Results: Great Green Wall Students' Competition

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22 DECEMBER 2022

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THE GREAT GREEN WALL

UIA International Student Competition

The International Union of Architects (UIA) has announced the results of the Great Green Wall (GGW) single stage student ideas competition. This is the official student competition of the 29th UIA World Congress of Architects that will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark on 2-6 July 2023.

The jury met in Copenhagen on 6-8 December 2022 to evaluate over 150 entries from 49 countries. The members were impressed with the overall quality of the entries and the awareness of climate change as well as the innovative approaches demonstrated in every scale.

The first prize was awarded to Altynai Isaeva from the Kyrgyz State University of Construction and Architecture (KSUCTA), Kyrgyzstan for the project “Sustainable housing for Africa” in Sauga, Burkina Faso. The jury lauded the entry for being “a very mature and correct proposal, able to redeploy typological memory and conceptual clarity through a simple configuration of a solid base. It is easy to imagine that this project could grow into a village incrementally, when families expand, following the architectural language of the initial house. The beautiful presentation was also highlighted by the Jury, as was the meticulous attention to detail.”

"Sustainable housing for Africa", Sauga, Burkina Faso by Altynai Isaeva, Kyrgyz State University of Construction and Architecture (KSUCTA), Kyrgyzstan

The second prize was awarded to Yuto Takenaka from the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, USA for the project “Dandelion ARC Journey” in reference to the GGW's extension.

The jury praised the entry for presenting “a compelling proposal that actually frames the entire African Great Green Wall as a site. Its fantastic narrative explores the possibility of being both general and specific, contextual and generic.”

"Dandelion ARC Journey" by Yuto Takenaka, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, USA

The third prize was awarded to a team composed of Tian Haoran, Yang Mohan, Wu Ruopan and Cao Chuangwei supervised by tutors Hou Shuai and Ren Zhonglong from the Inner Mongolia University of Technology, China.

Their project, “Green Colonies” in Niger was found to propose “a solution by transforming the courtyard house typology into an organically growing habitat. It intends to do so in Zinder, Niger – an environment where rainwater is scarce, and desertification is a problem.”

“Green Colonies” in Niger by Tian Haoran, Yang Mohan, Wu Ruopan and Cao Chuangwei supervised by tutors Hou Shuai and Ren Zhonglong, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, China.

The 4th and 5th prizes were awarded to the following:

Quan Dao and Quang Ngo, Hanoi Architectural University, Vietnam for the entry “Co-Living” in Burkina Faso for offering “an elegant tropical solution that reminded the jury of Kéré’s work, and acts as a living obstacle to the Sahara progress.”

Abdulhameed Yakubu, Khadija Oyanki, Rayyan Garba and Amina Musa from Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria for the entry “The Gidajen Laka” in North-eastern Nigeria that, according to the jury, “successfully incorporates a courtyard as a living space in a single-family” and was found to be functional in the prevailing climate and saved material.

“Co-Living” in Burkina Faso by Quan Dao and Quang Ngo, Hanoi Architectural University,
Vietnam

“The Gidajen Laka” in North-eastern Nigeria by Abdulhameed Yakubu, Khadija Oyanki, Rayyan Garba and Amina Musa, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria

Honourable mentions

The Jury unanimously concluded that the following ten proposals uniquely elevated a particular issue or virtue, enriching the deliberations and expanding the context of its discussions. Ranging from typological reinterpretations to representational techniques or material innovation, each project was successful at exploring and presenting a series of strategies that should be recognised, celebrated, and supported.

Competition winners will be invited to attend the Congress and participate in the Awards Ceremony in Copenhagen. The winning entries will also be displayed at the event.

Find out more and view the prize winning entries here.

The International Union of Architects (UIA) is an international non-governmental organisation based in Paris. Established in 1948, it is the only organisation representing architects across the globe working to unify architects, influence public policies on construction and development, and advance architecture in service to the needs of society.

UIA - INTERNATIONAL UNION OF ARCHITECTS

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