The Archiboo Awards has announced the longlist for the annual activism prize – supported by Heatherwick Studio. 13 practices, organisations and individuals have made it through to the shortlisting stage following a record number of submissions.
The Activism Award was launched in 2021 to recognise and champion the growing role of architects as they take direct action to tackle key issues within the built environment. This year’s entries include activists from the UK and as far afield as Argentina, covering issues such as the use of public land, tackling homelessness, addressing the climate emergency, inspiring young people and calling for equality based on race, gender and disability rights.
The judges for the 2024 award include Architecture Editor at Wallpaper* Ellie Stathaki, Matt Bell who is the Strategic Communications Director at Heatherwick Studio, and the CEO of Sheila McKechnie Foundation, Sue Tibballs.
Amanda Baillieu, founder of the Archiboo Awards, said:
"When the Activism Award launched in 2021, I was warned that architects’ activism was simply a product of its time and that the networks, collaborations and social enterprises that launched during the pandemic would stop when life returned to normal. But that’s not been the case and this year’s long list showcases the breadth of what the architect activist can do".
The full longlist is
- alma-nac gives pro-bono professional expertise to small charities and community organisations to help get their building projects off the ground
- Beyond the Box is a Community Interest Company. Its People’s Pavilion project is a bold new approach to genuine collaborative design and production
- Black Females in Architecture connects and supports black women within the architecture, design and construction industry
- The Colectivo de Arquitectas is a protest against the redevelopment of public land in Buenos Aires formed by 342 women architects
- Deaf Architecture Front bridges the gap between the deaf community and architectural practice
- The DisOrdinary Architecture Project is a not-for-profit platform set up to challenge and change attitudes and practice about disability and the built environment
- HomeGrown+ co-founded by Neil Pinder addresses issues of diversity within architecture and the creative industries
- Waiting to Happen is a data gathering campaign to improve the traffic safety in Glasgow launched by New Practice
- Part W is an activist group dedicated to amplifying the voices and contributions of women and girls in the built environment
- ProxyAddress provides a stable address for people experiencing periods of instability using existing data.
- Open City Accelerate is outreach programme supporting young people from under-represented backgrounds interested in pursuing a career in the built environment
- Sarah Ackland is an architect researching how public space can be more progressive for marginalised bodies
- Studio Bark is vocal in its mission to address the climate crisis, fight for inclusivity in construction and champion regenerative building processes
The shortlist will be announced in early April2024. The winner will be announced at a ceremony on 22 May 2024.
Images: Colectivo de Arquitectas (top), Open City Architecture (bottom)
