Reimagining the Waterfront: Manhattan’s East River Esplanade

Sponsor: CIVITAS
Type of competition: Open, ideas
Language: English
Location: New York
Eligibility: Open to all architects, landscape architects, urban planners, students, and artists.
Registration Fee: $50 (includes one-year complimentary membership to CIVITAS)
Timeline:
1 September 2011 – Beginning of question and answer period
15 September 2011 – Submission period begins
15 January 2012 – Submissions deadline
Late February 2012 – Winners announced

Jury:
Al Butzel – Principal, Albert K. Butzel Law Offices
Honorable William Castro – Manhattan Borough Commissioner, NYC Dept of Parks & Recreation
Warren James – Principal, Warren A. James Architects + Planners
Signe Nielsen, FASLA – Principal, Mathews Nielsen Landscpe Architects
Rob Rogers, FAIA – Partner, Rogers Marvel Architects
Jack Travis, FAIA, NOMAC – Jack Travis Architect
Billie Tsien, AIA – Principal, Tod Williams BIllie Tsien Architects
Adam Yarinsky, FAIA – Principal, Architecture Research Office
Awards:
First Prize – $5,000
Second Prize – $3,000
Third Prize – $2,000
Five Honorable Mentions – $100 each
Design challenge:
Entrants are challenged to generate dramatic and original concepts for the east side’s waterfront park, jump-starting a process that aspires to the transformation of the entire East River pedestrian experience. Through the design-ideas competition, CIVITAS hopes to establish greater equality with other New York City waterfront parks by developing a spatially rich and varied scheme that will enhance the east river waterfront’s narrow confines with recognition of its total urban context. A well-integrated mosaic of new landscape, additional structure and alluring sculpture and lighting will help this prominent waterfront site achieve its potential as a vital and stimulating outdoor location, a favorite refuge for residents of all ages and a destination for tourists and visitors from all over the world.
Submission requirements:
  • Registration and submission must take place on submishmash (link will be provided on September 15, 2011). Submissions will only be accepted in digital format and will not be accepted via email.
  • All submission materials should be labeled with the name of the competition “Reimagining the Waterfront” and no contestant or firm names should be included on the artwork (see Anonymity below).
  • Only one PDF may be submitted for each entry, but may contain up to four pages (3 graphic pages and a separate page of descriptive text) within the same file.
  • Each page, if printed full-size would be 24” x 36” and may be oriented either vertically or horizontally.
  • A descriptive text must accompany the graphic materials (see below).
  • One $50 fee per entry, multiple entries/ideas permitted.
  • Text that is smaller than 3/32” is not recommended.
  • 20 MB maximum allowed per entry.
For more information, go to: http://reimaginethewaterfront-civitas.com/