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Timber in the City: Urban Habitats Competition

Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture

Foundation One-time
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Funding Amount

$40,000 total (First Place, Second Place, Third Place, and Honorable Mentions)

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Timber in the City: Urban Habitats Competition

Organizers: Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), Binational Softwood Lumber Council (BSLC), and Parsons The New School for Design

Overview: A student design competition exploring wood as an innovative building material for urban development. Over 850 architectural students participated in designing proposals for a mid-rise, mixed-use complex.

Geographic Scope: United States (Lower East Side, Manhattan focus)

Project Focus: Students designed proposals for:

  • Mid-rise, mixed-use complex

  • Affordable housing units

  • NYC outpost of The Andy Warhol Museum

  • Expanded home for historic Essex Street Market

    • Design Requirements:

  • Wood as the primary structural material

  • Integration of wood technologies and construction systems

  • Meeting local community needs

  • Creating spaces for inhabitation, recreation, commerce, and cultural exchange

    • Eligibility:

  • Architectural students

  • Teams of students with faculty sponsors

    • Award Breakdown:

  • First Place: "Stack Exchange" (University of Washington) - $15,000 (approx)

  • Second Place: "Hybrid Domains" (University of Oregon) - $10,000 (approx)

  • Third Place: "Grid + Grain" (University of Washington) - $8,000 (approx)

  • Honorable Mentions: 2 teams

    • Jury Panel: Included Jennifer Cover (WoodWorks), Dana Getman (SHoP Architects), Susan Jones (atelierjones), Alan Organschi (Gray Organschi Architect), and Jeff Spiritos (Spiritos Properties)

    Exhibition: Winning projects displayed at:

  • 2016 Greenbuild Conference in Los Angeles (October)

  • 2017 ACSA Annual Meeting in Detroit (March)

  • American Institute of Architects 2017 Convention in Orlando (April)

    • How to Apply

    Application Process

    Competition Timeline:

  • Ran from July 2015 through May 25, 2016

  • Design jury met in July 2016 to select winners and honorable mentions

    • Submission Requirements:

  • Design proposals addressing the Lower East Side, Manhattan site

  • Documentation of innovative use of wood materials

  • Construction system proposals

  • Demonstration of community engagement and integration

    • Selection Criteria:

  • Outstanding inventive formal strategy

  • Expressive and innovative use of timber

  • Integration of structural and aesthetic wood technologies

  • Urban design strategy

  • Feasibility and buildability

  • Community benefit and social/cultural exchange

    • For Full Details: www.timberinthecity.com

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