The Living Steel International Architecture Competitions were launched to develop innovative approaches to meet sustainable housing needs. Underpinning each competition is the need to address the economic, environmental and social implications of increasing population density and growth.

The first three competitions have a total prize fund of €750,000, making them one of the largest architectural design initiatives in the world, and present architects with the opportunity to bring their vision for effective and affordable housing to life in one of several countries around the world.

First Competition, Design for India and Poland

The first competition was launched in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 6, 2005, at the XXII World Congress of the International Union of Architects, with a call for expressions of interest to design sustainable housing in Kolkata, India and Warsaw, Poland. In June 2006, UK firm Piercy Conner Architects and architectenbureau cepezed from the Netherlands won the competition for India and Poland, respectively. Piercy Conner’s winning design is now under construction in Kolkata. Visit www.livingsteel.org/competitions for more details.

Second Competition, Design for Brazil, China and UK

The second competition was launched with a call for expressions of interest to design sustainable housing in Brazil, China and the United Kingdom. From more than 1,100 expressions of interest, 18 short-listed firms were invited to submit designs for steel-based residential housing. Winners were announced in September 2007: For Brazil, Andrade Morettin Arquitetos Associados Ltda, Brazil; for China, Knafo Klimor Architects, Israel; and for the UK, Cartwright Pickard, UK. Visit www.livingsteel.org/competitions for more details.

Third Competition, Extreme Housing for Russia

Our third competition, launched online to a global virtual audience of architects in January 2008, challenging them to create energy efficient, single-family, detached housing that minimises climate change emissions and can withstand temperature extremes, yet is affordable to build and to buy in Cherepovets, Russia. Again the responses from around the world were strong and 12 short-list teams were chosen from over a thousand expressions of interest. The teams converged on Helsinki, Finland in June to present their designs to the jury in the presence of all the short-list teams. The interaction was infectious as cultural and competition barriers dropped and everyone began sharing ideas and energy. Peter Stutchbury Architects, Australia, was selected as the winner with additional prizes for Honourable Mention given to RVTR, Canada, and Bligh, Voller, Neld, Australia. Peter Stutchbury’s winning design is now under construction in Cherepovets. Visit www.livingsteel.org/competitions for more details.

Outcomes of the Competitions

Living Steel's International Architecture Competitions for Sustainable Housing have inspired thousands of architects to design environmentally efficient dwellings for a growing global shortage. Resulting are 48 unique designs for sustainable steel homes and construction of steel demonstration buildings commencing at present in several countries and other private projects commencing in locations where the competitions have inspired the construction industry about the potential of steel for residential.