An international design competition with more than $20,000 in prizes was launched in Melbourne last night to attract plans to help transition the Latrobe Valley into a low-carbon future.

Thirteen international and national experts in the field are discussing the issue at a symposium at BMW Edge in Federation Square today.

The competition, which closes on 26 November, will target the revitalisation of small towns, potentially rehabilitated mines and associated infrastructure, with the winners announced on 14 December.

The $120,000 project is sponsored by RMIT University's Office of Urban Transformations Research Laboratory in the School of Architecture and Design, Latrobe City Council, the State Department of Primary Industries Clean Coal Victoria Unit and the Gippsland Climate Change Network.

Dr Rosalea Monacella, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at RMIT, said local residents would be asked to comment on the plans, which will be judged by a 13-strong panel of local and international experts, including two from Harvard and MIT universities in the US.

"Significant sites have been identified throughout Latrobe city and each team will select from these sites, which represent a cross-section of the major industries in the area and one of the small townships,” she said.

“At a minimum, teams have to have an architect or landscape architect involved.

Teams may also include urban designers, planners, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, economists, artists, students and local people."

The Latrobe Valley is 70 minutes drive from the outskirts of Melbourne and home to 75,000 people.

Associate Professor Monacella said coal reserves covered 40 per cent of the Latrobe City Council land area and directly or indirectly employed 20 per cent of its population. Electricity generated from brown coal mined in the area represents 90 per cent of all electricity generated in the State of Victoria.

Visit the t ransitingcities website for the symposium program and to find competition details from 4pm this Friday. September 14.

Architecture & Design Team

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