MEA2013, the International Design Awards Competition, is honoring innovative and creative design solutions completed during the last five years in the Mediterranean zone, where climate and economic limitations are akin.
 
Forty-one (41) projects realized around the Mediterranean were submitted by the end of April, aiming to enhance exchange of ideas on environmentally conscious design, and enrich the ecological sustainability approach. All participating projects should follow the principles of sustainability in architecture, mainly through environmentally responsive passive design solutions. Selected proposals demonstrate good appreciation of the competition objectives, with sensitive handling of local context and climate. It is worth noting that despite the diversity of origin and approach, all awarded projects promote the dialogue on the implementation of mild strategies of sustainability, which is much more than just energy efficiency.
 
Beyond its declared focus on sustainable architecture, an important objective of this competition is to sail away from the dominant standards of our time and draw attention to peripheral creations; away from the race to catch up with the global narrative, to the slow, subtle process of coping with the rigor of the natural ecosystem that embraces the innovative, transformative and local. In fact, contrary to what one might think, implementation of sustainable strategies in design enhances originality. And, the use of contextual parameters, acts as a generator and inspiration for good architecture. The submissions and awards reveal case studies with both unities and diversity of building in
present and future time. 
 
Evidently, the humanistic dimension of sustainability, by sensitive handling of local context and climate, expands well beyond the shores of the Mediterranean basin.
 
Agnes Couvelas, Architect, NTUA (National Technical University of Athens)
Manolis Iliakis, Architect-Spatial Designer
Archisearch - Bioclimatic Social Houses by Gabriel Verd GallegoBIOCLIMATIC SOCIAL HOUSES BY GABRIEL VERD GALLEGO
Archisearch - Atelier Loubatas by TouraterreATELIER LOUBATAS BY TOURATERRE
Archisearch - Bioclimatic Penthouse by Luis Velasco RoldanBIOCLIMATIC PENTHOUSE BY LUIS VELASCO ROLDAN
Archisearch - Collage House by bosch.capdeferro arquitecturesCOLLAGE HOUSE BY BOSCH.CAPDEFERRO ARQUITECTURES
Archisearch - Ecopolis Plaza by Belinda TatoECOPOLIS PLAZA BY BELINDA TATO
Archisearch - Enviromental Department of Zaragoza City Council by Magen ArqitectosENVIROMENTAL DEPARTMENT OF ZARAGOZA CITY COUNCIL BY MAGEN ARQITECTOS
Archisearch - Lucia: A zero energy building from University of Valladolid by Francisco ValbuenoLUCIA: A ZERO ENERGY BUILDING FROM UNIVERSITY OF VALLADOLID BY FRANCISCO VALBUENO
Archisearch - Rosignamo Marittimo Public Library by Area Progetti, una2 arcitetti associati, Andrea Michelini, Laura Ceccarelli, Golder AssociatesROSIGNAMO MARITTIMO PUBLIC LIBRARY BY AREA PROGETTI, UNA2 ARCITETTI ASSOCIATI, ANDREA MICHELINI, LAURA CECCARELLI, GOLDER ASSOCIATES
Archisearch - The Court of the Trees - New Primary School by Tomas GhiselliniTHE COURT OF THE TREES – NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL BY TOMAS GHISELLINI
Archisearch - Tvzeb by Traverso-Vighy architettiTVZEB BY TRAVERSO-VIGHY ARCHITETTI
Archisearch - UPI Kid University in Gandía by Angela Garcia de Paredes & Ignacio PedrosaUPI KID UNIVERSITY IN GANDÍA BY ANGELA GARCIA DE PAREDES & IGNACIO PEDROSA

SOURCE: MEA 2013

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