Attention Architects: CDEF Announces Talent Prize 2013

Talent Prize Competition 2013: Architectural Ideas for Improving Urban Spaces
Time for submission: 01 Mar – 31 Jul 2013

From CDEF:
The Cultural Development and Exchange Fund (CDEF) of the Embassy of Denmark launch the Talent Prize Competition 2013. This year’s theme is Architectural Ideas for Improving Urban Spaces. 

The Talent Prize 2013 is based upon the Danish architect Jan Gehl’s notion that an urban area is normally created by a set of buildings, and its real value lies in the spaces between those buildings. Buildings contribute to defining value and feature of the space. Characteristics of buildings in terms of usefulness, appearance, materials, colour, style or kind of openness and closeness, solidness or hollowness have large impacts on the value of public spaces.

In this competition, CDEF would like to represent a basic concept of urban planning: buildings are an instrument, but not a goal, of urban planning. The space between buildings, where communities actively exist is of greater importance.

Participants in the competition are architects, construction engineers, urban planners & landscape architects. Participants will choose a particular Vietnamese urban area, analyse the relationship between the buildings and the public space and propose a redesigning plan for the buildings by adding, deleting and/or changing the buildings to create more attractive public spaces.

In a comment, Danish Ambassador, John Nielsen, states, “The competition seeks to find original and creative architects and to promote projects that are innovative and contribute to improving public spaces in cities in Vietnam. We also want to initiate involvement from public in judging the importance of public places and the role of architecture in designing public activities in cities”.

The applications will be assessed by a Review Board including Danish Ambassador John Nielsen, Vietnamese architect Mr. Pho Duc Tung, Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai and Danish architect Hans Peter Hagens. The Jury Prize for the winner is a one-week visit to Denmark early 2014.

Additionally, a competition website will be available for the public to comment on and vote for the initiatives. The initiative receiving the highest votes will get the Audience Prize, valued at VND 10 million.

The Danish Vietnamese Cultural Development and Exchange Fund (CDEF) was established in 2006 with the aim to provide support to contemporary cultural performances in Vietnam and to cultural exchange activities between Denmark and Vietnam.  The Fund has supported more than 100 projects in Vietnam and Denmark since 2006 and organized 4 Talent Prize competitions for young Vietnamese artist within art sectors such as experimental music, contemporary dance, performance art and paintings.

For more information, please contact:

Ms.Dang Thi Huong Lan,

Cultural and Press Manager

Embassy of Denmark

19 Dien Bien Phu street, Hanoi

Tel: +84 (4) 38231888- ext. 223

Email: [email protected]