Elevated Thinking

Underground: Shaping the Future

This prestigious category honors groundbreaking approaches in the conceptualization, advocacy, and execution of underground projects that transcend engineering excellence. It celebrates the ingenuity, perseverance, and visionary leadership that drive the successful realization of underground works with profound and transformative impacts on communities.

Eligible solutions in this category would be substantially developed and completed between March 1, 2022, and April 1, 2025. They will exemplify outstanding advancements in non-engineering dimensions, significantly enhancing aspects such as project approval, construction efficiency, public health outcomes, environmental resilience, sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and social equity.

Evaluation Criteria:

Submissions will be assessed based on their ability to demonstrate and deliver:

Visionary Use of Underground Space

Innovative and extraordinary applications of subterranean environments
Tangible value creation for the public, businesses, and communities
Sustainable, forward-thinking integration into urban and natural landscapes

Sustainability & Environmental Leadership

Climate resilience and adaptive infrastructure strategies
Circular economy principles and resource optimization
Long-term environmental stewardship and ecological harmony

Social & Economic Advancement

Enhanced stakeholder engagement and inclusive community benefits
Improved public well-being through equitable and transformative development
Pioneering solutions that inspire and set new benchmarks in the field

Winning projects will exemplify the next frontier in underground space development, showcasing the power of subterranean innovation to redefine cities, enhance sustainability, and create lasting societal value. These projects will serve as global exemplars, elevating the awareness and appreciation of underground space as a vital and dynamic asset for the future.