Emblematic Addition Competition WinnersThe Université Laval School of Architecture has announced the three winning projects, three mentions and two finalists of the Emblematic Addition ideas competition held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the School’s founding in Quebec City, Canada. Entries were asked to propose an “emblematic addition” to the 18th century building, the Old Seminary, in which the school is currently located. Despite its many architectural qualities, the building’s form and layout provide neither a central gathering space nor a significant visible presence for the architecture school in the city. Finding the proper balance between an historical structure and the forward-thinking orientation of its current vocation were only part of the challenge. The projects submitted each approached the problematic very differently: from more subtle responses to the existing conditions to radical shifts in the site topography or the building’s form. The competition received 115 entries from 22 countries. Most of the teams (49) were composed of students, while 38 were made up of practicing architects. Intern architects or mixed groups comprised the remaining teams. The jury members were: Philippe Barrière, architect DPLG and professor at the Université Laval School of Architecture; Emmanuelle Champagne, of the Quebec design collective 1x1x1; Joan Ockman, architectural historian and former director of the Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture at Columbia University (New York, USA); as well as Gilles Saucier and André Perrotte of Saucier + Perrotte architectes, based in Montréal.
After several days of deliberation, the jury chose unanimously to award three prizes of equal standing along with three honorable mentions. “Direct Axis” by Omar Aljebouri, Avery Guthrie, and Steve Socha (University of Tonronto students) “SHED” by Catherine Houle, Marianne Lapalme, and Vanessa Poirier (Université Laval students) “Layering the Present” by Jihoon Kim and Sanghwan Park (JKSP Architects, NY) “Spheres de Reference” by Éric Boucher and Élisabeth Bouchard (Montreal architects) “Shlack!!” by Julien Beauchamp, Romy Brousseau, Émilie Gagné-Loranger and Alexandre Hamlyn ( Université Laval students) “Untitled” by Odile Decq (Odile Decq Benoit Cornette Architectes Urbanistes) “Idendification” by Jil Bentz (architecture student in Luxembourg) “Untitled” by Dominique Poncelet (intern architect in Montreal) |
Young Architects in Competitions When Competitions and a New Generation of Ideas Elevate Architectural Quality 
by Jean-Pierre Chupin and G. Stanley Collyer
published by Potential Architecture Books, Montreal, Canada 2020
271 illustrations in color and black & white
Available in PDF and eBook formats
ISBN 9781988962047
What do the Vietnam Memorial, the St. Louis Arch, and the Sydney Opera House have in common? These world renowned landmarks were all designed by architects under the age of 40, and in each case they were selected through open competitions. At their best, design competitions can provide a singular opportunity for young and unknown architects to make their mark on the built environment and launch productive, fruitful careers. But what happens when design competitions are engineered to favor the established and experienced practitioners from the very outset? This comprehensive new book written by Jean-Pierre Chupin (Canadian Competitions Catalogue) and Stanley Collyer (COMPETITIONS) highlights for the crucial role competitions have played in fostering the careers of young architects, and makes an argument against the trend of invited competitions and RFQs. The authors take an in-depth look at past competitions won by young architects and planners, and survey the state of competitions through the world on a region by region basis. The end result is a compelling argument for an inclusive approach to conducting international design competitions. Download Young Architects in Competitions for free at the following link: https://crc.umontreal.ca/en/publications-libre-acces/
Night view of the memorial tapestry from Independence Avenue, with Gehry’s sketch of the Normandy cliffs.
Explaining the contributions of a World War II hero and later President of the United States on a very modest site on Independence Avenue just off the Washington Mall is tantamount to asking an author to describe the life of this person in no more than one paragraph. But on September 17th, after a long and bumpy journey, lasting almost 20 years and navigating a warren of the DC approval processes and public scrutiny, the Eisenhower Memorial finally was dedicated and opened to the public. Designed by Frank Gehry, it has received mixed reviews, the majority being more positive. But most have pointed out that the memorial is more impressive at night than in full daylight. This is due primarily to the illumination of an almost block-long metallic tapestry—featuring a sketch by Gehry, which depicts his interpretation of the cliffs of the Normandy coastline where the Americans landed on D-Day. Read more…
Professional winner: Brooklyn Bridge Forest (image © Pilot Projects Design Collective)
While looking for new adventures on a visit to New York City, friends suggested that I take time to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge—certainly a New York icon. For those intending to undertake this trek across the bridge for the first time, the bridge consists of layers, with a large platform for pedestrians on top of a lower level for cars and the metro system. Traversing this connection for the first time between Manhattan and Brooklyn is not just about getting from one place to another, but experiencing a great scenic view of both boroughs and occasionally interacting with other bridge crossers. As for the latter, they provide a flavor of the city’s demographics, as opposed to similar experiences one might have of the city’s inhabitants when riding the city’s subway system. Read more… Another Competition for Moscow’s Expanding Subway Network
Image © Zaha Hadid Architects
Even under Stalin, Moscow subway stations represented the crown jewels of the city’s projects when it came to design. In more recent years, the emphasis placed on modern design in the city’s expanding metro rail network has resulted in some major new projects, and this year’s competitions for two stations was no exception: the Klenoviy Boulevard Station 2 won by Zaha Hadid Architects (London), and the Prospect Marshala Zhukova station, won by the ASADOV Architectural Bureau (Moscow). Read More… Hangang District Urban Design International Master Competition
1st place entry by Dominique Perrault Architecture (image ©Dominique Perrault Architect)
China’s planning priorities for their urban areas experienced a sharp turn after the post-Mao reforms took place. During the early post-WWII period, when Soviet influence in the early urbanization of China dominated, industrial development took precedence over all other issues, with heritage, conservation, residential planning, and the amenities associated with it, being almost entirely neglected. Read more…
Winning design by ©Moreau Kusunoki /Genton
Although one might normally assume that local firms participating in a competition might have a clear advantage over foreign competitors, this has seldom been the case: just see Sydney’s Opera House, won by a Danish architect, and Toronto’s City Hall, won by a Finn—as evidence that well devised competition briefs as adequate documentation can create a level playing field for potential competitors, regardless of their location.
Read more… |
