Nominations are now open for the 2021 World Habitat Awards to recognise and highlight innovative, outstanding and sometimes revolutionary housing ideas, projects and programmes from across the world.

The Awards were established in 1985 for the identification and the promotion of good habitat practices. They were initiated in 1987 as World Habitat contribution to the United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. The concept of identification of good practice was virtually unknown in 1985 and the Awards were supposed to run over three years only. However, the response was so positive that World Habitat decided to keep the competition running.

Entries to the Awards are encouraged from housing projects and programmes that:

• demonstrate practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to current housing challenges;
• can be transferred or adapted in other countries across the world;
• are already being implemented or are completed i.e. not at design stage or in the very early stages of development; and
• view the term habitat from a broad perspective and bring a range of other benefits. They particularly encourage entries from projects and programmes that are addressing the climate emergency. Other benefits of interest to them include: income generation; social inclusion; community and individual empowerment; health benefits; capacity building and or education.

Award Information

• As well as international recognition, a prize of £10,000 is made to each of the two Gold Award winning projects.
• Trophies are also presented to the Gold Award winning projects and travel and accommodation costs are met for one representative of each project to attend the awards ceremony.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Awards are open to all individuals, organisations or governments who have addressed housing challenges.
• Entries are encouraged from all over the world as the World Habitat Awards are given to projects from the global North as well as the South that provide practical and innovative housing solutions.
• Whilst the housing element must be a key part of each submission, entrants are encouraged to submit projects and programmes that view the term ‘habitat’ from a broad perspective. Entries are encouraged that also address wider issues, for example: the climate emergency and environmental sustainability; social inclusion and income generation.
• You can enter more than one project or programme in the same year.
• Entries must detail housing projects and/or programmes that are either completed or in progress. Those that are at design stage only or in the very early stages of development will not be considered.
• In addition, projects that were completed more than 10 years ago will also not be considered.
• Previous entrants can re-submit in subsequent years providing that the project has developed significantly in the intervening time period.
• You can enter projects that were developed and/or implemented by another individual or organisation. However, your entry must include a letter of permission from the original designer/implementer agreeing to its entry and for its publication in the event of it winning an Award.
• Entries may be submitted in English, Spanish or French.

For more information, visit World Habitat.