The UIA, in partnership with UN-Habitat, launched the first cycle of the UIA 2030 Award (2021-2022) in October 2021 to promote the work of architects contributing to delivery of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development together with the New Urban Agenda.
The biennial award, synchronised with the World Urban Forum, invited all architects around the world to submit entries for built projects which demonstrate design quality and have made significant contributions towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in six categories.
View the press release announcing the launch of the Award
The results for the first stage of the inaugural edition of the UIA 2030 Award were announced in February 2022. 125 projects were received from 40 countries. Jury Chair Peter Oborn commented that “jury members were impressed by both the diversity and quality of submissions, which demonstrate the many different ways in which the work of architects from around the world is contributing to this important global agenda.”
View the announcement of the results of Stage 1
43 Regional Finalists were selected to go through to Stage 2, at which point entrants were invited to submit a short video illustrating their building in use together with further information in support of their entries.
The Regional Finalists proceeding to Stage 2 were required to submit a 2-3 minute video of the project in use and in its context, which explained its function and the ways in which it responds to the relevant SDG’s/Targets and meets the eligibility criteria.
The results of Stage 2 were announced on 28 June during an award ceremony held in Katowice, Poland during the World Urban Forum (WUF11).
Key dates
Prizes
A medal and certificate for one winner in each of the Categories 1-6 on completion of Stage 2 (i.e. one winner per Category), together with Commendations for the remaining Regional Finalists.
Announcement of the award winners was made at an award ceremony held during the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum in Katowice, Poland in June 2022.
Theme and objectives
Faced with the challenges of climate change, rapid urbanisation and deepening inequality caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a more important time for architects and built environment professionals to contribute to this pressing global agenda.
The UIA is committed to supporting delivery of the 17 SDGs, especially SDG11, ‘To make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’.
The UIA 2030 Award includes 6 categories:
All Sustainable Development Goals
1. Open Category: Recognising that architecture and the built environment contribute to the delivery of sustainable development in many ways, the Open Category will recognise a project which, in the opinion of the judges, has made the most significant overall contribution to delivery of the Global Goals.
Sustainable Development Goal 7
2. Improving energy efficiency: This category will recognise a project which has contributed significantly to improving the rate of energy efficiency, consistent with the principles underpinning Target 7.3 of SDG7, and demonstrates design quality.
Sustainable Development Goal 11
3. Adequate, safe and affordable housing: This category will recognise a project which has contributed significantly to the provision of accessible, adequate, safe and affordable housing, urban regeneration and/or slum upgrading consistent with the principles underpinning Target 11.1 of SDG11.
4. Participatory, land-use efficient and inclusive planning: This category will recognise a project which has contributed significantly to the provision of participatory, integrated, land-use efficient and inclusive human settlement planning, consistent with the principles underpinning Target 11.3 of SDG11
5. Access to green and public space: This category will recognise a project which has contributed significantly to the provision of access to safe, inclusive and accessible green and public space for all, consistent with the principles underpinning Target 11.7 of SDG11.
6. Utilising local materials: This category will recognise a project which has contributed significantly to building sustainable and resilient buildings utilising local materials, consistent with the principles underpinning Target 11.c of SDG11.
Key criteria
Entries in Category 1 were judged on the extent to which they can demonstrate having reflected the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda, while entries in Categories 2-6 were judged on the extent to which they could evidence having addressed the principles underpinning the relevant SDG targets. All entries were also judged on the extent to which they met the following criteria:
- Building performance/impact: The performance and/or impact of the building in use in relation to the relevant award category and its underlying targets. Reason: To demonstrate progress towards delivery of the Global Goals.
- Design quality: Submissions should reflect design quality in terms of durability and resilience having regard to the method of construction, materiality, energy efficiency and intended lifespan together with usability, accessibility and adaptability having regard to its intended function. Projects should enrich the lives of their users and make a positive contribution to the context in which they are situated. Reason: to recognise the importance of good design.
- Integrated & holistic approach: Submissions should recognise the importance of an inclusive, integrated and holistic design approach that addresses stakeholder participation, design, construction, operation, occupancy and post-occupancy of a building over its complete life cycle in its broadest sense. Reason: To celebrate the power of design and design-thinking and its ability to engage with and provide responses to complex social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Eligibility
Submitted projects should have been designed and delivered by architects of any nationality entitled to practice in their country of residence. Reason: To recognise the work of architects which contributes to delivery of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development together with the New Urban Agenda.
Submissions should have been for built projects that have been completed and occupied for a period of between 1-5 years prior to date of submission. Reason: To encourage consideration of the project in use together with its performance/impact.
Jury Members
Jury members were drawn from the 5 regions of the UIA together with experts with knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Mr. Ishtiaque Zahir Titas (Bangladesh), UIA Regional Vice-President
- Region I: Ms. Camilla van Deurs (Denmark), City Architect, Copenhagen
- Region II: Mr. Nikolai Shumakov (Russia), Chief Architect of JSC ‘Metrogiprotrans’
- Region III: Ms. Anna Rubbo (USA), Adjunct Senior Scholar, Center for Sustainable Urban Development, The Earth Institute
- Region IV: Mr. Rob Adams (Australia), Director of City Design, City of Melbourne
- Region V: Ms. Nadia Tromp (South Africa), Founder, Ntsika Architects
- UN-Habitat, Mr. Andrew Rudd, Human Settlements Officer, Global Solutions Division
- UIA SDG Commission member: Ms. Ramatu Aliyu (Nigeria), Principal at Planned Shelter Consult
- Jury Chair and UIA SDG Commission member: Mr. Peter Oborn (United Kingdom), UN Habitat Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAGE)
Results
STAGE 2
CATEGORY 1: OPEN CATEGORY
Jurors chose not to award a winner in this category and elected instead to highly commend the following 6 projects:
- Village Lounge of Shangcun in Shangcun Village, Jixi County, China, by SUP Atelier of THAD(otherwise known as the Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University)
- Warm Nest Project of Zoige in Xiare’er Village, Zoige County, China by the China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute Corporation
- Greenfield Factory of Karupannya Rangpur in Alamnagar, Bangladesh, by Nakshabid Architects
- Naidi Community Hall, in Savusavu, Vanua Levu Island, Fiji, by CAUKIN Studio
- Enghave Climate Park in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Third Nature (Tredje Natur)
- Beaufort West Clinic, in Beaufort West, Western Cape Province, South Africa, by Gabriel Fagan Architects
CATEGORY 2: SDG7, TARGET 7.3, IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Winner: Karoline Goldhofer Daycare Centre, in Memmingen, Bavaria, Germany, by Heilergeiger Architekten und Stadtplaner BDA
Highly commended projects:
- Indoor Playground and Assembly Hall of Yueyang County No 3 Middle School, Yueyang county, Hunan Province, China by SUP Atelier of THAD
- Huaira (Ecuador), by Diana Salvador and Javier Mera
CATEGORY 3: SDG11, TARGET 11.1, ADEQUATE, SAFE & AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Winner: Home Modification for Low-income Families, in Hong Kong, China, by Domat
Highly commended projects:
- Wallah’s House, in Mehran Town, Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi, Pakistan, by Zohaib Zuby, Architectural Design Research Lab
- Transformation of an Office Building into a Straw and Wood Student Residence, Paris, France, by NZI Architectes
CATEGORY 4: SDG 11, TARGET 11.3, PARTICIPATORY, LAND-USE EFFICIENT & INCLUSIVE PLANNING
Winner: Housing Upcycle Programme, Barrio Mugica of Buenos Aires, Argentina by the Special Project Unit Barrio Padre Carlos Mugica, the Buenos Aires City Government
CATEGORY 5: SDG11, TARGET 11.7, ACCESS TO GREEN & PUBLIC SPACE
Winner: Co-creation of Urban Spaces by the Nobogonga River, Jhenaidah Sadar, Bangladesh, byCo.Creation.Architects
Highly commended projects:
- Climate Adaptation Kokkedal, Kokkedal, Denmark, by Schønherr A/S
- El Trópico y el paisaje construido centro tradicional urbano, Medellín, Colombia, by AEU Arquitectos
- Revitalisation of Rasulbagh Children’s Park, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, by Shatotto Architecture for Green Living
- Eco-Restoration, Chakkarpur-Wazirabad Bundh, in Gurugram, Haryana, India, by VSPB Associates, Architects, Urban Designers, Landscape Architects, Planners
CATEGORY 6: SDG11, TARGET 11.C, UTILISING LOCAL MATERIALS
Winner: House of Dreams in Zhoushan Village, China by Insitu Project, School of Design, from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, PRC
Highly commended:
- Tea Leaf Market of Zhuguanlong, Shouning County, Fujian Province, China, by SUP Atelier of THAD
STAGE 1
Category 1, SDG 11, Open Category
- Salez Agricultural Centre, by Andy Senn Architekt BSA SIA, (Switzerland – UIA Region I)
- Enghaveparken, Climate Park, by Tredje Natur / Third Nature, (Denmark – UIA Region I)
- LIFE CerSuds: Ceramic Sustainable Urban Drainage System, by Eduardo De Miguel; Enrique Fernández-Vivancos (Cátedra Cerámica Valencia UPV) / Javier Miras; Jorge Corrales (Instituto de Tecnología Cerámica de Castellón), (Spain – UIA Region I)
- Red Deer College Polytechnic Student Residence, by Reimagine Architects Ltd. (formerly Manasc Isaac Architects Ltd.) (Canada – UIA Region III)
- Village Lounge of Shangcun, by SUP Atelier of THAD, Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University (China – UIA Region IV)
- Warm Nest Project of Zoige, by China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute Corp. Ltd. (China – UIA Region IV)
- Naidi Community Hall, by CAUKIN Studio (Fiji – UIA Region IV)
- Green field Factory of Karupannya Rangpur Ltd., by Nakshabid Architects (Bangladesh – UIA Region IV)
- Beaufort West Clinic, by Gabriel Fagan Architects (South Africa – UIA Region V)
- Start Somewhere, by Start Somewhere (Social Ltd.) (Kenya – UIA Region V)
- A music platform in the township of Cape Town. Innovating Eco-construction for People, by Building for Climate (South Africa – UIA Region V)
Category 2, SDG7, Target 7.3, Improving Energy Efficiency
- Karoline Goldhofer Daycare Centre, by Heilergeiger Architekten und Stadtplaner BDA (Germany – UIA Region I)
- Huaira, by Diana Salvador – Javier Mera (Ecuador – UIA Region III)
- Gaobeidian Railway City Sustainable Demonstration Pavilion, by SUP Atelier of THAD, Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University (China – UIA Region IV)
- Indoor Playground and Assembly Hall of Yueyang County No.3 Middle School, by SUP Atelier of THAD, Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University (China – UIA Region IV)
- Thang House, by VTN Architects (Viêt Nam – UIA Region IV)
Category 3, SDG11, Target 11.1, Adequate, Safe & Affordable Housing
- Transformation of an Office Building into a Straw and Wood Student Residence in Paris, by NZI Architectes (France – UIA Region I)
- Grow Your House, by Lucila Aguilar Arquitectos (Mexico – UIA Region III)
- Home modification for low-income Families, by Domat (Hong Kong – UIA Region IV)
- AgriNesture, by H&P Architects (Viêt Nam – UIA Region IV)
- Regeneration of residential buildings in Guanzhong, Red Brick Dwellings in Ezi Village, Xianyang, by College of Architecture, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology (China – UIA Region IV)
- Wallah’s House, by Zohaib Zuby | Architectural Design Research Lab (Pakistan – UIA Region IV)
- Star Homes, by Ingvartsen Architects (Tanzania – UIA Region V)
Category 4, SGD 11, Target 11.3, Participatory, Land-Use Efficient & Inclusive Planning
- Housing Upcycle Program, Barrio Mugica of Buenos Aires, by Special Project Unit Barrio Padre Carlos Mugica, Buenos Aires City Government (Argentina – UIA Region III) (pictured)
Category 5, SDG11, Target 11.7, Access to Green & Public Space
- Climate Adaptation Kokkedal, by Schønherr A/S (Denmark – UIA Region I)
- CopenHill, by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group (Denmark – UIA Region I)
- Löyly, by Avanto Architects Ltd. (Finland – UIA Region I)
- Gökçeada High School Campus, by PAB Architects (Turkey – UIA Region II)
- The tropics and the built landscape Urban Center of Medellin Colombia (El trópico y el paisaje construido Centro tradicional urbano de Medellín Colombia), by AEU Arquitectos (Peru – UIA Region III)
- Construction of a Park in the Infonavit Unit, by Quintanilla Arquitectos (Mexico – UIA Region III)
- Gran Canal Linear Park, (Parque Lineal Gran Canal), by 128 Arquitectura y Diseño Urbano: Fernando Tepichín Jasso (Mexico – UIA Region III)
- Co-creation of Urban Spaces by the Nobogonga River, by Co.Creation.Architects (Bangladesh – UIA Region IV)
- Eco-Restoration, Chakkarpur-Wazirabad Bundh, by VSPB ASSOCIATES | Architects, Urban Designers, Landscape Architects, Planners (India – UIA Region IV)
- Revitalization of Rasulbagh Children’s Park, by SHATOTTO architecture for green living (Bangladesh – UIA Region IV)
- Big Air Shougang, Beijing 2022 OWG, by Architectural Design & Research (China – UIA Region IV)
Category 6, SDG11, Target 11.C, Utilising Local Materials
- Wadden Sea Centre, by Dorte Mandrup A/S (Denmark – UIA Region I)
- Salez Agricultural Centre, by Andy Senn Architekt BSA SIA (Switzerland – UIA Region I)
- Kiln Tower in Rammed Earth, by Boltshauser Architekten AG (Switzerland – UIA Region I)
- House of Dreams, by Insitu Project (China – UIA Region IV)
- Tea Leaf Market of Zhuguanlong, by SUP Atelier of THAD (China – UIA Region IV)
- Vedana Restaurant, by VTN Architects (Viêt Nam – UIA Region IV)
- S Space, by H&P Architects (Viêt Nam – UIA Region IV)
- Extension of the Lamdon Model High School in Zanskar, by Atelier Tanka (India – UIA Region IV)