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Wednesday, 1 March 2006 | Elif Sungur
A House for an Ecologist: A Design Ideas Competition
Sustainability has become a significant force in every area of human enterprise. As it is normally practiced in design, however, it often is seen as a purely technical or ethical agenda and not as an aesthetic one. In the construction industry, efforts to improve environmental performance have focused primarily on the science of building and neglected the art of architecture. How can environmental innovation contribute directly to design excellence? The AIA challenges architects and students everywhere to propose a unique dwelling that combines integrity and inspiration.
Program
The program is a live/work dwelling for an ecologist in residence at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The ecologist in residence, a fictitious position, will be an annual fellow who will receive a stipend and expenses to live and conduct research on site and in the field. The expertise of the resident will vary from year to year, so the specific focus of his or her work or personality are not relevant. Instead, assume the resident will work to promote the mission of the FWS: working with others to conserve, protect ,and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
The dwelling is to include the resident's personal quarters (living, sleeping for one, eating for four, bathing, and study for one) as well as a meeting area for up to eight people, including colleagues and guests. Parking is not required. The enclosed structure should not exceed 1,500 net square feet. In the nature of conservation, spatial efficiency is encouraged.
Site
The dwelling is to be located on the grounds of the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, W.Va. The NCTC is also the site for the conference, "The Architecture of Sustainability," to be held May 4-7, 2006. The NCTC campus sits on Terrapin Neck along the West Virginia shore of the Potomac River. Directly north of the site is Shepherd Island, which divides the Potomac River, allowing for easy crossing of the river and enabling the development of Shepherdstown in the early 18th century. The ruins of historic mills, dams, and farm buildings are on the campus, directly south of the site. In addition, the area surrounding the site is of high archaeological interest; it is a rich source of native American artifacts, especially along the Potomac.
A parcel of land approximately 350' x 250' has been identified as the location for the house. The site is on the eastern edge of the campus, a short walk from the Training Center Commons building, and is set back 300 feet from the Potomac River, respecting the biodiversity found along the river's edge. The site is completely wooded and is a pristine example of a mature, deciduous upland forest ecosystem. The site is at the southern edge of a forest hill, dropping nearly 30 feet from the northern edge to the southern edge. The 100-year floodplain elevation follows the 380-foot contour, and portions of the site fall within the floodplain. To determine solar conditions and annual climate profile, competitors should use those of Dulles International Airport.
Criteria
Definitions of sustainable design vary and are subject to interpretation. To help clarify the most important principles, the AIA Committee on the Environment has developed its Top Ten Measures for Sustainable Design, which entrants may use as a loose guideline: "Great design includes environmental, technical, and aesthetic excellence. Stewardship, performance, and inspiration are essential and inseparable." A brief version of the Top Ten Measures is included here as an appendix; the measures are intended as a guide, not a prescription.
Entrants should describe in their own words what makes the project ecologically intelligent. Judging will emphasize the priorities described below. Awards will be determined according to how persuasively the entries demonstrate these criteria, subject to the interpretation of the judges:
Design Excellence
A clear and compelling relationship between environmental integrity and inspired design. How does form promote performance and vice versa?
Celebration of Place
How does the design honor and enhance its surroundings (ecological, cultural, and social) at every scale (regional, local, and immediate)?
Respect for Resources
All mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems should be completely "off the grid," and particular attention should be paid to the relationship between innovative systems and innovative design. How does architectural form, as well as materials and methods, honor natural and cultural resources now and in the future? How will this dwelling and place evolve and improve over time?
Design Process
How do innovative design methods promote great design? Collaborative and interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.
Competition Jury
-Peter Q. Bohlin, FAIA, of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
-Allison Ewing, AIA, of Hays + Ewing Studio, Charlottesville, Va.
-Susan Szenasy, Metropolis Magazine, New York City
-James H. Timberlake, FAIA, of Kieran Timberlake Associates, Philadelphia
Schedule
March 17, 2006: Registration deadline
March 31, 2006: Entries due at AIA Headquarters no later than 5 p.m. ET
April 24, 2006: Winners notified
May 4-7, 2006: Exhibition of finalists at AIA Committee on Design conference, "The Architecture of Sustainability," Shepherdstown, W.Va.
June 8-10, 2006: Exhibition of winners at AIA 2006 National Convention and Design Exposition, Los Angeles
Prizes
A minimum of two and maximum of four winners will be selected. The winners will each receive $1,000. In addition, they will be invited to attend the May 2006 conference, "The Architecture of Sustainability." Registration will be waived for one representative of each team, and winners may be asked to participate in a panel discussion about the competition.
In addition, a number of entries may receive an honorable mention, subject to the jury's discretion. Honorable mentions will not receive a monetary prize or conference expenses. All of the entrants are encouraged to attend the conference, although only the winners' expenses will be paid.
Exhibition and Publication
The winning entries will be displayed at the AIA 2006 National Convention and Design Exposition in Los Angeles. Selected entries will also be displayed on the AIA Web site. The winning designs may be published, at a later date, in a venue to be determined.
Eligibility
This international competition is open to all registered architects, intern architects, students, and allied design professionals, with the following exclusions: any person whose relationship to a juror might affect the juror's impartiality in carrying out his or her responsibilities. These include, for example, members and employees of jurors' firms, close business associates of jurors, jurors' students, or close relatives of jurors; and any employee of the AIA.
Anonymity
All entries must be submitted without identifying marks, including logos, text, insignia, or images on the display surface that could be used to identify the submission's author. Any submission that contains written or graphic material on the display surface that in any way identifies the author of the submission will be disqualified. Competitors must affix an opaque envelope containing a copy of the completed registration form on the back of the board. You may use the same envelope for your competition forms as for your CD-ROM.
Submission Requirements
Drawings and renderings, including a written project statement of no more than 300 words, should be mounted on one 30" x 40" board, with the 40-inch dimension vertical. The board shall be no thicker than one-half inch and weigh no more than 4.41lbs (2 kg). There shall be no projections from the face of the board. Models will not be accepted. Include a digital copy of your submission as a .PDF on CD-ROM. Clearly label the disc with your full name, and place it inside an opaque envelope attached to the back of the board. The competition coordinators will invalidate any entries that arrive after the deadline. Entries should be addressed to: Committee on Design Ideas Competition 2006, AIA Professional Practice, 1735 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006.
Registration
Registration requires completion of the Project Registration Form and the Copyright Permission Form.
The registration deadline for this competition is March 17, 2006. Registration fees must be sent to the competition office with a completed registration form and signed copyright permission form prior to this date. Registration forms that are mailed and postmarked after this date will not be accepted. Each entry must have an individual fee and form. There is no limit to the number of entries per person or the number of teams with which an individual may participate. Competition winners will be expected to furnish information sufficient to provide appropriate credit to all individuals and firms associated with the winning entries.
Registration fees per entry:
AIA members: U.S. $100
Non-AIA members: U.S. $150
AIA Associate members: U.S. $75
Architecture students: U.S. $30
Registration for which no submission is received will not be refunded.
Top Ten Measures of Sustainable Design
AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE)
This set of 10 measures and supporting metrics is the foundation of the COTE Top Ten Green Projects, an annual awards program in its 10th year, and the basis of the COTE theory of sustainable design. COTE recognizes that great design includes environmental, technical, and aesthetic excellence. Stewardship, performance, and inspiration are essential and inseparable.
While emphasis should be placed on measurable results whenever possible, the narrative format recognizes that qualitative goals are often subjective and therefore cannot always be evaluated quantitatively. The brief essays allow the entrants to describe in their own words how the project's goals were pursued and achieved. Selection favors beautifully designed solutions that exhibit an integration of natural systems and appropriate technology.
Sustainable Design Intent and Innovation
Sustainable design embraces the ecological, economic, and social circumstances of a project. How did these circumstances drive the project's design? Did they influence the architectural expression? Describe the most important sustainable design ideas for your project as well as the specific circumstances or constraints that generated those ideas. Describe any unique sustainable design innovations. How does the architectural expression demonstrate the sustainable design intent?
Regional/Community Design and Connectivity
Sustainable design recognizes the unique cultural and natural character of a given region. Describe how the design promotes regional and community identity and an appropriate sense of place. Describe how the project contributes to public space and community interaction.
Land Use and Site Ecology
Sustainable design reveals how ecosystems can thrive in the presence of human development. Describe how the development of the project's site responds to its ecological context. How does the site design relate to ecosystems and development at different scales, from local to regional?
Bioclimatic Design
Sustainable design conserves natural resources and maximizes human comfort through an intimate connection with the natural flows and cycles of the surrounding bioclimatic region. Describe how the building responds to these conditions through passive design strategies. What are the most important issues to address for your climate and building type? Describe your site analysis and how the building footprint, section, orientation, and massing respond to this analysis and to regional and local climate conditions, the sun path, prevailing breezes, and seasonal and daily cycles. Discuss design strategies and energy conserving techniques that reduce or eliminate the need for active systems or mechanical solutions. Describe how passive ventilation and solar design strategies shaped the building.
Light and Air
Sustainable design creates and maintains a comfortable interior environment while providing abundant daylight and fresh air. Outline design strategies that create a healthful and productive indoor environment through daylighting, lighting design, ventilation, indoor air quality, view corridors, and personal control systems. Describe how the project's design enhances connections between indoors and outdoors.
Water Cycle
Water is an essential resource for all life on earth. Describe how building and site design strategies conserve water supplies, manage site water and drainage, and capitalize on renewable sources (such as precipitation) on the immediate site.
Energy Flows and Energy Future
Good design of building mechanical and electrical systems and integration of those systems with passive design strategies is essential for conserving natural resources and improving building performance. Describe how the design of building systems contributes to energy conservation, reduces pollution, and improves building performance and comfort. Describe techniques for integrating these systems with other aspects of building design.
Materials and Construction
The careful selection of materials and products can conserve resources, reduce impacts of harvesting, production, and transportation, improve building performance, and enhance occupant health and comfort. Describe the most important selection criteria, considerations, and constraints (such as optimizing health, durability, maintenance, and energy use, and/or reducing the impacts of extraction, manufacturing, and transportation) for materials or building assemblies for your project. What were the most important considerations in developing the building envelope? What were the most important material or building assembly decisions or selections (no more than three) and how did they meet the criteria?
Long Life, Loose Fit
Sustainable design seeks to maximize ecological, social, and economic value over time. Describe how the project's design creates enduring value through long-term flexibility and adaptability. Why is this project likely to continue thriving far into the future? Identify the anticipated service life of the project, and describe any components designed for disassembly. Describe materials, systems, and design solutions developed to enhance versatility, durability, and adaptive reuse potential. Describe efforts to "right size" the project and to reduce unnecessary square footage.
Collective Wisdom and Feedback Loops
Sustainable design recognizes that the most intelligent design strategies evolve over time through shared knowledge within a large community. Clearly and specifically describe how your design process enhanced the ultimate performance and success of the building. How did collaborative efforts between the design team, consultants, client, and community contribute to success?
AIA: http://www.dexigner.com/directory/detail/186/
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