New Perspective on Wood - the architecture competition now open for registration
2023-09-13
Stockholmsmässan/Nordbygg, in collaboration with Svenskt Trä (Swedish Wood) and Sveriges Arkitekter (Swedish Architects), is once again announcing the student competition in architecture called "New Perspective on." This time, the chosen material for the competition is wood. The winning project will be constructed and showcased at Nordbygg, taking place from April 23 to 26, 2024.
"New Perspective on" is a popular and recurring concept conducted by Nordbygg and Sveriges Arkitekter (Swedish Architects) for each Nordbygg event in collaboration with a relevant industry organization based on the material theme for that year. The task is to create an inviting meeting space with Nordbygg's main stage at its center.
In 2024, the chosen material is wood, and the competition is held in partnership with Svenskt Trä (Swedish Wood) and Sveriges Arkitekter.
– The purpose of the competition is to promote the knowledge of Sweden's architecture students about various types of materials, their versatile possibilities, and challenges. What we find especially valuable about Nordbygg's competition is that students get to participate in the construction process and witness their project come to life in 1:1 scale, in collaboration with skilled craftsmen and material experts," explains competition secretary Tove Dumon Wallsten from Sveriges Arkitekter.
New Criteria
In this edition of the "New Perspective on" competition, new criteria of circularity and disassembly are considered in the evaluation of competition entries. The competition, which is now open for registration, will close on December 10, 2023, and the awards will be presented at a ceremony during Northern Europe's largest construction and real estate fair, Nordbygg, on Thursday, April 25, 2024.
The winning project will be erected at Stockholmsmässan and will be accessible to visitors during Nordbygg. The competition task is to create a meeting point and a stage in the large entrance hall at Stockholmsmässan. In addition to this, the winning entry will receive a prize of 50,000 SEK.
– We look forward to a construction that is not only a beautiful focal point but is also practical and inviting for meetings, explains Lina Hann, Project Manager for Nordbygg.
Together with jury members from Svenskt Trä (Swedish Wood) and Atelier Heyman Hamilton, Lina Hann will determine which of the competitors best represents a rich environment, either as it is or through treatment, and can be used both indoors and outdoors.
Innovations in Wood
The proposal should be reusable in whole or in parts, and wood should be integrated in an innovative manner.
– For Svenskt Trä, it is, of course, very important to showcase the possibilities of this fantastic material, which is so crucial for the green transition. It feels completely right to include disassembly and circularity in the competition; it creates the opportunity to extend the lifespan of the incorporated wood products and can thus contribute to delaying the emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and increasing the overall carbon sink in the built environment. We look forward to receiving creative submissions that demonstrate the possibilities and good properties of wood, says Anna Ryberg Ågren, Director of the industry organization Svenskt Trä.
The jury consists of:
Lina Hann, Project Manager, Stockholmsmässan/Nordbygg
Johan Fröbel, Head of Technology and Trade, Svenskt Trä
Tomas Alsmarker, Head of Innovation & Research, Svenskt Trä
Malin Heyman, Atelier Heyman Hamilton