The SOM Foundation is pleased to announce the creation of the SOM Foundation Research Prize. The awards program comprises two $40,000 grants that are designed to cultivate new ideas and meaningful research that address the critical issues of our time.
The SOM Foundation Research Prize is awarded to faculty-led interdisciplinary teams that address a topic identified on an annual basis by the Foundation Board. This year’s award will support research that provides a deeper understanding of the topic, “Humanizing High Density,” and proposes solutions with the potential to advance the practices of architecture, structural engineering, urban design, and related design disciplines.
The SOM Foundation Research Prize is an evolution of the former SOM Prize and SOM Travel Fellowship programs.
SOM Foundation Research Prize 2018 Topic: Humanizing High Density
People are moving into urban centers at an unprecedented rate—the largest mass migration in history. According to the United Nations, the world’s urban population has increased from 751 million in 1950 to 4.2 billion in 2018. By 2050, an additional 2.5 billion people are expected to reside in urban areas.
In response to this rapid urban growth, designers are challenged to create sustainable and resilient spaces that accommodate complex human needs, both necessary and desired. To conceive viable solutions, it is crucial that design professionals develop a rigorous understanding of human psychological and physiological responses to our physical environment, learning how to best shape the human experience in high density urban environments.
Eligibility and Deadline
The SOM Foundation Research Prize is open to applicants currently teaching at a U.S. school with accredited degree programs (BArch, MArch, MDes, BA, BS, MA, MS, PhD) in architecture, design, or urban design. Applications for the 2018 awards program must include a faculty member who will lead an advanced level studio course as a part of the research.
Digital submissions must be made through the SOM Foundation website by August 31st, 2018. More details are available on the SOM Foundation website.
About SOM Foundation
The SOM Foundation, funded by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, grants awards to students of architecture, design, urban design, and structural engineering. The Foundation’s goal is to advance the design profession’s ability to address the key topics of our time through the support of groups and individuals, each with the highest possible design aspirations and desire to undertake rigorous interdisciplinary research. Established in 1981, the SOM Foundation offers five annual awards across the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.