
We are pleased to announce the launch of an annual international design competition: Low-cost House Design Competition. The competition is designed to challenge and seek creativity with ideas and concepts in architectural design, as well as landscape design or site planning. This competition aims to promote alternative solutions to housing, coming up with affordable and sustainable units with limited size and budget to the urgent demands for a house of urban poor.
The challenge is both multidisciplinary and multi-scale, a minimal housing capable of fulfilling the residents' requirements of thrift and sustainability. This year’s competition focuses on low-cost house, an affordable and innovative solution to the basic need for small-sized housing for residents. The competition gives the opportunity to think about social, cultural and environmental effects in sustainable design, construction, and operation. Entrants are challenged to conceive a new and original concept for a low-cost house with expandable units or local materials, however, it is not strictly limited to "low tech". A degree of flexibility and alternative choices are allowed, for example aggregated technologies or prefabricated modular structures, provided it is delivered with adequate justification and feasibility.
