The Iakov Chernikhov Prize is awarded every two years to young masters of contemporary architecture for the best architectural concept (designs, buildings, experimental works, architectural fantasies, sketches). The idea should combine an innovative response to todays time and simultaneously offer a professional challenge to the future. A jury consisting of authoritative international architects will select the winner from among the nominees chosen by an international committee of the experts. Age requirement for nomination: ±40.

The first submission of the Prize and the exhibition of the nominees and prize winners will occur in Moscow in 2006 with a subsequent display of the exposition in St.Petersburg, as well as in Europe, America and Asia. A catalog, published in Russian and English, will include the works of all the nominees and prize winners and materials of the international conference.

The prize is intended to increase awareness of the creative heritage of Iakov Chernikhov and the Russian avant-garde, as well as to attract international attention to the international architectural project competition.

Competition Goals
1.Stimulation of creative architectural work aimed at solving current social and cultural problems on the basis of humanistic principles in the art of architecture;

2.Support of experimental, educational and research works in the field of innovative architecture and town planning.

Patronage Committee
Zaha Hadid
Arata Isozaki
Georgi Stanishev
Alexander Kuzmin
David Sarkisyan

Competition Program
I. Open students’ competition. Theme: «Iakov Chernikhov museum of modern architecture », developed for the town where the respective architectural school is located. For participation in the competition, it is necessary to be registered till May 1 on the web site www.icif.ru. The materials will be accepted till June 1, 2006. The Prize monetary fund amounts to EUR 20,000 intended for the research and architectural work. (By the decision of the Academic Councils of the higher architectural schools of Moscow and St. Petersburg the theme «Iakov Chernikhov museum» has been included in the study plans for the autumn semester of 2005-2006 study years.)

II. Competition «Architectural fantasies» among children’s architectural schools.

For participation in the competition, it is necessary to be registered till May 1 on the web site www.icif.ru. The materials will be accepted till June 1, 2006. The Prize monetary fund amounts to EUR 10,000 intended for the development of architectural and educational projects.

III. Competition for the best computer animation performed on the basis of Iakov Chernikhov’s compositions. A film entitled «The second reality of Iakov Chernikhov’s fantasies» will be made on the basis of the competition results. For participation in the competition, it is necessary to be registered till May 1 on the web site www.icif.ru in section «Competition». The materials will be accepted till June 1, 2006. The Prize monetary fund amounts to EUR 10,000.

IV. Architectural and artistic creative work of gifted children with abnormal development. For participation in the competition, it is necessary to be registered till May 1 on the web site www.icif.ru. The materials will be accepted till June 1, 2006. The Prize monetary fund amounts to EUR 10,000 intended for the further creative work.

V. International conference on the competition results. Participants of the conference: leading Russian and foreign architects, leaders of science, culture, art and policy.

Competition Schedule
March-September 2006 – work of international expert group on selection of the nominees to compete for the Prize.
October 2006 - work of international jury.
November 2006 – announcing the Prize winners, publishing the catalog and organization of the exhibition.
01 June 2006 – the deadline for submitting materials to participate in the competition program.