Summary: AIA President RK Stewart, FAIA, FRAIC, awarded top prize to the winners for the Royal Institute of British Architects-USA international competition "Building A Sustainable World: Life in the Balance" at the West Coast Green Residential Building Conference and Expo on September 22. The competition drew 65 entries from 18 different countries, challenging participants to develop concepts for “healthy, vibrant communities designed to address climate change and reverse, rather than add to, environmental damage.” Each entry offered solutions to environmental and social challenges of enormous scope.

“This was a unique competition in every important respect—a first in terms of actually sponsoring all 12 finalists to visit the U.S. and present their work live in front of the competition's judges,” said Stewart. “This hugely successful international collaboration is also a first in bringing RIBA-US and the AIA together to address a common global issue. It is above all a first because nowhere else is it possible to view so diverse a group of solutions to the problem of climate change.”

Winning entries

First Prize and $10,000
Vakabauta Village: Sustainable Urban Housing in Fiji
A Fijian Team—Toby Kyle, Chris Cole, and Kamineli Vuadreu—took first prize for their project "Vakabauta Village,” which proposes sustainable urban housing in Fiji. The proposal offers displaced and low-income Fijians ways to uplift their local economy with affordable sustainable housing and engaging ideas for the local people to create higher incomes for themselves while respecting and maintaining their cultural values and traditions.

Second Prize and $5,000
"Boonah Two Development," in Boonah Shire, Australia
An Australian team from Gall & Medek Architects—Team DES of Brisbane, presented by Jim Gall and Tony Frye—took second prize for a project called "Boonah Two Development." This proposal addresses primary elements of off-the-grid communities including water catchment, food production, transportation, and relationship to each other and nature.

Third Prize and $2,500
Urban Kidney, Philadelphia
An American design team from Wallace Roberts and Todd, LLC, Philadelphia, captured third prize for the "Urban Kidney Project" (The Forgotten Bottom). The WRT team includes George B. Bryant, AIA; Stephen M. Gibson, AIA; Kyle Gradinger; John Keene; Adam Krom; Lauren W. Leatherbarrow; Jamie R. Ober; Anthony C. Okoye; Yogesh Saoji, AIA; KaMan E. Skinner; Devinder S. Soin; and Michael J. Tweed. This proposal addresses "The Forgotten Bottom" in Philadelphia and the sustainable restoration and reuse of this brownfield site.

Bonus Prize and $5,000
"Seasonal Flood Threatened Community"
Liu Di of China received a bonus prize for the most imaginative use of Autodesk Software. This proposal addresses solutions to protect and support communities experiencing serious flooding.

Honorable Mention
"Tankers Converted to Village"
A U.K. team—Angela Rivera, the Sustainable Construction Team with DGP International, and Scott Wilson Ltd.—received honorable mention for their highly creative thinking outside of the box. Their proposal addresses our soon-to-be-flooded coastlines and offers a solution by converting abandoned oil tankers into sustainable communities.