Winner of Laka Competition 2020: Architecture that Reacts

The subject of the competition is architectural, urban, technological, or product design that is capable of dynamic interaction with its social, natural, or built surroundings. The main focus of the competition is on solutions developed through a process of changes and adjustments. Achieving such a goal requires an interdisciplinary approach that often goes beyond typical solutions.

The winning projects often took advantages from disciplines such as robotics, mechanics, digital fabrication, biodesign and biofabrication, computational design, materials science, bioarchitecture, social sciences, industrial design, mobility, and more. We would like to invite all participants and collaborators to join us during the Architecture in Foyer conference (hosted by Solarlux) on 23 & 24 April 2020. Source and images Courtesy of Laka Competition.

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01 – Winner: The Ark by Safia Dziri, Megan Stenftenagel, Matt Turlock, with the participation of Emiel Cockx
“Rising ocean levels and the near-ubiquitous response across design fields to solve this issue with an intervention to the urban fabric introduces a unique and topical design space. Should architecture combat or greet rising waters? Is flooding a disaster or source of beauty? Is waterfront property abandoned, or clad in durable materials? Ark proposes a reactive architecture that attempts to preserve urban fabrics at risk of flooding while simultaneously expanding and exciting existing spaces.”

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02 – Laureate of Gold Prize: Glacier Metamorphosis by Aasish Janardhanan
“Though the earth is always changing, the current speed of change is unprecedented and problematic. The drastic shreds of evidence in the high-altitude areas especially in the Alps give a clear definition of climate change and its impacts. Reduction in snow cover at lower altitudes, receding glaciers, melting permafrost extreme change in temperature and precipitation are the ways by which Alps proves the impact.”

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03 – Laureate of Silver Prize: Church of the Otakus by Zhiyi Chen
“Based on Post-secularism, the project intends to raise the awareness of the ongoing social phenomenon and its reflection upon architectural discipline. It foresees a future scenario in which religion and the banal world are synthetically combined, and actively involves public interaction in the physical space.“

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04 – Laureate of Bronze Prize: The Desalination Generation by Joseph Shenton
“(…)Due to the inaction of developed global communities, those most vulnerable will likely have to accept this sea level rise and have to adapt to the oncoming changes to farmland and coastal urban communities. The majority of land under threat is located throughout developing countries across Asia, where chronic flooding is set to affect areas that contain 10% of their populations. Without adapting, these communities will likely become climate refugees.”

• 05 – Honorable mention: The Rebirth of Karez by Yuxuan Cai, Zehua Bian, Yuxuan Dai
• 06 – Honorable mention: Breaking the 4th Wall by Ahmad Hafez, Nezar Abualhalaweh, Hamzeh Al-Thweib
• 07 – Honorable mention: Protocell by Monika Kalinowska, Denys Karandiuk
• 08 – Honorable mention: Two Pieces and a Rubber Band by Santiago Diaz Giral
• 09 – Honorable mention: Worm Space by Zi Kang Lim
• 10 – Honorable mention: Mycokarst by Anna Budnikova (M-A SPACE)
• 11 – Honorable mention: Adaptation In Augmentation by Md. Shariful Alam Anik
• 12 – Honorable mention: Climatree by Raymond McGreal
• 13 – Honorable mention: Regen Pods by Dada, Deo Alrashid Alam Design Architecture
• 14 – Honorable mention: Mod City by Fernando Meseguer Zapata

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