Cambridge, MA — The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) is pleased to announce the 2019 cycle of the Wheelwright Prize, an open international competition that awards 100,000 USD to a talented early-career architect to support travel-based research. The 2019 Wheelwright Prize is now accepting applications; the deadline for submissions is Sunday, January 27, 2019. This annual prize is dedicated to fostering new forms of architectural research informed by cross-cultural engagement.

The Wheelwright Prize is open to emerging architects practicing anywhere in the world. The primary eligibility requirement is that applicants must have received a degree from a professionally accredited architecture program in the past 15 years. An affiliation to the GSD is not required. Applicants are asked to submit a portfolio, a research proposal, and a travel itinerary that takes them outside their country of residence. Finalists will be asked to travel to the GSD for finalist presentations on March 14, 2019.

In 2013, Harvard GSD recast the Arthur W. Wheelwright Traveling Fellowship—established in 1935 in memory of Wheelwright, Class of 1887—into its current form. Intended to encourage the study of architecture outside the United States at a time when international travel was difficult, the Fellowship was available only to GSD alumni. Past fellows have included Paul Rudolph, Eliot Noyes, William Wurster, Christopher Tunnard, I. M. Pei, Farès el-Dahdah, Adele Santos, and Linda Pollak.

An international jury will be announced in January 2019. In addition to Dean Mostafavi and Professors K. Michael Hays and Jorge Silvetti, previous juries have included Jose Ahedo, Edward Eigen, Frida Escobedo, Mark Lee, and Michelle Wilkinson (2018 jury); Gordon Gill, Mariana Ibañez, and Gia Wolff (2017 jury); Rafael Moneo, Kiel Moe, Jeannie Kim, Benjamin Prosky, and Eva Franch i Gilabert (2016 jury); Craig Evan Barton, Preston Scott Cohen, Sarah Herda, and Elisa Silva (2015 jury); Iñaki Ábalos, Sílvia Benedito, Pedro Gadanho, Linda Pollak, and Shohei Shigematsu (2014 jury); Yung Ho Chang, Farès el-Dahdah, Farshid Moussavi, and Zoe Ryan (2013 jury).

Applicants will be judged on the quality of their design work, scholarly accomplishments, originality or persuasiveness of the research proposal, and evidence of ability to fulfill the proposed project. Applications are accepted online only, at wheelwrightprize.org. Finalists must be available to travel to Cambridge, Massachusetts, for finalist presentations on March 14, 2019, at the GSD. A winner will be named in spring 2019.

Winners of the revamped prize are: 
2018, Aude-Line Dulière, Brussels (MArch 2009, Harvard GSD) for her proposal to examine construction methods and supply systems in the global film industry, engaging the space-making elements of film and set design as well as potential innovations around material use and reuse throughout architecture and construction generally. 

2017, Samuel Bravo, Santiago (BArch 2009, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile) for his proposal to examine traditional architectures and informal settlements, revisiting the subject of “architecture without architects.” 

2016, Anna Puigjaner, Barcelona (BArch 2004, MArch 2008, and Ph.D. 2014, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona-Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) for her proposal to study exemplars of collective housing in Brazil, Sweden, Russia, Korea, and elsewhere.

2015, Erik L’Heureux, Singapore (BArch 1996, Washington University in St. Louis, and MArch 2000, Princeton University), for his proposal to study architecture in five dense cities in the equatorial zone; click here to view the presentations of 2015 finalists including Malkit Shoshan (Amsterdam) and Quynh Vantu (London). L’Heureux presented his research as part of the GSD’s Fall 2017 lecture series; click here for a link to L’Heureux’s lecture.

2014, Jose M. Ahedo, Barcelona (BArch 2005, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de la Universitat de Catalunya), for his research on the architecture and organization of structures related to animal farming. Ahedo presented his research as part of the GSD’s Fall 2016 lecture series; click here for a link to Ahedo’s lecture.

2013, Gia Wolff, Brooklyn (MArch 2008, Harvard GSD), for her study of the spectacular, temporary, urban-scale float structures that transform Rio de Janeiro during carnival. Wolff presented her research as part of the GSD’s Spring 2015 lecture series; click here for a link to Wolff’s lecture. 

INFORMATION 
For information regarding Wheelwright Prize application 
and administration, please contact: info@wheelwrightprize.org  

For media inquiries regarding the Wheelwright Prize, please contact:
Patrick Reiher, patrick@suttonpr.com  

About

General Information on the Wheelwright Prize

The Wheelwright Prize is a $100,000 travel-based research grant that is awarded annually to early-career architects who have demonstrated exceptional design talent, produced work of scholarly and professional merit, and who show promise for continued creative work.

Throughout its history, Harvard GSD has had a strong global outlook, attracting deans, faculty, and students from all over the world. Moreover, a mainstay of the Harvard GSD curriculum is its traveling studio, which emphasizes the acceptance of ideas and practices with a diversity of origins. The Wheelwright Prize extends the school’s ethos, encouraging a broad-minded approach to architecture that seeks inspiration from unexpected quarters.

The Wheelwright Prize is intended to spur innovative research during the early stage of an architect’s professional career. Now open to applicants from all over the world—no affiliation to Harvard GSD required—the prize aims to foster new forms of research informed by cross-cultural engagement. “The idea is not just about travel—the act of going and seeing the world—but it is about binding the idea of geography to themes and issues that hold great potential relevance to contemporary practice,” says Harvard GSD Dean Mohsen Mostafavi.

The winner will be selected via an open call for proposals and a rigorous review process. The winner of the Wheelwright Prize will receive:

• $100,000 cash prize to support travel and research-related costs
• invitation to lecture at Harvard GSD
• possibility to publish research in a Harvard GSD publication

Background on the Arthur W. Wheelwright Traveling Fellowship

Established in 1935 in memory of Arthur W. Wheelwright, Class of 1887, this traveling fellowship has afforded extraordinary experiences for generations of Harvard GSD alumni. The fellowship was conceived at a time when foreign travel was out of reach for many. The prize enabled several early Wheelwright fellows—including Paul Rudolph (1937–38), Eliot Noyes (1939–40), William Wurster (1942–43), and I. M. Pei (1950–51)—to embark on expeditions that largely followed the tradition of the Grand European Tour.

Eligibility

• Applicant must have graduated from a professionally accredited architecture degree program in the past 15 years. (Graduates prior to January 2004 are ineligible.) Holders of multiple degrees may apply, provided they received their professional degrees January 2004 and January 2019. Applicants need not be registered or licensed.
• Applicants may not have received the Arthur Wheelwright Traveling Fellowship previously.
• Winners of the Wheelwright Prize may not hold other fellowships concurrently.
• The Wheelwright Prize is available to individual entrants only; teams or firms will not be considered.
• Current Harvard GSD faculty, instructors, and staff are not eligible.
• Winners are expected to spend a minimum of 6 months (cumulative) outside of their countries of residence in order to conduct their proposed research.
• Proposed research itineraries must not include sites in the United States. Research and travel must commence within 12 months of receiving the Wheelwright Prize and must be completed within two years of receiving the prize.
• The Wheelwright Prize is intended for independent study and may not be applied to university tuition. However, the grant may be applied to fees for workshops and conferences.

Application

The application process is entirely online. No submissions will be accepted by mail.The 2018 Wheelwright Prize is now accepting applications. Deadline for submissions is January 14, 2018. There is a $10 service fee to submit applications (charged by the online platform, not by Harvard GSD).

Applicants must submit the following. (Materials must be in English.)

1. Current CV.
2. Portfolio (maximum of 10 images); each uploaded file should contain a single image, not spreads of multiple images. Each image must be dated and captioned. The jury is looking for personal work that demonstrates design talent; student projects may be included. If work is collaborative and/or generated by a firm, the applicant’s contribution to the work must specifically involve conceptual development and/or design, and the applicant’s role must be precisely identified.
3. The portfolio may be supplemented by published articles or research papers written by applicant. Authored works should appear in their original format, with publication name and date clearly indicated (maximum 3, each clipping to be saved as a separate PDF). If original publication is not in English, please attach an English-language summary (maximum 2,500 characters) as an addendum to each PDF. If the clipping exceeds 15 pages, please create a compact PDF (no more than 10 pages) including a cover, sample pages, and brief summary (2,500 characters) of the text.
4. A written description of proposed research project (maximum 6,000 characters). Applicants should articulate the relevance of their project to contemporary practice, paying attention to the prize’s emphasis on research that holds potential impact on architectural production. The essay should describe the applicant’s experience or familiarity with his/her proposed subject, and his/her suitability to conduct the proposed research. The essay should also address the need for direct or hands-on research as opposed to archival research (i.e., justification for travel), and the benefits they anticipate for their personal and professional development. Applicants will also be asked to write a short summary (maximum 700 characters) of their proposal. This summary is a crucial text as it is the basis for the first phase of judging.
5. A travel itinerary, including list of sites to visit, contacts, and other resources that support the proposed research agenda. Itineraries may include multiple destinations, in multiple countries, excluding the United States. A budget is not required.
6. List of three professional references (full name, affiliation, contact information, and relationship to the applicant). Letters are not required at this time.

An international jury will select a winner based on the quality of the applicant’s portfolio, scholarly accomplishments, originality or persuasiveness of the research proposal, evidence of ability to fulfill the proposed project, and the potential for the Wheelwright Prize to impact his or her future development.

Press 2018

2018 Wheelwright Prize General Release

Press 2017

Samuel Bravo Wins 2017 Wheelwright Prize

2017 Wheelwright Prize Announces Jury

2017 Wheelwright Prize General Release

Press 2016

Anna Puigjaner Wins 2016 Wheelwright Prize

Harvard GSD Announces 2016 Wheelwright Prize Finalists

2016 Wheelwright Prize Announces Jury

2016 Wheelwright Prize General Release

Press 2015

Erik L’Heureux Wins 2015 Wheelwright Prize

Harvard GSD Announces 2015 Wheelwright Prize Finalists

2015 Wheelwright Prize Announces Jury

2015 Wheelwright Prize General Release

Press 2014

Jose M. Ahedo Wins 2014 Wheelwright Prize

Harvard GSD Announces 2014 Wheelwright Prize Finalists

2014 Wheelwright Prize Announces Jury

2014 Wheelwright Prize General Release

Press 2013

Gia Wolff Wins 2013 Wheelwright Prize

2013 Wheelwright Prize Announces Jury

2013 Wheelwright Prize General Release

Contact

For information regarding Wheelwright Prize application 
and administration, please contact: info@wheelwrightprize.org

For media inquiries regarding the Wheelwright Prize, please contact: Patrick Reiher, patrick@suttonpr.com  

FAQs — Frequently Asked Questions

1. I’m uncertain if my degree qualifies me to apply.
   The Wheelwright Prize is intended to support research that will impact practice. For this reason, we are making it available to those who have received a degree from a professionally accredited architecture program—in other words, a program that is the prerequisite to take licensure exams. Because degree programs vary from country to country, we do not specify the degree name or number of years in a program, but we expect applicants to hold the international equivalents of the U.S. professional architecture degree, the 5-year BArch or MArch I. Applicants must have received this degree in the 15 years prior to the prize cycle. (For example, applicants to the 2015 Wheelwright Prize cycle must have completed their degrees between 2000 and the prize deadline.) Holders of multiple degrees may apply, provided the architecture degree was conferred within the past 15 years. Professional degrees in landscape architecture, urban planning, Ph.Ds, post-docs, et cetera, do not alone satisfy the eligibility requirement. There are other fellowships available for doctoral or post-doctoral research. This prize is intended for young practitioners.

2. Do I have to be licensed?
   No. 

3. Do I have to have completed any built projects?
   No.

4. Can I apply with a partner?
   No. The original terms of the fellowship specifies that the prize be awarded to single individual each year. Jurors review portfolios to assess personal talent and potential. Prizewinners may opt to collaborate with partners after the prize is conferred. 

5. What does the registration entail?
   The registration involves simply starting your application. You may opt not to complete or submit your application, of course. The $10 submission fee is the last step of the process. It costs nothing to register.

6. The portfolio requirement states that each slide should contain one image each. 
   Can I combine images?
   The jury reviews the submissions as a projected slideshow. Slides that include several images are less legible than single images. We strongly advise against complicated portfolio-style layouts on single slides. If you must combine images, we recommend that you do not include more than 2 or 3 images. You will not be disqualified but please be aware that the jury has a limited amount of time to understand your work and legibility should be a priority.

7. How do I secure “copyright and permissions” related to my artwork?
   We reserve the right to use any aspect of your submission to promote the Wheelwright Prize. Applicants are expected to secure reprint permission for the images they include in their applications. If you are submitting professional photographs, you must secure the photographer’s consent in the event that Harvard GSD decides to publish the work in conjunction with news about the prize. If the work belongs to a firm, the firm should be aware that it is included in your submission and may be reproduced in conjunction with news about this prize. We will ensure that all published images are captioned to include appropriate credits, as provided by applicants. 

8. What do you mean by “personal” work?
   We encourage you to submit work that demonstrates your personal design interests, approach, and “voice.” We understand that young architects are not likely to have a significant body of completed work. Speculative and student work are not only acceptable but expected! We also expect that many young architects may have spent extended periods working in firms. It is fine to submit firm work, though please include only projects with which you were substantially involved, and specify your role (preferably with respect to design). 

9. May I submit materials by mail?
   No, all applications must be submitted via our online platform.

10. If I have applied in the past, may I reapply? 
    Yes! We encourage people to reapply. Every year, the jury changes as does the applicant pool. Please try again! The application platform makes it easy for those reapplying to import their previously entered information. When you log in, you will see the information related to your previous application. Be sure to select the current prize program.

11. Do I need to get letters of recommendation from my references?
    You do not need to submit letters at this time. If you are selected as a finalist, we will contact your references. We strongly advise that you notify your references about your application, should they be contacted. 

12. I am encountering problems with the online application platform, the registration fee, or having other technical difficulties.
    Please email info@wheelwrightprize.org if you experience any problems with the online platform or difficulties completing your submission. 

13. What are the obligations of the prizewinner? 
    The winner of the Wheelwright Prize is expected to commence his/her research project within 12 months of winning the prize, and to complete it within 2 years. He/she is expected to spend a minimum of 6 months (cumulative, over the course of the two-year period) outside his/her country of permanent residence. Winners are not required to submit a report, but they will be invited to participate in programs at Harvard GSD (lecture series, publications, exhibitions). 

Past Fellows