Scope:
The topic of daylight in architecture is timeless and significant. For centuries, architects have relied on daylight as the main source of interior illumination and have been captivated by it. However, mastering daylighting can be challenging as it involves controlling natural light in and around buildings. This is achieved by placing windows, transparent media, and reflective surfaces strategically to provide effective internal illumination during the day. Successful day lighting requires thoughtful design considerations throughout the building design process, from site planning to architectural, interior, and lighting design.
Buildings are major consumers of energy, and reducing energy use and carbon emissions is crucial. Therefore, using sunlight as a source of energy and light is essential. While much focus on sustainable buildings has been on energy aspects, it’s important to remember that health is the most valuable resource we have, and energy is only one aspect of sustainability. The primary goal for sustainability should be to sustain human life on Earth.
A good indoor climate with ample daylight levels and fresh air from outside is crucial for creating healthy living and working spaces in homes, offices, kindergartens, and schools. We spend a significant amount of time indoors, and the air we breathe and the amount of daylight we receive have a profound impact on our well-being and quality of life. Therefore, it’s imperative to consider the appropriate day lighting strategies and solutions for our buildings.
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The award
The WAC Award 2020 for Students of Architecture aims to motivate and inspire students of architecture to explore the theme of daylight and gain a deeper understanding of its significance as a source of energy, light, and life. This award is designed to recognize and promote excellence in completed study works that showcase the value of conscious daylight design in creating healthy living and working environments. The award encourages innovative projects that reflect the spirit of inquiry and creativity associated with being a student, while also taking into account the social, sociological, and environmental dimensions of light. In addition to recognizing the achievements of students, the award also acknowledges the contribution of their teachers.
Theme
The WAC Award has chosen “Light of Tomorrow” as its central theme, aimed at inspiring innovative and forward-thinking ideas about the future of daylight in the built environment. The award invites a creative and experimental approach to expanding the boundaries of daylight in architecture, incorporating aspects such as aesthetics, functionality, sustainability, and the relationship between buildings and their surroundings..
1. Daylight in buildings
The award criteria includes projects that showcase practical strategies for incorporating daylight and sunlight into buildings, considering factors such as building construction, site context, window design, shading devices, interior layout, materials, and external conditions. Additionally, there is a focus on projects that prioritize the health and well-being of individuals and address challenges faced by urban communities and modern societies, where effective daylight and architectural solutions can facilitate positive change by providing healthier living environments.
2. Daylight investigations
The award welcomes projects that examine the physical properties of light, such as optics, materials, and technological advancements in daylight storage and transportation. It also encourages exploration of the use of daylight in public spaces for various purposes, including recreation, culture, and spirituality. Projects that analyze the impact of daylight on mental and physical health, as well as the changing dynamics and temporal quality of daylight throughout different seasons and over time, are also encouraged.
Type of award and categories
The WAC award is a global open ideas competition that takes place in two phases. In the first phase, projects from the five UIA member regions (Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, the Americas, Asia+ Oceania, and Africa) will be awarded regional prizes. In the second phase, overall winners will be selected. The use of WAC products is not mandatory for participating in the competition. However, innovative thinking and the use of specific WAC components as daylight providers will be considered within the scope of the award. The jury is also authorized to give special prizes to outstanding projects.
Criteria
The jury will evaluate the projects in accordance with the following criteria:
- The integration of day lighting in architectural design
- Thorough research and documentation of the project
- Addressing current and future challenges
- Level of experimentation and innovation in the project
- Overall quality of the project’s graphic presentation.
The jury
The international jury reviews all award entries and selects the winners based on the criteria mentioned above.
Who can participate?
The WAC Award 2020 for Students of Architecture is open to registered individual students or teams from any part of the world, with a preference for multi-disciplinary teams that include individuals from engineering, design and landscaping backgrounds. A teacher from a school of architecture must endorse and authorize each submission. The award is only open to projects completed by students who were enrolled during the study year 2019/20. Schools may submit multiple entries, provided they are of high quality, as judged by a preliminary assessment. Employees of WAC are not eligible to participate.
Anonymity
To maintain anonymity, no personal information such as names of participants, teachers, schools, or countries are permitted on any submitted materials. The registration and submission process for the International WAC has been designed to uphold anonymity from the initial registration through the jury selection process. The award, which is held every two years starting from 2005, is carried out in collaboration with the International Union of Architects (UIA), and follows the UIA rules for international competitions.