2021 human city design award seeks proposals for sustainable urban ecosystem

with cities facing literal waves of ever-increasing challenges, the competition seeks tools for solving these complexities - inspired to enter?

tim spears October 5, 2021 4 min

2021 human city design award open for entries

cities face literal waves of ever-increasing challenges, from rising social inequality, housing and energy crises to climate change and health emergencies like the covid-19 pandemic. there needs to be a more harmonious relationship between people, society, environment and nature – and that is where creativity and designers comes in. the 2021 human city design award returns for the third edition as it aims to better urban living conditions. design is seen as the tool for solving these complexities.

with a 50,000,000 KRW grand prize ($45,000 USD), entries into the 2021 human city design award are open for entries now until october 31, 2021, here.

2021 human city design award seeks proposals for sustainable urban ecosystem - 1 — 2020 human city design award grand prize winner – ‘countless cities’. turning an italian rural village into a space for exhibitions and community interactions (main image also)

all images courtesy of the 2021 human city design award

in 2018, the seoul metropolitan government declared it the ‘human city design seoul’ with the aim of being an urban beacon for a sustainable ecosystem between people, city and nature. the international human city design award launched in 2019 to share this goal, seeking and celebrating designers that use creativity to solve complex urban problems. the annual awards continue this push for a harmonious relationship, with the global health crisis rearing even more importance to the 2021 edition.

2021 human city design award seeks proposals for sustainable urban ecosystem - 2 — 2020 finalist: eden paradise memorial by siyoung choi in republic of korea

creating a sustainable urban environment for the future

the international design award seeks proposals that create a sustainable urban environment where all citizens can enjoy life. submissions will be assessed with three key themes of criteria: as a solution to living issues in the city, such as does it create a harmonious urban area; as a proposal for future vision, where the design contributes to a concept of global and future-orientated culture; and the expansion of global values, including ideas on how the design solution can be expanded on an international level. last but not least, proposed projects must be able to be implemented in less than five years.

2021 human city design award seeks proposals for sustainable urban ecosystem - 3 — 2020 finalist: elephant world by boonserm premthada in thailand

the competition is a platform for the best practices. to start, the grand prize winner receives 50 million KRW ($45,000 USD), the honarable mention awards 10 teams prizes of 5 million KRW each (4,500 USD), and winners of the special awards like the safety and security award and citizens’ award are also rewarded with 5 million KRW each. laureates also receive an invitation to the online ceremony, opportunities for promotion and permission to use the award logo, and the presentation of plaques once the winner announcement is made on march 21, 2022.

inspired to build a better, more sustainable urban ecosystem? entries into the 2021 human city design award are open for entries now until october 31, 2021, here.