3rd International Living Steel Competition

Living Steel is once again asking architects to take up the challenge to develop sustainable housing for the world’s burgeoning housing shortage.

This competition is the chance to be a positive force in the growing global need for economical, environmentally responsible housing. We’ve put together an exciting format that will allow ten teams of two architects each to present their best ideas for filling this critical need.

The 3rd International Architecture Competition presents architects with the task of creating energy efficient, single-family, detached housing that minimises climate change emissions and can withstand temperature extremes, yet is affordable to build and to buy.

The winning architects will use the exceptional qualities of steel to construct their design in Cherepovet, Russian Federation, where temperatures can range from -49 C to +34 C. The homes constructed from the winning designs will be part of a community for use by employees of Russian steel maker, SeverStal JSC, headquartered in Cherepovets.

The third competition includes a two-part challenge each with a winner and prize. Ten teams of two architects each will be short-listed as competition finalists. The ten short-listed teams will be given the project brief and one month to put together their ideas for efficient, sustainable housing that fits the location specifications. These teams will be flown to Helsinki, Finland, where they will present their concepts to the competition’s Jury on 26-27 June 2008. The Jury will select a winning team who will be awarded the Jury Prize of €50,000 and the opportunity to see their design come to reality.

In addition, a two-day design charrette will follow on 28-29 June in Helsinki where the teams will be joined together in groups and tasked with master planning of the community development. The groups will present their plans to each other and then vote which group offered the best solution. The winning group will share the €20,000 Architects’ Prize.

Each of the ten competition teams will be awarded a €3,000 honorarium, as well as have their travel costs to Helsinki paid by Living Steel.

The competition event in Helsinki will conclude with an awards dinner on 29 June 2008 and the announcement of the winners of the Jury Prize and Architects’ Prize.

http://www.livingsteel.org/extremehousing