Purpose & Background

An initiative of Architecture Australia, the national magazine of the Australian Institute of Architects, the AA Prize promotes debate about architecture and architectural ideas by recognizing excellence in unbuilt projects. It offers an opportunity to discuss architectural works at the conceptual stage, and recognizes projects that might contribute to the development of architectural discourse in Australia.

This annual program builds on the success of the earlier AA Prize for Unbuilt Work, offered in the 1990s. While this prize recognized well-known practitioners, it also brought younger, then unknown architects to national attention. Many of these “unknowns” have gone on to become important figures in Australian architecture. As with its predecessor, the new program has become be an important stepping stone for industry leaders of the future. Architecture Media, through Architecture Australia is very pleased to bring this important work to the attention of the architectural community.

From 2010 the AA Prize for Unbuilt Work will address a different theme each year. We still want a very broad range of entries – from the polemical and speculative to the seriously buildable, from massive urban propositions to tiny yet thoughtful interventions. However, now we are also asking Australian architects to focus their experimental, imaginative abilities through particular themes. This will build strong bodies of work addressing topics of particular interest and import.

The 2010 AA Prize for Unbuilt Work is presented in partnership with ISIS.

Recognition

A cash prize pool of $3,000 is offered.

The jury may make honourable mentions at their discretion.

Winning projects will be published in the January/February 2011 issue of Architecture Australia, online at www.architectureaustralia.com, and in other Architecture Media publications such as Artichoke and Architectural Product News.

Award winners will receive a certificate and use of the AA Prize for Unbuilt Work logo for printed and promotional materials (on request).

The Awards will be announced at an invitation-only cocktail party.

Conditions

Entry fees

For practitioners: $100 for the first entry, $50 for subsequent entries. For students: $50 per entry.

Eligibility

Architects, architectural graduates, architectural students, interior designers, other built environment professionals and students, and all members of the Australian Institute of Architects, are invited to submit eligible projects. Unbuilt architectural projects proposed for or about Australia are eligible for the AA Prize. International projects are eligible if undertaken by Australian-based practitioners or by members of the Australian Institute of Architects, no matter where they are based. Entries are encouraged from individuals, groups, partnerships and those working in larger practices.

Entered projects must be unbuilt as of 8 October 2010.

Entries can be proposals that are intended to be built, or they may be theoretical explorations that exist on paper or in electronic format.

Entries can be for works of any scale: large-scale urban and landscape projects, discrete architectural projects, small interventions, etc.

Publicity and Copyright

By entering, the applicant (if not the practice principal) confirms that they have obtained the authority of the principal (and the client, where relevant) to enter the program, including for any resultant publicity.

The organizer does not make any claims on copyright or intellectual property of the designs entered other than the rights outlined in the following paragraph. The applicant agrees to absolve the organizer from any liability relating to confidentiality or intellectual property issues that may be raised by any party.

The organizer reserves the right to exhibit or publish any or all of the entries. By entering, the applicant gives permission to the organizer to publish, exhibit and promote the content of the submission including by sponsors of the program, where their use of submission content is related to promotion of the program. In all promotion, the organizer will endeavour to promote the name of the designer/s and, where the organizer is made aware of their names and to the extent that the organizer can exert editorial control, photographers will be acknowledged. All finalists must be prepared to submit further material for exhibition and publication if required, such as additional photography, drawings and other information. The applicant acknowledges that the organizer has the right to reproduce materials in whole or part without payment of release or licensing fees to the holder of publication rights or copyright.

General conditions

An entry shall be excluded from the program:

a) if received after the advertised closing date for the receipt of entries (although submissions that have been commenced but not completed by the closing date may be included at the discretion of the organizer)
b) if it does not fulfil these Conditions of Entry
c) if it is incomplete or doesn’t conform to the correct format as specified under “Entry”.

The organizer is committed to providing a quality awards program to the Australian architectural community and makes every attempt to ensure accuracy, currency and reliability of the information included in this document and elsewhere. However, changes in content and process may become necessary at the absolute discretion of the organizer. The organizer accepts no liability for any use of said content or reliance placed upon it.

Architecture Media

Architecture Media is the leading specialist publisher for the design industry in Australasia. An associate company of the Australian Institute of Architects, Architecture Media is a prominent supporter of the design community in both Australia and New Zealand. Through Architecture Australia (the national magazine of the Australian Institute of Architects), Artichoke (the official magazine of the DIA), Landscape Architecture Australia (the official magazine of the AILA), the suite of Houses magazines and Architectural Product News and similar publications under the AGM Publishing mark in New Zealand, Architecture Media presents the best Australian and New Zealand design to the world.