Entries are open for participation in the second 9 Dots Architecture and Design Award competition organised by Cemintel™ .

The winner of the design award competition will receive a 17-day architectural study tour to the USA, $2,000 spending money and publication of their design in relevant media. Cemintel will also be presenting a highly commended award with a $1,000 cash prize.

Following the success of the inaugural 9 Dots Award in 2012, Cemintel is encouraging all professional architects, designers, specifiers, building designers and students to take on the design challenge. The 9 Dots Architecture and Design Award will have separate categories for professionals and students.

The focus for the professional category will be designs that incorporate housing affordability and housing density without being sole apartment designs.

According to Cemintel General Manager Drew Spiden, with forecasts suggesting cities such as Sydney will require an additional 190,000 dwellings over the next 15-20 years, judges will be looking at creative ways in which applicants submit different types and scales of single dwelling and multi-residential applications, and distinctive ways to avoid the cookie-cutter house design.

In the student category, the focus is targeted toward identifying a community need in a local area, and designing a building that creates material and social benefits for the community they are seeking to serve. The winner will receive $2,000 towards student tuition fees and also have their design published in relevant media.

Designs for both categories must incorporate the creative range of Cemintel products ranging from Designer Series and Barestone, to the new Edge Vertical Cladding or ExpressWall ranges.

The judging panel will consist of professional Australian architects and designers including Melonie Bayl-Smith, Director of Bijl Architecture Sydney and Adjunct Professor, Malcolm Carver, Architect and former Principal of Scott Carver Architects, Kim Chadwick, Managing Consultant of Colourways and David Neustein, Director of Other Architects.

Entries to the 9 Dots Architecture and Design Award will close on September 8th, 2013.