Applied Research Through FabricationSponsor: Tex-Fab Type of competition: Open, ideas, two stage, international, two categories Language: English Location: N/A
Eligibility: Open to professionals and students. Teams accepted.
Registration/Submission Fee:
$100 per entry for each category Categories: Continuing Research is a category that seeks to enable a more specific and regimented design research project already underway. Encompassing all works that are at a significant stage within their development that warrant a substantial shift in the scale and or material usage to further the research. This includes any and all previously funded work at any stage of development. Speculative Proposals is a broad based category with the intent to kickstart a design research project. It is an open category and freely interpretable. New ideas, or concepts are welcome and present the entrant an opportunity to further develop their ‘flash of genius’. Furniture, structures, products or any other project qualifies for this category with or without a specific site. No previously funded research work may be submitted.
18 March 2012 – Submission deadline for both categories Jury: First round Gil Akos/Ronnie Parsons, Studio Mode Billie Faircloth, Kieran Timberlake Jonathan Maillie, SHoP Jason Vollen, C.A.S.E. Second round Nader Tehrani, NADAAA Andrew Kudless, Matsys Design Vlad Tenu, V. tenu Awards:
In the first stage a total of 4 selections that will be awarded a 1000 USD stipend to further develop their project in a scale model (2 selections from the Continuing Research category and 2 from Speculative Proposals category). For the second stage, the models with revised boards will be juried in Dallas, Texas August 2012 (a shipping fee stipend of 250 USD will be provided) with the announcement of a winner made public in August 20. The final winning entry will be built, exhibited in Dallas/ Ft. Worth, Texas for the 4th annual TEX-FAB event and subsequently given to the Winner. The design and fabrication of the piece will be commissioned by TEX-FAB with the support of our competition sponsors. No additional design fee will be paid, however a 1,500 USD stipend will be awarded for travel to Dallas/ Ft. Worth to partake in the installation of their work, present the design on the day of the opening. Approximate value of winning proposal in materials, fabrication and labor is set at 10,000 USD.
Design challenge: Within the field of architecture, exploration involving parametric modeling and digital fabrication – or computational fabrication – is both wide and varied. There is no standard of how the technology is developed or no singular focus on how it will impact the design process or the construction of buildings. And yet there is growing evidence the application is quickly evolving in a variety of unique directions. From novel geometries and innovative structures to improved material and environmental performance, it is clear there is a focused agenda towards a more rigorous implementation of the digital toolset. Whether following traditional models of research or pioneering new forms of hybridized working models between these three categories, those working within this field are now able to activate a broader and more fully coordinated spectrum of information about the design decision making process. To seek research proposals that actively connect academia, the profession and the fabrication industry. As a center of gravity the proposals must illustrate work of designers who are forming an integrated relationship between disciplines in the area they practice and build. As this is a “design to fabricate” competition, TEX-FAB will match our network of fabricators and consultants with the projects that best manifest research through computational fabrication and apply it toward more intelligent integers of materiality and construction. A panel of experts will be charged to identify projects that warrant a higher degree of realization and exhibit them to foster a discussion that engages an audience in our region and beyond. From this selection a final project will be selected and optimized with a team of experts for the purpose of full-scale production.
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Chungji National Heritage Museum Competition

Image ©Ona Architects + Jongjin Lee architects + Laguillo Arquitectos
For those unfamiliar with Korean Heritage and its symbols, the choice of the jury for a new complex to house artifacts, now located at various scattered sites, would seem to beg more information, especially when one views the designs of the non-selected finalists—all quite modern. Some of this can certainly be explained by the subject matter of the new museum’s holdings, another by the site in broader terms. Some might say that emphasis placed on the heritage element in the design brief fostered an interpretation leading to the choice of the winning design: “The site chosen for the new Chungji National Museum is logical: Chungju, located in the central part of the Korean Peninsula, is the center of the so-called ‘Jungwon culture,’ which has played an important role geographically and historically since ancient time. Jungwon culture developed around the Namhan River, which runs through the central region from east to west, and the relics showing this are currently scattered and stored in various museums.”
Read more… 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/ University of Florida’s College of Design Construction and Planning’s New Addition 
Development phase image courtesy ©Brooks + Scarpa
If architects have had one complaint concerning the planning and realization of a project, it has been with planners and especially construction managers, both of whom often display a lack of knowledge about architecture. The survival of a well-conceived design can hang in the balance when there is a knowledge gap at the planning and realization end.
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Houston Endowment’s New Headquarters on the Bayou  Southwest view Houston Endowment Headquarters – Photo Ivan Baan, courtesy Kevin Daly Following in the footsteps of other major non-profits—The Ford Foundation and LA’s California Endowment Center in particular—the Houston Endowment’s new headquarters, located on a grassy knoll just above the Buffalo Bayou in the city’s outskirts, has also made a strong architectural statement. Similar to the California Endowment, this project was also the result of a design competition, won by the California firm, Kevin Daly Architects. Read more…
The Makasiiniranta South Harbor Competition
Helsinki South Harbour and Tori Quarter Suomen Ilmakuva Helsinki. Image credit/ Tietoa Finland, Janne Hirvonen
As a prelude to a competition for the design of a new Architecture and Design Museum to be located in Helsinki’s South Harbor, the City of Finland staged an open competition to establish a roadmap for the future redevelopment of the Makasiiniranta harbor area, the last old harbor area to be transformed for public use in Helsinki. The competition for the museum is scheduled to take place later this year; but the entire surrounding area has come up with a plan to review improvements for the entire harbor environment.
Read more… Vltava Philharmonic Hall Design Competition  View to Concert Hall from bridge ©BIG Classical music is still part of a vibrant musical scene in Prague, with at least four principal venues hosting concerts, ballet and opera. As a modern European city, the only missing venue from these choices is a state of the art concert hall. Other European neighbors have also recently staged competitions for such projects: Munich, won by Cukrowicz Nachbaur Architekten of Bregenz, Austria; Belgrade, won by AL_A of London; and Vilnius, Lithuania, won by Arquivio Architects of Spain. It should be noted, however, that one of the most important competitions for a concert hall, not only in Europe, but the world, was the 1961 Berlin Philharmonic hall competition, won by Hans Scharoun (below). It was the interior of that building, in particular, that served as a model for many others that followed, one of the first being Los Angeles’ Disney Hall by Frank Gehry. Read more… |