Form Follows Life Reinventing Cities Architecture Competition

Participants are invited to submit designs that showcase the transformation of urban spaces into thriving ecosystems that respect and reflect the complex interdependencies of life. The designs should explore radical approaches towards the rethinking and designing of urban spaces.

Over the last two centuries many urban areas have evolved under the heavy influence of industrial and economic priorities, leading to a significant division between human constructions and natural environments. This historical context sets the stage for our challenge: to bridge this divide through innovative urban design that respects, reflects and enhances the dynamic relationships of all living forms – human, plant, and animal; to imagine a city that cares, heals, and grows with all living forms by asking “what are the qualities of life and how can we harness them as shaping forces for cities?”

This competition seeks to create space for a paradigm shift in the way we think, plan and live in cities towards FORM FOLLOWS LIFE…

JURY
-OLIVIA BINA
Senior Research Fellow – ICS-Universidade de Lisboa
Fellow of the World Academy of Art & Science

-MARCOS CRUZ
UCL Professor of Innovative Environments -Bio-ID and co-founder of
Studio Biocene

-EVAN SHIEH
Asst. Professor of Architecture at New York Institute of Technology
and Director of Emergent Studio

-MATTHEW GANDY
Professor Department of Geography, University of Cambridge

-CLAIRE MARTIN
Associate Director OCULUS

-MARTHA FAJARDO
Founding Principal, Partner of Grupo Verde

In this competition, we challenge participants to reimagine urban spaces through the lens of life (including human, plant and animal).
Proposals should develop an approach to shape cities as systems supporting life and enhancing its relational qualities, rather than as productive and efficient ‘machines’.

Link to Registration form

WINNERS (2 PRIZES)
1500 euros for each winning team to further develop their
project.
Winners will also be invited to present their work at a European
exhibition and conference related to the “Age of Humans and
Nature” project – potential cities include Berlin or Lisbon (some
travel costs for the conference will be covered).
Publication in the Competition book.
Possibility of follow-up commissions, providing further
professional opportunities for the teams.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS (7 PRIZES)
Publication in the Competition book.
FINALISTS (UP TO 31)
Publication in the Competition book.
SPECIAL PRIZE
The organization might establish additional special prizes and
awards during the competition development and in the evaluation phase.

Open to the public/Minimum requirements (Open to anyone that complies with the requirements), Single stage (Winners selected immediately)

Non Architecture Competitions are open to all human beings, from every age and cultural background, working in groups or individually. The registration fee is paid per team, regardless of how many members form it. Personal information of all the team members can be uploaded during the submission procedure of the final drawing.

Registration Opens May 1, 2024
Registration Closes August 31, 2024
Deadline to Submit Project August 31, 2024
Winners announcement Date September 30, 2024

Banner, Poster, Brochure or Triptic of Competition