2A Continental Architectural Awards (2ACAA)
Editorial of 2A Magazine issue 40- Ahmad Zohadi

2A Continental Architectural Awards for Asia & Europe

There has been many Global Architectural awards held in the past 20 years, however there has not been an Award
which would consider different continents separately but simultenously at the same event.

Why have we chosen to shift our attention from a Global Architectural Award to a Continental Architectural Awards?

1) Different unique and regional cultural and historically specific characteristics of each continent.
2) Different esthetic criterias based on regional specific references and backgrounds.
3) Highlight and recognize the specific characteristics and the fundamental principals of their own unique architectural styles which were otherwise hidden or in some cases totally lost in today’s mixed Global Architecture – highlighting the difference.
4) The re-introduction and giving respect to one’s cultural roots and values will create and balance the social forces and create Social unity among the inhabitants, And this unity will help the nation to move toward progress in every way in a harmonious and positive manner.
Each of these great continents (Asia and Europe) have different cultural and historical background, and therefore their social and architectural needs are also different .
Architects of each continent had to consider their local and regional concerns and needs while designing and/or building a project such as Geography, customs, culture, tradition, history, religious values, and other social factors.
These concerns which have been different for each continent, has led to formation of different and colourful styles of architecture in each continent.
Therefore, after successfully organizing 2A Asia Architecture Award for two years, 2A magazine decided to expand the Award to include other continents and this year (2017), is for Asia and Europe . This trend will continue, and the organizer wishes to eventually organize the award for all the continents in the coming years.
2A is now organizing 2A Continental Architectural Awards for Asia and Europe as an annual event. The event will highlight world achievements in Architecture and in terms of contemporary challenges of the field.
Such challenges include: the great diversity of design ideologies and methodologies, new advanced technologies, communications and digital media, new social sensitivities, new technologies in sustainability, and periodic times of economic slowdown. 2A Continental Architectural Award will be a landmark and turning point allowing practitioners to pause and reflect upon what the continents, as part of global community, have achieved in the field of Architecture, what we have done wrong, and where we go from here.
Architecture is an art and profession, which plays a multi-dimensional role in any society. Its function and responsibility is not merely to create beautiful living spaces, it has to reflect and respond to the social, cultural and economical needs and challenges of that specific society, country, region or continent. 2A, specialized and well- known architectural magazine could be a sensitive and effective media element which can reflect an actual image of architecture by focusing on different regional architecture and promote and reintroduce the importance and necessities of considering cultural identity of various regions by publishing articles in the Magazine, and also by using other ways such as 2A Asia Architecture Award, and starting in 2017, 2A Europe Architecture Award in the following years, which will focus and encourage both the young and professional architects to be more attentive to each continents cultural and regional needs.
Moreover, this professional interaction among Asian and European Architects will foster the following objectives and benefits:
Exchange of knowledge, experience and information in terms of general strategy and urban planning: These continents have rich culture, history and unique and at the same time diverse and colourful architectural background, and they have tried and worked hard to preserve their own respective cultural identity and at the same time meet the demands of the contemporary challenges and requirements of modern lifestyle which is burdened with over population and environmental pollutions.
This is a unique event designed to inspire an architectural dialogue among Asian and European practitioners, all in one forum! Participants will have the opportunity to explore topics such as: The roots and history of their architecture, the effects of culture; history; and tradition on their architecture, The evolutionary process of their architecture, reviewing as a means of assessing contemporary architecture, the use of innovative technologies and sustainable methods in architecture and urban planning.