Pan-European competition across 23 countries: DIFA- AWARD 2004 to recognise vibrant urban developments

HAMBURG (Germany) 2th October (PROTEXT/ots) - Firstinternational competition focusing on urban quarters for townsand cities with 100,000 inhabitants or more / Deadline forentries 31 December 2003

Is the "urban quarter" a typically European response to theneed to modernise, enhance and regenerate run-down, depopulatedurban districts? It would certainly appear so: from Helsinki toBerlin and Madrid, town planners in medium-sized towns and majorcities are increasingly focusing on the integrative effect ofthe quarter, making this type of project a symbol of sustainableurban development. The DIFA-AWARD 2004 is the first townplanning competition to recognise the importance of the quarterto European urban development. Having been held twice before inGermany only, the DIFA-AWARD will now explore the economic andsocial potential of quarter development in 23 European countries.Towns across Europe with 100,000 inhabitants or more have until31 December 2003 to submit successfully realised projects forconsideration. The total amount of prize money for the covetedaward is 30,000 euros.

The DIFA-AWARD 2004 aims to find projects that boost thevitality of built inner-city quarters, and prizes will beawarded accordingly. The evaluation process will pay particularattention to whether a tangible increase in vitality has beenachieved by creating publicly accessible places such as squares,parks and arcades, and through effective quarter management. Thelatter is understood to include involving both the visitingpublic and local residents. Entries will undergo a two-stageselection process at the hands of an interdisciplinary jury ofexperts including architects Professor Albert Speer and HelmutJahn, as well as Peter Rees, City Planning Officer for theCorporation of London. The awards ceremony will take place inOctober 2004 at EXPO REAL, Munich's commercial property show.The DIFA-AWARD is held on a bi-annual basis by Hamburg-based DIFADeutsche Immobilien Fonds AG.

The competition materials for the DIFA-AWARD can bedownloaded from www.difa.de.

ots Original Text Service: DIFA Deutsche Immobilien Fonds AGInternet: http://www.presseportal.de Press contact: DIFADeutsche Immobilien Fonds AG PR/Communication Fabian HellbuschTel: +49 40 3491 9160 eMail: fabian.hellbusch@difa.de

Subscribers please note that material bearing the slug"PROTEXT" is not part of CTK's news service and is not to bepublished under the "CTK" slug. Protext is a commercial serviceproviding distribution of press releases from clients, who areidentified in the text of Protext reports and who bear fullresponsibility for their contents.

PROTEXT