Sydney/Stuttgart-based architecture group LAVA has been nominated for the Iankov Chernikhov International Prize this year.

The foundation and prize, named after the Soviet architect, graphic designer and pedagogue Iankov Chernikhov (1889-1951) is awarded every two years to an inspirational architect – provided they are under the obscure age of 44.

The prize aims to support the experimental, educational and research work of young architects from around the world in the field of innovative architecture and town planning.

Its main goal is to encourage the “stimulation of creative architectural work aimed at solving current social and cultural problems”.

LAVA, which stands for the Laboratory for Visionary Architecture, is the brainchild of a trio of German architects, Sydney-based Chris Bosse, and his colleagues Tobias Wallisser and Alexander Rieck in Stuttgart.

LAVA’s design philosophy is all about pushing the boundaries and developing a non-conformist and inventive design-language by blurring the division between dreams and reality.

Nominated by Bjarke Ingels (BIG), the masterminds behind this year’s Danish Pavilion in Shanghai, LAVA along with the other nominees will have their fate decided upon by an international jury in November 2010 – the winner of the prize being rewarded with 50 000 Euros.

Gerard Reinmuth, of Terroir, and Andrew Maynard, of Maynard Architects, have also been nominated.

This year the curator of the Iankov Chernikhov Prize is Stefano Boeri, a Milan-based architect, editor-in-chief of the international magazine Abitare and professor at Milan Polytechnic.

LAVA
l-a-v-a.net