www.buildingsandcities.org/phd-video-awards/gallery-2023.html
AWARDS! 2023 Video Challenge
Congratulations to the winners of the Video Challenge who displayed creativity, vitality and good communication skills to explain the significance of their research: "Addressing Grand Challenges".
Congratulations to the all the entrants of the "Addressing Grand Challenges" Video Challenge who displayed creativity, vitality and good communication skills to explain the significance of their research. The three awards for the 2023 Video Challenge go to...
OUTSTANDING VIDEO (€600 prize)
HeatWatch: Building Resilience to Heatwaves and Extreme Heat
Creator: Federico TARTARINI, University of Sydney, AU
EXCELLENT VIDEO (€400 prize)
Designing a Healthcare Built Environment That Cares for All Children
Creator: Yalin LU, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, US
PEOPLE'S VOTE (€400 prize)
Localising Retail Spaces: Uniting Global Brands with Local Communities
Creator: Amani ALAALI, Ahlia University, Bahrain
GALLERY OF OTHER ENTRANTS
The theme of the 2023 Video Challenge was "Addressing Grand Challenges" (read more). Postdocs explained the significance of their research in a 2-minute video. Collectively and individually, these videos are a rich celebration of emerging, next generation built environment research.
African Cross-Border Residents' declining Quality of Life
Creator: Deborah Ojo
Urban Bridge and Quay Wall Innovation project (Urbiquay) in Amsterdam
Creator: Sergio Alvarado Vazquez
Addressing Grand Challenges in the embodied effects of buildings
Creator: Yihan Wang
Occupant Well-being through (Day)lighting
Creator: Marshal Maskarenj
Hatfield Digital Twin City
Creator: Taiwo Afinowi
Understanding Transport Behavior through the Lens of Mobility Crisis
Creator: Zahra Zarabi
Sustaining Our World: The Role of Dams, Sediment, and the Climate Change
Creator: Behnam Balouchi
Game-based planning
Creator: Micael Sousa
Co-Designing of Public Spaces by Citizen Design Science Workshops : Karsiyaka, Izmir
Creator: Pelin Ozden
Thank you!
First and foremost, our deep thanks to the participants who invested much time, thought and energy to create a 2-minute video explaining the implications of their research. A formidable task! We are enriched by all your efforts to share your emerging research that will undoubtedly shape our future. We hope this process helped you to hone your communication skills and strategies. Each of you has created a unique description that conveys much about your thinking and your approach to life.
The Outstanding and Excellent videos were selected by a diverse group of 5 judges (Richard Lorch, Andreas Klee, Chiara Tagliaro, Rajan Rawal & Rick Diamond). Thank you for watching all the videos and your rich feedback.
The Video Challenge was developed by Buildings & Cities (B&C) and the Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association (ARL). We extend our thanks to our steering group: Kareem Buyana (Makerere University, UG), Rick Diamond (University of California, Berkeley, US), Virginia Gori (University College London, UK), Sila Varis Husar (Slovak University of Technology, SK), Andreas Klee (ARL, DE), Richard Lorch (Buildings & Cities, UK), Carolin Pleines (ARL, DE), Freya Rasmussen (Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO), Rajan Rawal (CEPT Research and Development Foundation, IN) and Chiara Tagliaro (Politecnico di Milano, IT).
Latest Commentaries
The Search for Urban Recovery in Lebanon
Lebanon’s history has been shaped by recurrent cycles of war, disaster, and economic collapse, with each episode leaving enduring imprints on the country’s urban and social fabric. Howayda al-Harithy (American University of Beirut) critically examines Lebanon’s historical cycles of destruction and reconstruction. Recovery involves more than rebuilding buildings; it requires a framework that is people-centered, heritage-led and place-specific together with an emphasis on restoring social relations, cultural identity, community agency while addressing structural inequalities.
Rebuilding Energy Infrastructure after War
Marco Nicola Binetti (University of Bremen) argues that energy reconstruction should be understood as a core pillar of post-conflict recovery rather than a narrowly technical undertaking. Restoring electricity and fuel supplies enables essential services, supports economic growth, strengthens state legitimacy, and reduces the likelihood of renewed violence. However, successful reconstruction requires overcoming substantial financial, logistical, institutional, and political obstacles. Reconstruction strategies must also adapt to emerging threats and vulnerabilities created by modern warfare.