The AR Awards for Emerging Architecture.

The 2009 AR Awards for Emerging Architecture is now open for entries. Founded in 1999, it has grown to become the world's most popular and prestigious awards programme for young architects. In a prize system still skewed in favour of predictable gongs for lifetime achievement, Emerging Architecture is a real breath of fresh air, giving young and often relatively unknown practices an invaluable impetus on their trajectory to stardom. It's encouraging to track the progress of fledgling architects as they grow in stature and progress in their careers. A random scan of the Emerging Architecture roll of honour throws up Barkow Leibinger (Germany), Ofis Arhitekti (Slovenia), Jensen & Skodvin (Norway), Bucholz McEvoy (Ireland), Sean Godsell (Australia) and a clutch of perpetually inventive Japanese - among them Sou Fujimoto, Junya Ishigami and Atelier Bow-Wow. All are now making names for themselves.

No awards scheme can claim such geographical diversity. Last year, for instance, there were over 400 entries from 50 countries. Awards are given for excellence across a very broad spectrum of design, ranging from landscape and urbanism to product design and furniture. Yet by far the largest proportion of entries are buildings.

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A stipulation of entry is that all projects must be completed and built. No amount of seductive paper or electronic theorising can deflect or distract from the fundamental purpose of architecture, which is to build; moreover to build well and to build responsibly.

Displaying great formal diversity, entries are united by their engagement with certain crucial concerns. These include the inventive and appropriate use of materials and technology, environmental and social responsibility, place-making, consideration of context and how to respond to challenging contexts and climates. The limiting age for entrants is 45 -admittedly an elastic definition of' 'young' but, because of the long education and training, it is often very difficult for architects to express themselves clearly in built work before then.

Each year, we invite a new international jury to review entries. For 2009, we are very pleased to welcome Elizabeth Diller (Diller Scofidio + Renfro, New York); Tony Fretton (Tony Fretton Architects, London); Thomas Heatherwick (Heatherwick Studio, London) and Yvonne Farrell (Grafton Architects, Dublin). Kieran Long, AR editor-in-chief, is chairman. Winners will be invited to a gala prize giving at the RIBA at the end of November and will also be invited to participate in the RIBA's Spring Lecture Series in 2010.

Over the years the entries have provided a constantly entrancing kaleidoscope of endeavour. Canopies, car parks and chapels compete with stage sets, stations and squares. We're always surprised and delighted by what we find and trust that this year will be no exception.

Closing date for entries is 8 September. Full details of how to enter, including a downloadable entry form, can be found on www.arplus.com

www.arplus.com