NEB Prizes 2021: All Applications

The Local Activity Center is a project that aims to create a space that would be the focal point  for the life of the local residents and enable them to integrate. The architecture creates space rather than being the visible cubature itself.

The structure of the building is based on a rectangular plan with a twisted roof surface. The seats, which are integrated with the roof, can be used both during outdoor events and in everyday use as resting places.

Project is a collaboration between Civil society organization Parents in Action, School of Design and Ministry of Justice in Lepoglava and Women’s Penitentiary in Požega, aimed to address the problems of parents-prisoners, i.e. children whose parents are in some Croatian prisons and penitentiaries. Through participatory design workshops with students and inmates, the project aimed to develop a socio-entrepreneurial model of financing the meetings or prisoners and their children. 

Indoor air pollution ranks among the most pressing environmental and health challenges worldwide, yet one of the most underestimated. These indoor air pollutions, more known as volatile organic compounds, significantly worsen the quality of air that we breathe. This work presents a process to for new materials that will be used in sensitive sensors of the future that can be integrated on common devices. Like a "dog's nose in your smartphones", these sensors will be used to detect pollutants.

The project is aimed at preserving the culture and traditions of the Horehronie región. The concept of the museum consists of transferred wooden objects, which are preserved remains from the folk architecture of the site. The urbanism of the area is complemented by new buildings that functionally complement the program of the museum. The existing amphitheater is the heart of the complex and offers ways to present its unique culture. A part of the area is also a proposed tourist complex.

Cha Paper is a paper material made of 100% brewed black tea leftovers, an ingredient that can be found in abundance around the world. It is recyclable. It is authentic due to its different & unseen textures which evolves from its core element, tea leaves. It is sustainable because of turning organic waste to staple good for countries. But also it cuts off almost 40% of the current paper production process; which means less energy and water use. 

How many abandoned spaces are there in our cities? Do young citizens (i.e under 30) have access to spaces and to economical resources in order to express themselves? What is the current situation of small urban centers compared to big cities?

“My space is our future” is a spatial strategy that gives an action-based answer to these urgent questions, based on the idea that personal well-being is the premise to be proactively part of the community.

Ontzia was born to address the current substitution of packaging recycling containers in our region. ‘Recycling the container and its contents': fabric felt is made from recycled plastic bottles and other elements (table, feet, tops) from recycled polyethylene, the caps.

As part of our Biribil initiative, implemented last year with the support of the European Designscapes programme, this is a 'Design Driven Circular Economy' that unequivocally involves users in the process through co-creation.

A quote from the facade of a historical building
„Hoc erat in votis” – „This is what I dreamed about”
Q. Horatius Flaccus (Horace), Satires, II.6

"a piece of land not very large, where there would be a garden, and near the house a spring of ever-flowing water, and also a bit of a wood. More and better than this have the gods done for me. I am content. Nothing more do I ask…" 

This is what a Roman poet wrote in the time of Augustus, over 2000 years ago. People have not really changed that much.

Healthy Buildings for People & Planet!

Active House Academy is an affordable educational approach with an inderdisciplinary education system for sustainable architecture and construction for all.

Active House is a hollistic approach for professionals and private consumers how to create and maintain sustainable (circular) buildings worldwide. 

The approach teaches to balance simple and fast the core spheres of our life:

• Comfort (wellbeing)
• Energy
• Environment

The house wanted to be born from the earth and have the colours of the earth. The building is part of a virtuous process of true circular and green economy, therefore it has a high ethical value.

The Casa Quattro is self-powered and made almost entirely of natural materials.

Casa quattro is an experimental post-covid residence, conceived to do smartworking immersed in nature, to imagine a new more sustainable way of building with a very low environmental impact.