Dr. Girja Vyas, Minister for Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) confers HUDCO Design Awards_2013 to winning participants in a function organized by HUDCO on 17^th February at IHC, New Delhi.

HUDCO’s contribution as the premier techno-financial institution in the country is not limited to housing finance but includes various other pertinent initiatives to contribute to the cause of sustainable urban development. In keeping with this tradition, HUDCO instituted HUDCO DESIGN AWARD in 2012 to give recognition and felicitate innovative ideas and initiatives that contribute to make our cites inclusive, livable and environmentally sustainable.

The Award has 5 categories and includes HUDCO DESIGN AWARD trophy, certificate and prize money of Rs. 4.00 lacs (four lacs) and Rs. 2.00 lacs each for First and Second Prize winners respectively in each category. Commendation Prize contains prize money of Rs. 50,000 each (fifty thousand) each.

The winning participants came from different parts of the country and were conferred awards in a ceremony organized by HUDCO in IHC, New Delhi. The awards were given away by Dr. Girija Vyas, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Govt. of India in the presence of A.K. Misra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Govt. of India, V.P. Baligar, CMD, HUDCO, N.L. Manjoka, DCP HUDCO and  A.K. Kaushik, DF HUDCO.

In its second year, HUDCO Design Award received overwhelming response from all over the country. The entries were judged by a three-member jury consisting of eminent architect, planners and landscape specialists. The Jury chose 15 winning entries in total, which included 1^st, 2^nd and Commendation prize in five categories. There are two winners of second prize in the category “Conservation of Heritage” while in the Category Landscape Planning & Architecture the Jury abstained from recommending second prize.

A book titled “HUDCO-NASA Design Trophy 2013: Night Shelter for Homeless” was also released by the Minister. HUDCO NASA Design Trophy is another initiative of HUDCO that appreciates and encourages innovative ideas among students of architecture by sponsoring a trophy for the competition organized by National Association of Students of Architecture (NASA) on themes, which are contextually relevant.

In the context of the urgent need of adequate and appropriate Night Shelters in Indian cities, the theme for the competition in 2013 was “Region Specific Designs for Day / Night Shelters with Appropriate Use of Cost Effective Indigenous Technologies”. The publication is a compilation of innovative design ideas for Night Shelters by young students of architecture from various colleges across the country.