Concrete Design Competition

The International Concrete Design Competition for Students is a biennial ideas and design competition for students in architecture, engineering, design and affiliated disciplines. It is organized and funded by a consortium of European cement and concrete associations and open for students subscribed in an educational institute in one of the participating countries.

The International Concrete Design Competition for Students aims at promoting innovative design attitudes related to the use of concrete as a material and a technology. It is characterized by its format: each competition cycle is framed by a theme designating a specific property of concrete. This theme is selected and directed by a curator of international renown, writing the assignment and offering personal insights and ambitions. Nationally chosen laureates are invited to participate in an international master class led by the curator and his team. The master class continues the investigation of the theme. An elaborate publication presents the competition and master class results and offers further exploration of the cycle’s focus.

The International Concrete Design Competition for Students is material based. It focuses design attitudes towards material as a design-leading phenomenon. It does not prescribe ‘traditional’ design requirements like programme, location or typology. It asks participants to explore and exploit the potential of the material in a design-led environment. They are invited to approach the material from within its own merits and to push its potential to ‘realise’ developed ideas. It asks to present these ideas through design proposals. Ideas can only show their merits when they are applied. The choice of a design topic or programme is free. It should be chosen such that it presents the participant’s ideas as accurately as possible and can range from building details to large structures, landscape projects or building complexes.

The International Concrete Design Competition for Students is ‘open’ for adaptations. Its character offers a platform for material research and design that can either be approached individually as a complete assignment or it can be incorporation within ‘host’ design and research assignments and thus becoming part of existing curricula.

Some requirements concerning the delivery of the competition entries (deadline, addresses, and so on) are organised nationally and may differ from country to country. Please carefully check the ‘national requirements’ and ‘national secretaries’ section on the website for the country you are submitting your entries to.

http://www.concretedesigncompetition.com/