Prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought many societal issues across the UK into sharper focus, from the climate emergency to widespread inequality, the design competition is focused on creating housing for a better world.
During lockdown, our homes have become increasingly central to our daily lives. This competition seeks for bold and thought provoking ideas for how our homes can improve the urgent issues of health, sustainability and inequality for residents and wider communities.
This partnership aims to find practices with diverse talent and to bring forward a positive change within the architectural profession and better reflect the diversity of the neighbourhoods in which they work.
Entrants have been asked to demonstrate their commitment to diversity through existing staff or planned action as part of the competition process. Croydon is one of the most diverse boroughs in London and the winning practice will need to field a diverse team and show how they can respond to local issues to best meet the needs of the local community.
The winning practice will be commissioned to design one of the schemes on Brick By Brick’s next small sites programme, which is due to start in Autumn 2020.
The competition has been split into two stages, with the second one currently underway as the shortlisted practices have been invited to develop their proposals and present them to the judges; the deadline for Stage 2 is 6pm 21 August 2020, and the Pecha Kucha (AF 100 Day Studio) 27 August 2020.
The Architecture Foundation is supporting the competition and the shortlisted practices will present their ideas at a live digital event as part of their 100 Day Studio programme on 24 August 2020.
The judging panel, which comprises a diverse range of architectural and community representatives, will watch the live presentations and then meet virtually to decide the winner.
The full list of judges is as follows:
• Colm Lacey, CEO, Brick By Brick
• Chloë Phelps, Head of Design & Commercial, Brick By Brick / Common Ground Architecture
• Anisha Jogani, Placemaking Team Leader, Croydon Council
• Pragga Saha, Alumna, Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust
• Betty Owoo, Architecture Foundation Young Trustee
• Yemi Aladerun, Islington & Shoreditch HA, Architects Benevolent Society, RIBA Council Member
• Croydon community representative TBC
Our world has changed dramatically over the past few months, and with the continued threat from coronavirus and the climate emergency, the design of our homes must be better suited to our needs.
C. Phelps, Head of Design & Commercial, Brick By BrickTalent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Through this fantastic competition, in partnership with Brick by Brick, we hope to shine a light on a diverse group of talented architects and the different initiatives and approaches practices are using to increase diversity in the profession.
S. Watson, Chief Executive, Stephen Lawrence TrustBrick By Brick currently has more than 1,000 homes under development across the borough and expects to be completing 500 homes per year by 2021. As part of its second small sites programme, Brick By Brick and Common Ground Architecture have also committed to a new set of One Planet Living principles to ensure that both their developments and business operations are doing all they can to meet the challenge of the climate emergency.