Top sustainable construction projects focus on local context and enhancing communities

The winning projects of the Holcim Awards 2014 Asia Pacific show how building with sustainable construction in mind can enhance the region’s human, natural and economic performance. A bird sanctuary in Thailand, a locally-adapted orphanage in Nepal, and a community library in Sri Lanka received the top prizes.

For the first time a Sri Lankan Architectural Practice - Robust Architecture Workshop - won the Bronze award in the main category of the regional 4th international Holcim Awards. The Holcim Awards is open to architects, planners, engineers, project owners, builders and construction firms that showcase sustainable responses to technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues with contemporary building and construction.

The bronze award was won by Milinda Pathiraja and Ganga Ratnayake of Robust Architecture Workshop for their community recuperation project in Ambepussa. Developed in collaboration with Sinha regiment of the Sri Lanka Army, the project aims to disseminate knowledge and provide training in building techniques to soldiers through the construction of a community library. The building sits lightly in the landscape and wraps around an inner courtyard, taking full advantage of cross ventilation and daylight use. The use of rammed-earth walls and recycled materials reduce the building’s ecological footprint.

Speaking about the award, Milinda Pathiraja commented, “Holcim award is presented to building interventions that attempt to meet our spatial needs in a sustainable manner, without limiting the opportunities of future generations. The target issues of the award aim to balance environmental, social and economic performance while highlighting the need for architectural excellence. Our project was recognized because of its proposed engagements, interactions and processes in facilitating sustainable community development. Holcim Lanka's contribution in disseminating such ideas about sustainable construction among the local public and building industry practitioners is highly commendable."

Commenting on the win for Sri Lanka, Mr. Philippe Richart, CEO, Holcim Lanka said, “We are extremely proud to have a Sri Lankan winner at the Holcim Foundation Asia Pacific Awards. Holcim Awards provides a great opportunity for talented architects, engineers and building planners across the world to be exposed to global sustainable solutions in the construction industry and highlight talented individuals in a global competition. I congratulate Milinda & Ganga (main author & further author) on their win and wish the best of luck for their future endeavors and my hope is that the next Holcim Asian Award can be hosted in Sri Lanka.”

The Holcim Awards ceremony in Jakarta for the competition region Asia Pacific concludes a series of five events following Moscow for Europe, Toronto for North America, Medellín for Latin America, and Beirut for Africa Middle East. The projects that received Holcim Awards Gold, Silver and Bronze in each region automatically qualify for the Global Holcim Awards 2015.

The Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction competition seeks innovative, future-oriented and tangible construction projects to promote sustainable responses to the technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues affecting building and construction on a local, regional and global level. The competition has been run by the Swiss-based Holcim Foundation since 2004 and offers USD 2 million in prize money per three-year cycle.

The Holcim Foundation is supported by Holcim Ltd and its Group companies in around 70 countries and is independent of its commercial interests. Holcim is one of the world’s leading suppliers of cement and aggregates (crushed stone, gravel and sand) as well as further activities such as ready-mix concrete and asphalt including services.

Main category award winners Holcim Awards Gold 2014

Protective Wing: Bird sanctuary, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Main authors: JariyawadeeLekawatana, Architectkidd, Bangkok, Thailand; Singh Intrachooto, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand; ChakCherdsatirkul, KaomaiLanna Resort, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Further authors: Felix Baroux, ÉcoleNationaleSupérieured’Architecture et de Paysage de Bordeaux, France; PacharapanRatananakorn, PratchayaLertrucksadee, NattapongChumkesorn, TamfunVatayanon, SorawutKittibanthorn, Architectkidd, Bangkok, Thailand

Holcim Awards Silver 2014

Children’s Ziggurat: Locally-adapted orphanage and library, Kathmandu, Nepal

Main authors: Hilary Sample, Michael Meredith, MOS Architects, New York, NY, USA

Holcim Awards Bronze 2014

Post-War Collective: Community library and social recuperation, Ambepussa, Sri Lanka

Main author: MilindaPathiraja, Robust Architecture Workshop, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Further author: Ganga Ratnayake, Robust Architecture Workshop, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Holcim Awards submissions for projects in Asia Pacificwere evaluated by an independent jury hosted by the Tsinghua University in Beijingand included Rahul Mehrotra (head of jury, India), Marc Angélil (Switzerland), Donald Bates (Australia), MomoyoKaijima (Japan), Forrest Meggers (Singapore), Geeta Mehta (USA), Ian Riley (China), Stephen Siu-Yu Lau (Hong Kong/China), BrindaSomaya (India), Davy Sukamta (Indonesia), and Yue Zhang (China).

Photo caption: Presentation of the Holcim Awards Bronze 2014 for ‘Post-War Collective: Community library and social recuperation, Ambepussa, Sri Lanka’ (from left): Aiden Lynam, Holcim Area Manager South Asia; Ian Thackwray, Holcim Exco Member Asia Pacific; winners Milinda Pathiraja and Ganga Ratnayake; H.E. Anoja Wijeyesekera, Ambassador of Sri Lanka; and Philippe Richart, CEO Holcim Lanka