The $100,000 RAIC International Prize for transformative architecture is inviting submissions for its third edition, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is pleased to announce. This unique international award, formerly known as the Moriyama RAIC International Prize, recognizes the power of great architecture to transform society. In keeping with a focus on the social relevance of architecture, jurors will visit all finalist projects to see the buildings in use and appreciate their impact on society and human well-being.
The Fuji Kindergarten by Tezuka Architects was the 2017 Moriyama Prize winner. Photo by Katsuhisa Kida
The RAIC is accepting entries from architects anywhere in the world, of any nationality, until April 26, 2019. The buildings should be ?inspired as well as inspiring? and reflect humanistic values of equality, respect, and inclusiveness. Projects should have been completed and in use for at least two years. The two previous winners, in 2014 and 2017, were a library near Beijing and a kindergarten in Tokyo, Japan. The most recent competition garnered submissions from 17 countries across six continents, and organizers hope for entries from even more countries.

The library by Li Xiaodong of China, who received the 2014 prize, provides a hub for the local community and has stimulated economic development. The construction budget for the modest 175-square-metre library was CAD$185,000. Jurors praised the elegance of Liyuan Library?s sitting, its ...