FuturArc Prize 2010 looking for green vision (Sept 15, 2009)

KUALA LUMPUR: Going green is more than just a fad these days as the need to be sustainable in all aspects of our lives take on a more urgent note with the planet slipping ever more into an irreversible state of climatic damage.

It is with this thought in mind that the region’s leading green design competition, , is once again inviting architectural professionals and students to share their vision of a “Home for Ecological Living in Asia”.

Organised by the FuturArc Journal, the competition is supported by the World Green Building Council and architectural and green building institutions in Asia and Australia. The FuturArc Prize was launched in 2007 by the BCI Group of Companies to seek out innovative green building designs for sites in Australasia. The competition has two objectives: First, to create a platform for talented individuals — professionals and students — who are keen on environmental issues; second, to encourage the construction industry as a whole to move towards sustainable design.

Meanwhile, FuturArc Journal is the region’s leading voice in sustainable architecture and design as it studies the impact of buildings on society and the environment.

In line with the competition’s theme, FuturArc Prize 2010 is seeking new paradigms for designing the Asian home. There is of course nothing monolithic about this — Asia is made up of varied communities, climates and cultures.

The contest calls for a prototype for single or multiple family units of no more than 10,000 sq m in total built-up area. Site selection is at the entrant’s discretion and should be explained clearly in the submission. Only sites in Australia and Asia will be considered.

Winning entries will be chosen by an international jury of green building experts. “The FuturArc Prize, now into its third year, has become a veritable snapshot of the region, from Hong Kong to Sydney. Last year's entries raised the question of what sustainability means to different communities: Urban and rural, modern and traditional, rich and poor. This year, we expect more local perspectives and solutions to what is essentially a global problem. With each successive round, the bar has been raised higher; the jury has high expectations for 2010,” says Dr Nirmal Kishnani of the jury’s chair.

Registration for the competition is free. Entrants can register online via the FuturArc Prize 2010 competition website at www.futurarc.com/prize. More information on the registration and submission requirements can also be found at the competition website.

The competition is open until Dec 15, 2009 and winners will be notified on March 31, 2010. Awards and cash prizes (totalling up to S$30,000 or RM73,662) will be given out.