Foster + Partners announced today that University of Lincoln student Chloe Loader was awarded the 2017 RIBA Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship, a yearly £7,000 student scholarship that gives the recipient an opportunity to travel internationally and “research the future survival of our cities and communities”.

In her submission “Emerging Cities: Sustainable Master-Planning in the Global South”, Loader will examine how the cities of Curitiba, Mumbai, and Jakarta have each handled rapid urbanization to identify how other cities with similar economics and demographics can potentially evolve.

She'll begin her travels in Curitiba, Brazil, where she will study how the city has developed a successful urban model while handling large influxes of rural migrants. She will then travel to Mumbai and Jakarta to compare and contrast them with her Curitiba findings. Loader will conclude her project by exploring potential design strategies for urban development to engage communities.

As the global number of people living in informal settlements is expected to rise to 1.5 billion by 2020, a better understanding of these communities is crucial in the present, says Professor Glen Mills, who has studied informal settlements and is the Head of the School of Architecture & Design at the University of Lincoln. “They are not going to go away so, as planners, architects and engineers, we need to understand them and that’s why Chloe’s project is so relevant. Informal settlements are a part of our global future,” Mills said. 

The jury evaluating submissions. Photo © Nigel Young.

Chaired by Norman Foster, the jury included Spencer de Grey, Foster + Partners Head of Design; Jane Duncan, RIBA President; Eva Jiricna, Director of Eva Jiricna Architects; Simone de Gale, Founder of Simone de Gale Architects; Piers Heath, a Foster + Partners Senior Partner; and Narinder Sagoo, Foster + Partners Art Director and Partner.

“Chloe Loader’s proposal to study the development of Curitiba stood out for its simplicity and immediacy,” Norman Foster stated. “I believe the lessons she will learn will have a direct relevance to other cities in the global south, addressing the pressing need for sustainable development worldwide. I look forward to seeing her project develop in the coming months.”

Upon learning that she had won the prize, Loader said she was shocked. “I’m now so excited and have begun organizing my travel plans and refining the details of my project. It is a huge opportunity that I feel so privileged to have received.”

Last but not least, the jury commended the entry “Fluid Spaces – (re)embracing the frontier culture of port cities” by Alexander Craig-Thompson from the University of Sheffield. The proposal examines the evolving nature of global port cities in light of technical advances in production, changing working patterns, and global identity.

*Update: This post has been amended to include quotes from Chloe Loader and Professor Glen Mills.