L’Architecture d’Aujourd’hui (AA) magazine caught up with Julia King, Architectural Designer and Urban Researcher at LSE Cities, London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE). The recognition of winning a Holcim Awards Next Generation prize in 2011 enabled the project to move from being a speculative project to something that eventually was built.

Money isn’t everything. Intelligence is also required. Julia King, laureate of a LafargeHolcim Next Generation prize for Asia Pacific in 2011, advocated a sanitation strategy for New Delhi’s poorest neighbourhoods. Based on a survey painstakingly carried out in the most deprived streets of India’s capital, this young English architect prioritized the expectations of each individual, in addition to identifying the technical problems as well as the legal obstacles.

Julia King, the researcher and designer, who is currently setting up practices in both New Delhi and London as well as completing her PhD, scooped the award for architects and architectural designers who have been in their current role for less than five years. Her work focuses on the future of urban development, and was described by the jury panel of the Architects’ Journal Emerging Woman Architect of the Year Award, was described by the judges as ‘truly inspiring’.

Architects’ Journal (AJ) has announced the women who are in the running for the prestigious Woman Architect of the Year and Emerging Woman Architect of the Year 2014 awards. Among the eight up-and-coming stars of the profession shortlisted is Julia King, winner of a “Next Generation” prize in the Holcim Awards competition. Her community cluster-based sanitation system that improves the lives of Delhi’s urban poor was praised by the jury for presenting a “practical solution to an urgent problem”.

A community cluster-based sanitation system won the “Next Generation” 3rd prize for Asia Pacific in 2011. Since then, the prize money from the Holcim Awards competition was used to develop the project: to survey the site, engage with an engineer, mobilize the community and support the project author for more than a year. 

Winners of the Holcim Awards for sustainable construction projects and visions from Asia Pacific have been announced, bringing the regional phase of the 3rd International Holcim Awards competition to a close. A total of USD 300,000 was presented to twelve groundbreaking projects at a ceremony in Singapore. The winning projects show how sustainable approaches to infrastructure for communities and innovative architecture can improve the built environment and enhance quality of life.