2A Continental Architectural Awards for Asia & Europe

There has been many Global Architectural awards held in
the past 20 years, however there has not been an Award
which would consider different continents separately but
simultenously at the same event.
Why have we chosen to shift our attention from a Global
Architectural Award to a Continental Architectural
Awards?
1) Different unique and regional cultural and historically
specific characteristics of each continent.
2) Different esthetic criterias based on regional specific
references and backgrounds.
3) Highlight and recognize the specific characteristics
and the fundamental principals of their own unique
architectural styles which were otherwise hidden or in some
cases totally lost in today’s mixed Global Architecture –
highlighting the difference.
4) The re-introduction and giving respect to one’s cultural
roots and values will create and balance the social forces
and create Social unity among the inhabitants, And this
unity will help the nation to move toward progress in every way in a harmonious and positive manner.
Each of these great continents (Asia and Europe) have
different cultural and historical background, and therefore
their social and architectural needs are also different .
Architects of each continent had to consider their local
and regional concerns and needs while designing and/or
building a project such as Geography, customs, culture,
tradition, history, religious values, and other social factors.
These concerns which have been different for each
continent, has led to formation of different and colourful
styles of architecture in each continent.
Therefore, after successfully organizing 2A Asia
Architecture Award for two years, 2A magazine decided
to expand the Award to include other continents and this
year (2017), is for Asia and Europe . This trend will continue,
and the organizer wishes to eventually organize the award
for all the continents in the coming years.
2A is now organizing 2A Continental Architectural Awards
for Asia and Europe as an annual event. The event will
highlight world achievements in Architecture and in terms
of contemporary challenges of the field.
Such challenges include: the great diversity of design
ideologies and methodologies, new advanced technologies, communications and digital media, new
social sensitivities, new technologies in sustainability, and
periodic times of economic slowdown. 2A Continental
Architectural Award will be a landmark and turning point
allowing practitioners to pause and reflect upon what the
continents, as part of global community, have achieved in
the field of Architecture, what we have done wrong, and
where we go from here.
Architecture is an art and profession, which plays a
multi-dimensional role in any society. Its function and
responsibility is not merely to create beautiful living spaces,
it has to reflect and respond to the social, cultural and
economical needs and challenges of that specific society,
country, region or continent.
2A, specialized and well- known architectural magazine
could be a sensitive and effective media element which
can reflect an actual image of architecture by focusing
on different regional architecture and promote and
reintroduce the importance and necessities of considering
cultural identity of various regions by publishing articles in
the Magazine, and also by using other ways such as 2A
Asia Architecture Award, and starting in 2017, 2A Europe
Architecture Award in the following years, which will
focus and encourage both the young and professional
architects to be more attentive to each continents cultural and regional needs.
Moreover, this professional interaction among Asian and
European Architects will foster the following objectives
and benefits:
Exchange of knowledge, experience and information in
terms of general strategy and urban planning:
These continents have rich culture, history and unique
and at the same time diverse and colourful architectural
background, and they have tried and worked hard to
preserve their own respective cultural identity and at
the same time meet the demands of the contemporary
challenges and requirements of modern lifestyle which
is burdened with over population and environmental
pollutions.
This is a unique event designed to inspire an architectural
dialogue among Asian and European practitioners,
all in one forum! Participants will have the opportunity
to explore topics such as: The roots and history of
their architecture, the effects of culture; history; and
tradition on their architecture, The evolutionary process
of their architecture, reviewing as a means of assessing
contemporary architecture, the use of innovative
technologies and sustainable methods in architecture
and urban planning.