‘A’A’ Presents LafargeHolcim Awards Prize Winners | Next Generation

The LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction is committed to accessing and sharing the most thought-provoking contemporary ideas, projects and examples that respond to the compelling environmental and social issues of our time. For this reason, I am honoured to participate and to be Chair of the Foundation Board. The various programmatic activities of the Foundation have been designed to celebrate and share innovation both onsite and online – connecting diverse cultural, social and economic breakthrough as well as positive environmental impact examples of sustainable construction. The experienced practitioners present in the Board and juries of the Awards appreciate the opportunity of learning and admiring the ingenuity showcased in all the awarded projects. The Foundation’s activities have been developed by a global network of construction industry practitioners, associated universities and innovation and research institutions – all key actors in order to amplify the examples of best practice and the industry learning. I can see that the Foundation shapes its offerings and program of activities because of the people in its reach, the locations where projects and ideas have taken place and in response to the needs and interests of the various groups taking part in its global network. The Foundation is set up to “see around corners” – to understand and communicate what is needed for our built environment to be sustainable – as well as showcase what is possible. In addition to the Next Generation category in the Awards, the Foundation supports young professionals with the following activities: A Next Generation Awards Lab which offers prize winners from the Awards competition a platform to exchange ideas on a global level. A Student Poster competition at each Forum allows post-graduate students of the associated universities of the Foundation to showcase innovative concepts. Critically discussing their ideas with the attendees makes the experts of tomorrow a part of today’s debate. To support the development of knowledge required to meet the challenges in the construction industry, the Foundation offers Research in Practice Grants for a two-year period. The program mentors and enables young practitioners in conducting ground-breaking research based on projects entered in the Next Generation category of the Awards competition. Seeing around Corners 6-7