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Entries now open for Living Places Simon Architecture Prize 2020

Dezeen promotion: Entries are now open for the 2020 Living Places – Simon Architecture Prize, which accepts architecture and design project submissions in video formats.

Managed by Spanish lighting company Simon, the Simon Architecture Prize has opened its Living Places design awards, which began in 2016 as part of the company's centenary celebration, and occurs every two years.

Living Places celebrates works from architects, city planners and landscapers, and includes a range of designs including homes, installations and community developments.

Submissions are open until 15 September 2020, and entries are to be presented in video format – like those featured in the video shown above, which has been made from past video submissions that can all be found on Simon's recently launched website.

Simon Architecture Prize opens entries for Living Places 2020 awards
Mexican architect Frida Escobedo spoke to US architecture academic Martha Thorne at the 2018 edition

The initiative is jointly managed by Simon and Barcelona's Fundació Mies van der Rohe.

Works must have been completed during the two years before the prize – between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2019 – and be constructed in Mexico or Europe.

Simon Architecture Prize opens entries for Living Places 2020 awards
Mexican studio Productora won the 2018 prize for collective places with its design for a cultural centre

"The goal of this prize is to highlight those architecture projects (including indoors, public spaces and landscaping) whose excellence enhances the ability of the spaces to promote the comfort of its inhabitants," said Simon.

"Architectures that turn into higher quality spaces for people in their day-to-day lives: to work, to learn, to wait, to play... Architectures to live in."

Simon Architecture Prize opens entries for Living Places 2020 awards
Lacaton & Vassal was awarded a prize in the awards' first edition in 2016 together with Flores & Prats.

The 2018 edition featured 145 submissions and concluded with a conversation between Mexican architect Frida Escobedo and US architecture academic Martha Thorne at Simon's showroom in Barcelona.

This year's jury includes Indian architect Anupama Kundoo, Paris filmmaker Louise Lemoine, architect Ana Luisa Soares of Portugal's Fala Atelier, Croatian lighting designer Dean Skira and Simon's design director Salvi Plaja.

Simon Architecture Prize opens entries for Living Places 2020 awards
Lluís Alexandre Casanovas Blanco won the 2018 award for personal places with his Real Estate Boom House in Barcelona

There are two categories for Simon's Living Spaces awards: collective places and personal places.

In 2018, the prize for collective places was presented to architect Isaac Broid and Mexican studio Productora for their Centro Cultural Teopanzolco cultural centre in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Productora's architect Victor Jaime is on this year's jury.

The 2018 award for personal places went to architect Lluís Alexandre Casanovas Blanco for his colourful Real Estate Boom House in Barcelona.

Video artist Davide Rapp created a short video (shown above) that he edited for the third edition of the Simon Architecture Prize Living Places awards. It connects elements from projects featured in past editions.

Applicants can be of any age and nationality and can submit their entry individually or as part of a team. Client and collaborators can also submit a nomination on someone else's behalf.

Five finalists for both categories will be selected by the jury, and one winner from each will be chosen and awarded in November this year, receiving a prize of €10,000 (£8,952).

For more information on the Living Places awards, visit the Simon Architecture Prize website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Simon Architecture Prize as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.