and design flexibility, to provide durable and comfortable living space.’
The final date for submission of expressions of interest is 19 January 2007. From these expressions, a short list of up to six architectural firms for each of the three locations will be notified and provided with a detailed competition brief in February 2007. Each short listed firm will be paid an honorarium of ˆ10,000.