The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has awarded four winners of the 2021 RIBA International Student Competition, titled Reimagining Cities and Towns Post-COVID.

The competition invited students from RIBA-validated universities and schools of architecture in Asia & Australasia, Americas, Europe and the Middle East & Africa to submit design proposals for towns and cities in a post-pandemic world.

The winners were announced on 23 February at a hybrid ceremony in the UK Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020.

The four award-winning projects are: "2061 Pabulum Odyssey" by Maxwell Lau Ho Chuen, The University of Hong Kong, "Regreening Wasted Heritage For Urban Agriculture: Rainwater Harvesting For Permaculture And Human Consumption" by Matías Carrillo, Aranza Rubilar and Rosario Burgos, Universidad del Bío- Bío, Chile, "Parasitic Interchanges" by Lorenz Kleemann, The Confluence Institute for Innovation and Creative Strategies in Architecture, France and "Cascading Planes" by Samer Elokdah, Youmna El-Ghounemy and Moatazbellah El Behery, The Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, Cairo.

"The pandemic has caused communities to rapidly rethink how they live, work and interact with each other, and this international competition encouraged students to consider how the current global challenges will shape cities and towns in the years to come," said RIBA Director of International, Azlina Bulmer.

"We received over 70 entries from 20 schools around the world, which included many innovative, sustainable and resilient designs for the future. Huge congratulations to all our winners for their creative, forward-thinking proposals."

Read more on the winning projects with their short project descriptions for 2021 RIBA International Student Competition below:

Asia & Australasia

Image courtesy of Maxwell Lau Ho Chuen

2061 Pabulum Odyssey by Maxwell Lau Ho Chuen, The University of Hong Kong

"This project questions whether the role of technology in restaurants will increase over the next 40 years, as the transmission of viruses leads to less human contact. It examines the involvement of machines in food preparation and delivery, and how we can retain the human experience of dining-out."

Americas

Image courtesy of Matías Carrillo, Aranza Rubilar and Rosario Burgos

Regreening Wasted Heritage For Urban Agriculture: Rainwater Harvesting For Permaculture And Human Consumption by Matías Carrillo, Aranza Rubilar and Rosario Burgos, Universidad del Bío- Bío, Chile

"This scheme proposes restoration of well-known Chilean landmark, the Central Market of Concepción, following a fire in 2013 that left 370 families unemployed. It suggests regreening the space to fit the new market, encouraging urban agriculture and self-sustainability, while also improving community services and providing employment opportunities."

Europe

Image courtesy of Lorenz Kleemann

Parasitic Interchanges by Lorenz Kleemann, The Confluence Institute for Innovation and Creative Strategies in Architecture, France

"Parasitic Interchanges’ imagines a hybrid existence between the real and virtual world. It proposes co-living structures across Los Angeles that incorporate both physical and virtual amenities for residents, making the virtual world more accessible while fostering a strong sense of community."

Middle East & Africa

Image courtesy of Samer Elokdah, Youmna El-Ghounemy and Moatazbellah El Behery

Cascading Planes by Samer Elokdah, Youmna El-Ghounemy and Moatazbellah El Behery, The Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, Cairo

"Cascading Planes’ looks at the infrastructural developments taking place in Egypt, including new flyovers and widened roadways, and the disconnection residents have from their neighbourhoods. It proposes the diversion of cars to underground tunnels and utilising rooftops, abandoned structures and parking areas to create safer, open, and well-ventilated areas for pedestrians, to connect them with their cities and reduce isolation."

The jury for Asia & Australasia composed of Odile Decq – Chair, Prof. Paula Velasco, Manuel Ferreyra Luque, Agustin Moscato, Carlos Arroyo and Prof. Ayman Wanas. 

The jury for Americas composed of Dr Clarissa Rhomberg – Chair, Dr Davide Lombardi, Arch. Jayantha Perera, ZHUANG Shen, Dr Jens Christian Pasgaard and Nicolas Hannequin. 

The jury for Middle East & Africa composed of John Latto – Chair, Dr Lindsay Howe, Rocío Margarita Cacho Cruz, Nasurudin Hasbullah, Dario Vanegas-Vargas, Dr Rune Christian Bach.

The jury for Europe composed of Prof. Ruan Xing – Chair, Prof. Suzette Michel Aziz, Lucia Hollman, Ar. Azman Zainonabidin, Prof. Nicolás Stutzin and Prof. Hassan Abdel Salam.

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