Europan 2011 calls for eco-friendly urban design

Europan 11 is a competition that invites Europe’s young architecture and urban design professionals to submit their ideas for sustainable designs that address the concerns of our changing world, limiting harmful emissions, controlling energy consumption, conserving water and reducing all manner of pollution.

The Europan 11 competition is taking place in conditions marked by a strong commitment amongst European cities to very stringent environmental objectives. Following the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit in 2009, municipalities became aware of the importance of what they do alongside central government to limit greenhouse gas emissions, control energy consumption and manage (or preserve) rare and non renewable resources such as water, as well as to diminish pollution of different kinds. As a general rule, they are trying to achieve greater autonomy, in both food and energy, and want to develop societal innovations in order to encourage every Citizen to adopt an eco-responsible lifestyle. These geopolitical concerns need to be reflected in the design of urban spaces at the urban and architectural scale.

Good-quality planning with a focus on sustainability should generate an evolution in its environmental and human components that is consistent on all scales. It has become a strategic factor, since it can enhance the economic, social and cultural attractiveness of a region, city or locality, and also boost local identity.

For a municipality, the quest for sustainability entails the production of areas that bring quality of life to everybody, in other words the appropriation of public space and ease of access to amenities and services.
A sustainable approach also involves tackling the question of nature. Whether developed, wild or in the form of local agriculture, nature needs to be reconciled with the urban fabric in order to enhance the territories of the city and protect resources, biodiversity and the urban future.

Entrants are challenged to combine the urban and natural fabric to improve biodiversity and create a more natural environment for city-dwellers. Designs should consider the unique characteristics of each building site and environment, as well as accommodate the city’s evolution over time. Preventing urban sprawl – and thus the development of currently unspoiled nature - is also key to eco-friendly urban planning. Participants must register by June 10th and submit their projects no later than June 30th, 2011. A nine-member jury will evaluate the projects submitted in each country and award winners a first prize of 12,000 euros and a second prize of 6,000 euros.

Sources: LiveGreen Blog and Europan 11