Grand designs

Aleksandra Andruchów from the Wrocław University of Technology has won the EUR 5,000 first prize at the Architectural Academic Awards 2007. The second prize of EUR 2,000 was won by students from Ukraine. The competition, organized by Investment Environments (INVI) for the third consecutive time, was set up to give young and talented students a unique opportunity to raise their profiles and make a mark on the architectural scene

Investment Environments (INVI) – design, architecture and consulting company has now organized this event for the third year running.

“We invited students from several universities in central and eastern Europe. The ceremony took place during the fourth CEPIF real estate trade fair on June 5th in Warsaw. On the previous day we organized a vote amongst the participants of the fair for what was in their opinion the best project sent in by students. The entry with the highest number of votes won a public prize”, reveals Anna Mirska-Perry, marketing and PR director in INVI.

At this year’s fair, there were 14 university students participated. With their professors they came to Warsaw from Gdańsk, Wrocław, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine (Kiev and Kharkov), Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany and Serbia (Belgrade and Novi Sad) there were also students from Warsaw Technical University. “The theme of this year’s competition was: Cities in central and eastern Europe: a plan to reflect the soul of the city”, says Zlatina Mikołajczyk, marketing manager for CEE from INVI.

“Not so much through following the trends of western markets – often the financial vehicles behind large developments – but more as assertions of local cultures, which I believe to be ultimately more economically sustainable as well”, adds Guy Perry, president and founder of INVI.

The current competition theme – a plan to reflect the soul of the city – is, in essence, about the cultural and economic maturity of central European markets. It is about the sustainability of these places.

“I spent the first few years of my career in Barcelona, where I participated through my work at Taller de Arquitectura in the modernization of the city. What impressed me then, and what impresses visitors today, is how the city has transformed itself on its own terms”, says Guy Perry. He goes on to add that: “Central European cities – whether it be the Dubai inspired development of Moscow, the banal development of Novi Belgrade or Turkish or American inspired malls, or the tower blocks of Warsaw – have yet to come to terms with their own pasts or future cultural identities.”

The competition jury was made up of several experts: Guy Perry – president of INVI (jury chairman), Paul Geeson – director, ARUP Poland, Philippe Cayol – general director of Bouygues Immobilier Poland, Szymon Wojciechowski – president of the board of APA Wojciechowski, dr Joanna Giecewicz – from Warsaw University of Technology, prof. Ivana Kucina from Belgrade University, and Bart Goldhorn – editor of Project Russia.

“After a long debate, the jury decided that Aleksandra Andruchów from Wrocław University submitted the best design and was awarded EUR 5,000, a prize sponsored by ARUP. Aleksandra’s concept was for a housing and service complex in the capital of Dolny Śląsk”, adds Mrs Mikołajczyk.

Second place was awarded to Olga Prokopenko and Marina Oliferchuk from the Kharkov State Technical University for Construction and Architecture. They received the second prize and EUR 2,000 – provided by Bouyges Immobilier Poland. The Ukrainian students also gained recognition among CEPIF participants, who voted them a public prize.

The sponsors of the third edition of the Architectural Academic Awards were: ARUP Poland (1st prize – EUR 5,000), Bouygues Immobilier Poland (2nd prize – EUR 2,000). APA Wojciechowski, Prokom Investments SA, Hotels: Mercure Fryderyk Chopin Warsaw and IBIS Stare Miasto. The lottery sponsors were Hays and Dom Wina. The media patrons of the 3rd competition were: Poland Monthly, Europaproperty.com, Eurobuild Poland, Architektura Murator, Commercial Property and Bulgaria Property Wise.