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Competition Urban Revitalization of Mass Housing

Today 860 million people are living in slums. Yet over 500 million people could be housed properly if all vacant housing units were used. Supply does not meet demand. Adequate housing and improved access to housing is needed. One of the main challenges includes the heritage of mass housing built in the 1960’s and 70’s, Miljonprogrammet in Sweden is just one example. Are you a university student and want to tackle the challenge? Join UN-Habitats international competition. 

The competition is organized by UN-Habitats Global Housing Strategy campaign on Placing Housing at the Center and aims to render mass housing into more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable areas by integrating mixed uses, improving densities and mobility, and reducing their eco-footprint. The contest also strives to strengthen ties between academia, professionals, local authorities, the private sector and residents.

From 1 September 2013 to 31 January 2014, teams of university students and/or recent graduates are invited to compete for seven regional prizes to be awarded at the World Urban Forum in April 2014 in Medellin, Colombia. Schools are encouraged to include this competition as part of their curriculum and course work.

Ministries of Housing, local authorities, housing corporations and associations of mass housing residents as well as owners and managers of mass housing estates are invited to collaborate with competitors in order to receive as many innovative ideas as possible towards retrofitting these housing environments.

Through crowdsourcing the competition encourages regional and international exchanges of existing good practices as well as original and creative project solutions, concepts and policy implications developed by the competitors. 

Are you in Gothenburg and want to know more?
Architect, Dr (MIT) Mohamed El Sioufi, Coordinator Global Housing Strategy UN-Habitat and Chalmers 150th Jubilee Visiting Professor will introduce the competition at Urban Lunch-time September 17th.

Express your interest and read more about the competition

Read more about Mohamed El Soufi