More than a Promenade: Atlantic Beach (NC) Boardwalk Design Competition KUTONOTUK Announced as Winner 
Boardwalk photo: Courtesy Atlantic Beach
Boardwalks, especially on oceanfront locations, have a pretty universal look. But how they fit into their local context is another matter. Topography, real estate and commerce all play a role in their function, and to some extent, design. In the case of Miami Beach, it’s primarily a promenade; Brooklyn’s 2.7 mile Coney Island boardwalk stretching all the way to Brighton Beach is a mixture of promenade and commerce, with the latter at both ends. In the case of Atlantic City, it’s mostly about retail. Atlantic City, North Carolina, located on North Carolina’s Bogue (outer) Bank, decided to stage an open, two-phase competition for an upgrade of its waterside boardwalk. As a small coastal town of less than 2,000 permanent inhabitants, the town’s boardwalk had deteriorated over the years and was badly need of repair. The Mayor of Atlantic Beach, Trace Cooper, whose grandfather had been the principal developer of the town dating back to the 40s and 50s, wanted to go beyond the simple repair of the .2 mile boardwalk, but take recreational and commercial factors into consideration. A new pavilion to anchor the project was regarded as one of the main additions; but to attract more visitors, other enhancements were certainly in order. According to Mayor Cooper, residents wanted more shaded areas, places for illustrating the town’s history, and also the circle area called “The Point,” which was located at the major entrance to the site. The Competition The initial stage of the competition, which drew over 50 entries, was anonymous. The competition, which consisted of design professionals and stakeholders consisted of:
• Patrick Hobgood, Hobgood Architects, Raleigh, NC
• MA Allen. MA Allen Interiors, Raleigh, NC
• Marjorie Hodges. Art Consultant, Artsuiite, Raleigh, NC• Fred Bunn, Real Estate Developer, Wilson, NC/Atlantic Beach
• Danny Navey, DJ and Atlantic Beach Town Council member
• Trace Cooper, Mayor of Atlantic Beach The three shortlisted finalists in their final ranking are::
• KUTONOTUK, Charlottesville, VA (winner)
• Forma Design, New York, NY (second place)
• Lewis Williams, London, U.K. (third place) Winner
KUTONOTUK
Charlottesville, VA
Matthew Jull and Leena Cho
Collaborators
Cameron Fullmer, Patrick Sardo, Collette Block 
Above created during design development ©KUTONOTUK
 
Above images ©KUTONOTUK
2nd Place
Forma Design
New York, NY
Miroslava Brooks, Daniel Markiewicz, Kyle Troyer 
  
 
  
Above images ©Forma
Third Place
Lewis Williams+Hudson
London, U.K.
Lewis Williams, Janis Ho 
Above images ©Lewis Williams + Hudson
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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.
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/ 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… Budapest’s Nyugati Rail Station Competition 
Image courtesy Budapest Development Agency ©Grimshaw
Completed in 1877, Budapest’s Nyugati Railway Station has witnessed many of the twists and turns of Hungarian history: the Austro-Hungarian Empire, revolutions of post-World War I and 1956, and various shades of expansion and shrinkage in their territory. Its important location in Europe’s history as a contested land in southeastern Europe has not only served as a path for armies of conquest, but as a matter of great interest for major powers. Amid all the changes it has experienced, Hungary, and Budapest in particular, has retained a fascination for outsiders, making it one of Europe’s high profile tourist attractions. Read more… |
