Promotion: Texan development expertise firm ICON has introduced a worldwide competitors calling on the structure group to submit dwelling designs that may be constructed for underneath $99,000 (USD). 

Referred to as Initiative 99, the competitors invitations architects and designers to compete for a $1 million prize by submitting revolutionary proposals for accessible and exquisite houses that may be constructed for underneath $99,000.

The multi-phase competitors shall be judged by an knowledgeable panel together with Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, ICON hopes to show how breakthroughs within the expertise it makes use of – akin to 3D printing robotics, software program and superior supplies – could make what as soon as appeared unattainable and out of attain achievable.

The multi-phase, year-long competitors affords a complete prize fund of $1 million (USD) and ICON says it’s dedicated to constructing a choice of successful designs at a number of areas, which shall be introduced sooner or later.

Initiative 99 will open for registration on 23 Could 2023 and companies, people and college college students are all inspired to take part.

“We want a moonshot for inexpensive housing,” mentioned ICON co-founder and CEO Jason Ballard. “I imagine Initiative 99 shall be crucial architectural competitors in historical past.”

“The present market lacks lovely, accessible, dignified and practical options with viable economics that may be effectively and quickly constructed for the communities that want it most. It is time we assault the issue simply as energetically as we have addressed different human challenges prior to now.”

ICON believes that the present strategy to homebuilding and addressing the worldwide housing disaster just isn’t working, citing that presently there are greater than 1.2 billion globally who lack ample shelter.

“With Initiative 99, we’re altering the best way that we discuss inexpensive housing,” continued Ballard. “After we discuss inexpensive housing, the dialog is usually miserable and so are the outcomes.”

“Our aim is that Initiative 99 would in flip create the circumstances for inexpensive housing to be one thing hopeful, optimistic and thrilling, and moreover catalyses the constructing of some actually unbelievable inexpensive houses that simply years in the past wouldn’t have even been potential. The longer term could possibly be a surprise, however we now have to all work collectively to make it so.”

The Initiative 99 jury is made up of an knowledgeable panel of architectural practitioners, educational leaders, policymakers and non-profit organisations.

These embody Michelle Addington, architect and dean of structure on the College of Texas; chief sustainability officer on the Metropolis of Austin, Lucia Athens; CEO and co-founder of New Story, Brett Hagler; founder and inventive director of Bjarke Ingels Group, Bjarke Ingels; chief of a housing unit at UN-Habitat, Christophe Lalande; director of design in ICON, Michael McDaniel, vp of constructing design and efficiency at ICON, Melodie Yashar.

Registration for the competitors opens on 23 Could 2023. Candidates can signal as much as study extra on the Initiative 99 web site.

ICON was based in 2017 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. It’s presently constructing a neighbourhood of 100 3D-printed homes designed by Bjarke Ingels’ apply BIG in Austin, Texas, and can also be working with the agency to design a desert campground and housing undertaking referred to as El Cosmico for hotelier Liz Lambert, in Marfa, Texas.

Final yr, the corporate revealed that it had been awarded a $57 million contract by House company NASA to develop 3D-printing expertise to construct roads, launchpads and houses on the moon’s floor.

To view extra about ICON, go to its web site.

Partnership content material

This text was written by Dezeen for ICON as a part of a partnership. Discover out extra about Dezeen partnership content material right here.