The 3rd International Holcim Awards competition offering a total of USD 2 million in prize money is open to: sustainable building and civil engineering works; landscape, urban design and infrastructure projects; and materials, products and construction technologies. The Awards are an initiative of the Swiss-based Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction.
The competition celebrates innovative, future-oriented and tangible projects and visions from around the globe and is open to anyone involved with approaches that contribute towards a more sustainable built environment. The 3rd International Holcim Awards competition is comprised of five regional competitions in 2010/11 and the global phase in 2012.
Objective
The competition seeks projects that demonstrate an ability to stretch conventional notions about sustainable building and also balance environmental, social and economic performance – while also exemplifying architectural excellence and a high degree of transferability.
Projects and concepts related to: buildings and civil engineering works; landscape, urban design and infrastructure; and materials, products and construction technologies are eligible for entry in the competition.
Submissions in both categories are evaluated by independent juries, using five “target issues” to define sustainable construction. Three of these align with the triple bottom line concept of balanced social, environmental and economic performance. The rest cover contextual and aesthetic impact, and innovation and transferability.
Prizes
The total prize money for each cycle of the regional and global Holcim Awards competitions is USD 2 million.
The prize money for each of the five regional competitions is USD 300,000:
- Holcim Awards Gold USD 100,000
- Holcim Awards Silver USD 50,000
- Holcim Awards Bronze USD 25,000
- at least 4 Acknowledgement prizes from a total budget of USD 75,000 per region.
On regional level, juries will also award three “Next Generation” prizes from a total budget of USD 50,000 per region:
- Holcim Awards “Next Generation” 1st prize USD 25,000,
- Holcim Awards “Next Generation” 2nd prize USD 15,000, and
- Holcim Awards “Next Generation” 3rd prize USD 10,000.
Awards and prizes of the regional competition will be presented at Holcim Awards ceremonies in each region from September to November 2011. The projects awarded Holcim Awards Gold, Holcim Awards Silver, or Holcim Awards Bronze in all regional competitions automatically qualify for the global Holcim Awards competition in 2012.
The total prize amount for the global competition is USD 500,000:
- Global Holcim Awards Gold USD 200,000;
- Global Holcim Awards Silver USD 100,000;
- Global Holcim Awards Bronze USD 50,000.
The Holcim Innovation prize for up to three winners is allocated a total budget of USD 150,000. All prize-winning projects and visions from the five regional Holcim Awards competitions (Awards, Acknowledgements, and “Next Generation” prizes) are eligible to be considered for this prize.
All prizes of the global competition will be presented at dedicated Holcim Awards hand-over events from May 2012.
Prizes will be awarded to the person listed as Main Author on the entry form as the Holcim Foundation’s sole contact. In the case of a project submitted by more than one author, the Main Author must indicate how prize money will be distributed (in percentages) between the Main Author and all Further Authors listed.
Rules
- The main category of the competition is open to architects, planners, engineers, project owners, builders and construction firms that showcase sustainable responses to technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues with contemporary building and construction.
- All authors must be at least 18 years of age on 23 March 2011.
- Projects are eligible for the competition if they have reached an advanced stage of design.
- Construction (or commercial production in the case of materials, products and construction technologies) must not have started before 1 July 2010. In addition, the Holcim Awards seeks visions and ideas for the “Next Generation” category, open to student projects created within university programs at final year bachelor level or above (including master’s and PhD).
- English is the principal and legally binding language of the Holcim Awards competition. Competition entries may be submitted only in English.
- All building projects are eligible to enter the competition if construction or commercial production had not started before 1 July 2010.
How to enter?
To enter the Holcim Awards Competition, start a new entry through the online entry form on the official website.
Please make sure you read the official rules and submission guides before submitting your entry.
