488 projects enrolled, 25 were chosen for the final phase of the award and five of them are running for the special category - projecting with PVC.

The 17th edition of the Opera Prima Award, promoted by the Brazilian Institute of Architects - IAB, will give the prize for the best projects of architect and urbanism graduated students around the country in 2005. The celebration takes place on August 2nd at Porão das Artes - Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo.

The Opera Prima is considered one of the most important awards of the country in the sector of architecture and urbanism and it counts with Braskem exclusive sponsorship for the third time. The special category, Projecting with PVC will give the prize to the students and their professors for the best proposal for PVC application in the civil construction. "Our objective is promote the development of architectonic projects that utilize the PVC, observing the examples of what has been done in many countries where this resin has been used due to its versatility and competitiveness in comparison with other materials used in the civil construction", states Luciano Nunes, responsible for Products and Services of the Vinylic Unit of Braskem.

In this edition of Opera Prima, 488 projects from 108 institutions around the country were registered. Five of them will be awarded and 20 will receive honors. The prize is R$ 3 thousand reais for each winner. In the special category Projecting with PVC two students will receive the R$ 5 thousand reais prize and three other students will be given honors. The five final works of this category are innovative projects that are related to the area of social responsibility.

São Paulo Metropolitan Museum

The author proposes the appropriation of an underground area to create a museum dedicated to the city history, entertainment activities, commerce, education and expositions. The project occupies two blocks - one of them at Julio Prestes square and the other one is close to the extinct São Paulo bus terminal.

Temporary Occupation Module

The project is about a recurrent subject in academic works - the support to temporary urgent and pragmatic programs. The work stands out for the details it brings, its scope and for the wide illustration of possibilities for PVC application.

Artistic Formation Center

This project brings the idea of buildings as spaces for artistic formation (dance, music, plastic arts and sciences). These buildings would be constructed in an area with irregular topography. This way, the project is developed in successive levels that interconnected to the surrounding paths serve as the basis for the three buildings with curve traces and revetments of glass skin.

Project "Saindo da Linha" Pavuna

The work aims at qualifying the carioca neighborhood - Pavuna - through new edifications, roads and mainly by the valorization of pedestrian areas.

Pediatric Oncology Hospital Anti Project

The proposal of this Project is the creation of a children"s hospital for the prevention and treatment of cancer, with an architecture that promotes the humanization of the medical service.

Judging Commission

The judging commission is composed by the architects Alberto Rubens Botti, Cesar Dorfman, Luiz Carlos Toledo, Pasqualino Magnavita, Paulo Henrique Paranhos, Ronaldo Resende and by Luciano Nunes, from Braskem. The event will count on the presence of professors, known architects and representatives of IAB and Braskem.