The Architecture Drawing Prize 2023: Celebrating the art of architectural drawing

Drawing has always been a very important tool for architects, an art form that allows them to give their ideas and visions tangible form in a visual language. As Ken Shuttleworth, founder of Make Architects, notes, it is often drawing that inspires young students to undertake a career in architecture. But despite this, the art form is often undervalued or considered superfluous, particularly in the study of design concepts. The Architecture Drawing Prize was established in 2017 to create a platform recognising the value of drawing and its importance in architecture today. The Iris Ceramica Group is sponsoring this new edition of the prize, and Group CEO Federica Minozzi emphasises the importance of the contest as an opportunity to reveal people’s creative genius and desire to experiment. "Architecture can combine technology with sustainability to stimulate more significant interactions between humans and their environment," says Minozzi. The Architecture Drawing Prize therefore plays a key role in reflecting architectural creativity and the importance of these interactions.

The prize, inspired by great architects of the past such as Palladio, John Soane, Le Corbusier and Cedric Price, is intended to reflect the evolution of architectural drawing and how it continues to mould the art of architecture and permit its evolution even today, at a time when digital tools are acquiring ever-greater importance in the process of design. The contest embraces creative use of the new digital technologies and computer-generated representations, while at the same time recognising the timeless importance of freehand drawing.

Participants are invited to present drawings of various different types and forms: from conceptual to technical or construction drawings, from cutaways to perspective views, and everything in between. Prizes will be awarded in three categories: Hand-drawn, Digital and Hybrid (combining the two). Technical skill, originality of approach and ability to convey an architectural idea will be evaluated. The contest is open to architects, designers and students all over the world; drawings may be of real projects or entirely speculative.
The judges of The Architecture Drawing Prize 2023 include outstanding experts and personalities from the world of art and architecture such as the founder of Lily Jencks Studio, Lily Jencks, artists Ben Langlands and Nikki Bell, artist Pablo Bronstein, Iris Ceramica Group CEO Federica Minozzi, Foster + Partners senior partner Narinder Sagoo, founder of Make Architects Ken Shuttleworth, and head of exhibitions at Sir John Soane's Museum Louise Stewart. Entrants have until 8 September 2023 to present their works. The finalists and the winners will be announced in October, and their work will be exhibited at the World Architecture Festival in Singapore between 29 November and 1 December 2023. The winners in each category will receive free tickets to the festival, which will also include a round table discussion with the contest judges and a sumptuous gala dinner and awards ceremony. The overall winner of the 2023 contest will be announced during The Architecture Drawing Prize exhibition at Sir John Soane's Museum between 31 January and 3 March 2024.

(Agnese Bifulco)

For more information and to register, go to the contest website:
https://worldarchitecturefestival.com/live/en/page/drawing-prize

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