Holcim Awards: Supporting Sustainable Construction

The Holcim Awards is a global competition that recognizes innovative projects and future-oriented concepts on regional and international levels. The competition, conducted by the Holcim Foundation, seeks projects that expand conventional notions about sustainable building and also balance environmental, social and economic performance.  Projects must also exemplify architectural excellence and a high degree of transferability. A total of USD 2 million in prize money is awarded in each three-year cycle.

The Holcim Awards (main category) is open to architects, planners, engineers, project owners, builders and construction firms that showcase sustainable responses to technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues affective contemporary building and construction. There is also a Next Generation category, where innovative submissions from young professionals and university students (no older than 30 years) are sought.

Professor Donald Bates, ABP’s Chair of Architectural Design, and member of the Holcim Awards jury for the Asia Pacific region in 2014, believes the Awards are an exceptional opportunity for both built environment practitioners and students. “The Awards are a wonderful opportunity to internationally showcase the innovative work being done by Australian architects, engineers, builders, developers, professionals and academics.”

The University of Melbourne recently became a ‘partner university’ to the Holcim Foundation (alongside MIT, Tongi University, University of San Paolo, Tsinghua University and others) and is the only partner university in Australia. This collaboration will see us support Holcim through academic engagement, public events and student opportunities, to advance sustainable construction concepts and projects.

ABP will hold a reception at the University on the evening of Thursday 30 January, 2014, hosted by Donald Bates, to provide background on the Foundation and Holcim Awards. If you are interested in attending this event, please email: abp-events@unimelb.edu.au.

The Holcim Awards competition is open for entries now and closes for registration on March 24, 2014.  Visit the Holcim Foundation website for full details - www.holcimawards.org

  • News