SOM foundation awards europe prize to UK team envisioning post-carbon future

som foundation announces winner of its europe prize

the SOM foundation’s inaugural european research fund or ‘europe prize,’ has been awarded to a team from central saint martins college, university of the arts, london. the duo will receive the 20,000 euro (22,300 USD) award to conduct original research that contributes to the foundation’s overall theme for this year, envisioning responsible relationships with materiality.

images © material cultures

constructive land

SOM foundation (see more here) awards its europe prize to paloma gormley and summer islam, who will use the prize money to fund research into the future of the british landscape in the context of the climate crisis. their study, dubbed constructive land, will explore the impact on fertile landscapes that are constrained by pressures from farming, woodland, and housing, all of which need reimagining for a post carbon future.

their research will look at the potential of agroforestry to develop arable farming alongside productive woodland and explore what materials and building systems can be drawn from a new model of regenerative land management. the project will be developed in partnership with forestry england (see more) and material cultures (see more).

about the SOM foundation

the inaugural european research prize jury was led by SOM foundation executive director iker gil and included marco ferrari (studio folder), kent jackson (SOM), tim marlow (design museum, london), débora mesa molina (ensamble studio), and sumayya vally (counterspace studio).

the SOM foundation currently offers five awards: research prize, european research prize, structural engineering fellowship, china fellowship, and robert l. wesley award. the china and structural engineering fellowships are currently open to applications through the foundation website. the 2021 research prize was awarded in january to two teams, one from pennsylvania state university and one from yale university, who will each receive a $40,000 award.