Floornature.com, an architecture and design magazine published by IRIS CERAMICA GROUP, announces the tenth Next Landmark International award for architects and designers. The title of the 2021 contest is “Functional mixing: new links between architecture and inclusive and sustainable urban spaces”.

Definition and Theme of the Award

The Next Landmark International Award, now in its tenth year, is organized as a “Contest of ideas” with an open and anonymous procedure (pursuant to article 156 of Legislative Decree no. 50/2016) and the aim of rewarding two projects dedicated to sustainable functional mixing.
Designers can submit entries in one of the following categories:

• Landmark of the Year Award, by entering a completed project.
• Research Award, by entering an unrealized project, either academic (e.g. thesis) or developed independently (e.g. research)

In both cases, the proposal must plan for an achievable future that revolves around inclusion and respect for people and nature. In other words, new ways of experiencing urban, public and private spaces as an economic, environmental opportunity that creates a feeling of collective belonging.
The following types of projects are acceptable under the functional mixing umbrella:

• Urban regeneration projects that support the transition from industry to services and the non-profit sector, conceived or implemented in structures that reflect the new ways of using space, both urbanistically and architecturally.
• Projects that respond to functional diversification needs, and therefore create new crossover links for the growth of contemporary cities. Residential, commercial, infrastructure, leisure and other forms of architecture that are integrated with the neighborhood, street system or even individual buildings, creating a proximity and therefore sustainable network serving the needs of citizens.
• Public or private projects designed or implemented as nature-based solutions (NBS), in which human activities are integrated with nature, which in turn is managed responsibly and sustainably. Projects that have a long-term low environmental impact as their design basis.

In all three cases, the projects presented must define strategies that make a significant contribution to reducing the vulnerability of local communities to social, economic and environmental changes.

Entry Assessment Criteria 

For one of the three project types that come under the sustainable functional mixing umbrella, the award will be presented to the two works, one per category, considered to be most innovative.
The judging panel will take the following parameters into consideration:

• originality of the project or research
• long-term low environmental impact
• new ways of using space
• technical, aesthetic and conceptual innovation