Young talents reshape the region with bold ideas for more inclusive, sustainable cities

Asia Pacific Next Generation Winners: Designing for a Better Future

Young talents reshape the region with bold ideas for more inclusive, sustainable cities

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    Recovered Foreshore in India

    Zone D - Urban front. Above: Actual conditions. Below: Proposed market, kitchen and public space.

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    Holcim Awards Next Generation prize handover, Códoba, Argentina - September 2022

    Presentation to Next Generation 1st prize winner for Asia Pacific (l-r): Holcim Argentina CEO, Christian Dedeu, with Soledad Patiño, Harvard Graduate School of Design, USA for Recovered Foreshore in India and Loreta Castro Reguera, Taller Capital (Mexico) and Head of the Holcim Awards jury for Latin America.

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    Towers of Strength in India

    The community tower: The unity of one or more dominant communities in the area.

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    Next Generation Awards Lab - Lausanne 2022

    Lorenzo Fernandes presented with the Next Generation prize 2nd prize for Asia Pacific for Towers of Strength in India - Multifunctional amenities and services in informal settlements.

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    Mangrove Recovery in Thailand

    Mangrove-crab shelter cultures embryo and return them back to nature. The outdoor terrace is used as a community recreational space both for locals and tourists while ecological trail serves eco-tourists.

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    Next Generation Awards Lab - Lausanne 2022

    Dolathep Chetty of Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand presented with the Next Generation prize 3rd prize for Asia Pacific for Mangrove Recovery in Thailand - Coastal erosion and economic enhancement.

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    Re-adapting Buoyant Vernacular Architecture in Indonesia

    The Research in Practice Grant created a first buoyant amenity prototype in Jatiluhur Reservoir, West Java, where an existing community in Purwakarta lives on the water.

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    Next Generation Awards Lab - Lausanne 2022

    Gani Wiratama, Rionaldi Gunari and Nicholas Rodriques of Universitas Katolik Parahyangan, Bandung, Indonesia presented with the Next Generation prize 4th prize ex aequo for Asia Pacific for Buoyant Amenity in Indonesia - Floating sanitation facility upgrade.

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    Cultivated Envelope in India

    Native plantation that would sustain the local environment.

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    Next Generation Awards Lab - Lausanne 2022

    Divya Jyoti of PMA madhushala, Pune, India presented with the Next Generation prize 4th prize ex aequo for Asia Pacific for Cultivated Envelope in India - Vernacular green facade system.

From rethinking river life in Jakarta to elevating marginalized communities in Mumbai, five outstanding projects have won the Next Generation prizes for the Asia Pacific region in the Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction. Originally intended to recognise four entries, the jury made an exception due to the remarkable quality of submissions—selecting five prize-winning projects from India, Thailand, and Indonesia that all share a commitment to social and environmental sustainability.

Last updated: June 18, 2021 Zurich, Switzerland

The Next Generation category of the Holcim Awards celebrates visionary ideas from young professionals and students under 30. This year’s winners reflect how a new generation of designers is tackling urgent global challenges—urban inequality, environmental degradation, and climate resilience—through design that is as socially attuned as it is technically inventive.

  • Recovered Foreshore in India

    Recovered Foreshore in India

    • Next Generation 1st prize
      Next generation Next Generation 1st prize 2020–2021 Asia Pacific

    Recovered Foreshore in India

    Waterfront sanitation and community infrastructure
    Recovered Foreshore in India

Reclaiming the Coast: Community Upgrade in Mumbai

Soledad Patiño, architect and urban designer, Harvard Graduate School of Design, USA

Aiming to restore dignity and infrastructure to the marginalized fishing community of Mahim Koliwada, this project introduces a network of community-driven spaces—from seafood markets and recycling centers to a community kitchen and mangrove restoration zones. It’s a layered design for both ecological recovery and social empowerment.

Jury comment: “A truly holistic approach that understands life in such a place and combines it with aesthetic sensitivity.”

  • Towers of Strength in India

    Towers of Strength in India

    • Next Generation 2nd prize
      Next generation Next Generation 2nd prize 2020–2021 Asia Pacific

    Towers of Strength in India

    Multifunctional amenities and services in informal settlements
    Towers of Strength in India

Vertical Empowerment: Enhancing Informal Settlements

Lorenzo Fernandes, architect, Mumbai, India

Challenging the logic of displacement, this proposal retains the fabric of an informal settlement while adding vertical interventions—mid-rise towers built by local workers. These host vital amenities including training centers, healthcare, and solar-powered restaurants.

Jury comment: “An optimistic vision of how architecture can enhance social life through minimal land use and maximum community benefit.”

  • Mangrove Recovery in Thailand

    Mangrove Recovery in Thailand

    • Next Generation 3rd prize
      Next generation Next Generation 3rd prize 2020–2021 Asia Pacific

    Mangrove Recovery in Thailand

    Coastal erosion and economic enhancement
    Mangrove Recovery in Thailand

Coastal Healing Through Nature and Design

Dolathep Chetty, architecture graduate, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand

Responding to decades of coastal degradation in the northern Gulf of Thailand, this proposal uses breakwaters, bamboo screens, and sediment capture to restore mangrove ecosystems. Integrated mussel and crab farms, plus eco-tourism infrastructure, tie livelihood to environmental stewardship.

Jury comment: “A multi-layered plan that knows when its own presence should dissolve—it’s both restorative and humble.”

  • Buoyant Amenity in Indonesia

    Buoyant Amenity in Indonesia

    • Next Generation 4th prize
      Next generation Next Generation 4th prize 2020–2021 Asia Pacific

    Buoyant Amenity in Indonesia

    Floating sanitation facility upgrade
    Buoyant Amenity in Indonesia

Living With the River, Not Against It

Rionaldi Gunari, Nicholas Rodriques & Gani Wiratama, students, Parahyangan Catholic University, Bandung, Indonesia

Instead of relocating riverside dwellers in Jakarta, this project strengthens their connection to the water. Floating bamboo platforms provide filtration-based sanitation, rainwater harvesting, and public toilets—offering a sustainable future while respecting the existing way of life.

Jury comment: “Innovative and gently scalable—this solution has real impact potential.”

  • Cultivated Envelope in India

    Cultivated Envelope in India

    • Next Generation 4th prize
      Next generation Next Generation 4th prize 2020–2021 Asia Pacific

    Cultivated Envelope in India

    Vernacular green facade system
    Cultivated Envelope in India

A Living Facade for Indian Cities

Cultivated Envelope, India

Divya Jyoti, architect, PMA madhushala, Pune, India

Proposing a green alternative to glass towers in hot climates, this project features red sandstone slabs and planters that act as a passive cooling facade. Locally built and culturally sensitive, it’s designed for both new and retrofitted buildings.

Jury comment: “More than a green wall—this is vernacular ingenuity meeting modern performance.”

Rethinking What Sustainable Design Can Be

The Holcim Awards Next Generation category recognises that real transformation often begins with fresh ideas. Open to entrants under 30, this competition fosters bold thinking about sustainability, equity, and innovation. In this cycle alone, over 4,700 entries from 134 countries were submitted across all regions, with a remarkable range of design fields represented—from architecture and urbanism to materials science and construction engineering.

  • 6th LafargeHolcim Forum for Sustainable Construction – Cairo, April 2019.

    We looked for intelligence in the way problems were framed, and insight in the way they were addressed. The best projects answered local challenges with clarity, humility, and imagination.

    Nirmal Kishnani | Jury Chair (National University of Singapore)

  • With their fresh ideas, the Next Generation winners keep us at the forefront of sustainable and innovative building solutions.

    Jan Jenisch | CEO, Holcim

The Holcim Awards are organised by the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, which promotes innovation and leadership in sustainable building. With over USD 2 million in total prize money, the Awards are the world’s most significant competition for sustainable design.

The Next Generation prize winners from all five world regions will be featured in a virtual showcase, while the Main category winners will be honoured in a hybrid ceremony at the Venice Biennale of Architecture in November 2021. Global Holcim Awards Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners will also be announced.