The Jury for the Living Steel International Competition for Sustainable Housing selected two winning submissions at a meeting held in Brussels, Belgium 9-10 May 2006. The independent Jury, approved by the International Union of Architects (UIA), included Glenn Murcutt, Charles Correa, James Berry, Andrew Ogorzalek, and Jaime Lerner (UIA) with Nicholas de Monchaux (UIA) serving as an alternate juror. Mr. Murcutt was duly elected by the Jury to serve as Chairman.

Qualifying submissions were received from 18 architecture firms; 10 for Warsaw, Poland, and 8 for Kolkata, India.

The announcement of the two winning firms will be made during the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum III on 20 June 2006 in Vancouver, Canada. Construction of demonstration buildings based on the winning designs will commence in Kolkata and Warsaw in early 2007.

Mr. Glenn Murcutt sharing the views of the Jury said: "We are impressed by the ambition and scope of the Living Steel programme and the architectural competition and look forward to its continuing contribution to address the crucial global issue of the sustainability and quality of residential environments. Many proposals and the winning entries in particular, displayed the potential for steel construction to provide lightweight, open, flexible and refined spaces responding to contemporary urban living. We're delighted to be part of such a pioneering approach".

Mr. Carl Perry, Chairman of the Living Steel Steering Group said, "I am delighted that the Jury has unanimously selected the two winners of the competition. The designs won the Jury over by their clear demonstration of the spirit of the Living Steel ideal to promote global sustainable housing.".

The firms submitting designs for Warsaw were Alison Brooks Architects (United Kingdom), Hideto Horiike Urtopia Inc ( Japan), Architekt Andrzej Glab Studio (Poland), Sander Architects (United States), architectbureau cepezed (Netherlands), Helin and Co Architects (Finland), Archada Barthelemy-Grino RFR (Poland/France), Stutchbury and Pape Architecture Landscape Architecture (Australia), Eight Inc (United States) and Troppo Architects (Australia).

The firms submitting designs for Kolkata were Architecture Paradigm Private (India), Ian Moore Architects (Australia), 3L Architects (Germany), Avery Associates (United Kingdom), Piercy Conner (United Kingdom), Samyn and Partners (Belgium), Bruno Stagno Arquitecto y Asociados (Costa Rica) and Schulitz and Partner (Germany).

Each of the two winning firms will be awarded a prize of €50,000 and be engaged to develop their designs for the construction of the buildings. Each of the short-listed firms will be awarded an honorarium of €10,000.

Editor's Notes

About Living Steel
Living Steel, a worldwide programme to stimulate innovation in the design and construction of housing, was launched in February, 2005. The International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) provide the project management. Living Steel is a five year programme with an anticipated total budget of €14.25 million.
Current members of Living Steel include Arcelor, Baosteel, BlueScope Steel, CELSA Group, Corus, Erdemir, IMIDRO, Mittal Steel, Posco, Ruukki, and Tata Steel. Supporting members include Brazilian Center of Steel Construction, European Convention for Constructional Steelwork, Fondazione PROMOZIONE ACCIAIO Institute for Steel Development and Growth, International Zinc Association, Korea Iron & Steel Association and The Steel Construction Institute.

About the Competition
The Living Steel International Competition for Sustainable Housing was launched to develop innovative approaches to meet sustainable housing needs. Underlying the competition was a desire to address the economic, environmental and social aspirations of a growing world population. The Competition was developed with the guidance of the International Union of Architects (UIA) and consequently follows the provisions of the International Recommendations for Competitions in Architecture and Urban Planning adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 27 November 1978.

An open Expressions of Interest call for the competition was made in July 2005 on the occasion of the UIA's world congress held in Istanbul, Turkey. Over 300 individuals and firms complied with the call. Ten firms were invited to submit designs for a 5 story apartment building located in Kolkata, India and another ten firms were invited to design a 5 story apartment building for Warsaw, Poland. Ten firms submitted designs for the Warsaw building while 8 firms submitted designs for the Kolkata building.

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International Iron and Steel Institute
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