Award Ceremony for Neapolis University: Special Award in International Architectural Competition (UIA), Durban South Africa

The awards ceremony for the Competition of the International Union of Architects (UIA) on: “UTOPIA AND / OR HAPINESS” was recently held in Durban, South Africa where the Master Program in Landscape Architecture of the Neapolis University of Pafos received an honorary award.

The event took place during the World Congress of UIA 2014 and the award was received on behalf of the Neapolis University by Dr. Julia Georgi, Associated Professor of Landscape Architecture.

All Jury Members of the International Architecture Competition of Ideas 2014 (UIA) as well as Mr. Vassilis Sgoutas, former President of UIA, were present at the award ceremony. The Architectural Competition of Ideas 2014 was undertaken and completed by the Turkish Union of Architects.

The members of the winning team are:

• Christos Constantinides, Graduate Student of the Master Degree Program in Landscape Architecture, Neapolis University of Pafos
• Dr. Julia Georgi, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, Neapolis University of Pafos
• Dr. Anna Maria Vissilia, Lecturer of Landscape Architecture, Agricultural University of Athens

During her brief speech at the ceremony, Dr. Julia Georgi elaborately pointed out that, “The award received by the Neapolis University of Pafos provides us with strength and optimism which is needed to create current “utopian” landscapes, not only for forthcoming, but for today’s generations as well.” She also mentioned that, “the proposed green island and peripatetic gardens in the winning landscape structure create the perfect means to investigate the notion of modern utopia, providing an image of the world which simulates ideal conditions encountered in Paradise. Such a landscape may fulfill human dreams come true in an expression of a better world, a space for contemplation, a borderland between reality and fantasy to escape the trappings of the modern world and reconnect humanity with nature.