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YOUR FIRST SOURCE FOR ARCHITECTURE IN CHICAGO ONLINE |
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YOUR FIRST SOURCE FOR ARCHITECTURE IN CHICAGO ONLINE |
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WELCOME TO
STUDENT-BASED
ARCHITECTURE ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION DESIGN COMPETITION
"VERSATILITY"
THEME FOR 2012 Already, more than a decade into the 21st century, changes in technology are occurring so rapidly that one can feel like they are standing in a rushing stream of information and innovation. Yet, within the fields of architecture, construction and engineering, current economic conditions have down-scaled projects around the globe, However, in spite of the adverse financial climate which continues to hang like a gray cloud overhead, positive developments have come about in the design\build industry out of our need for better discipline in design.
Purposeful research and greater public awareness have brought an intense focus on sustainability, adaptability and “versatility.” Versatility is defined as having varied uses or serving many functions or capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc. Tall buildings, for one, are being re-imagined as vertical communities with multi-use spaces and functions able to serve evolving needs and changing desires throughout its lifetime. With this in mind, “Versatility” was chosen as the theme for the 2012 Mock Firms National Skyscraper Competition
* * *
2012 PROJECT SITE Detroit, Michigan has been renowned as the world's traditional automotive center. It has been referred to by two familiar nicknames, the Motor City and Motown. In 2010, the city had a population of 713,777 and ranked as the 18th most populous city in the United States. At its peak in 1950, the city was the fifth-largest in the U.S.A., but has since seen a major shift in its population to the suburbs. Between 2000 and 2010, the city's population declined by 25%. Among major American cities during the decade, only New Orleans experienced a greater decrease by percentage. Consolidation during the 1950s, especially in the automobile sector, increased competition for jobs. The gasoline crises of 1973 and 1979 impacted the U.S. auto industry as small cars from foreign makers made inroads [on Detroit's market dominance and further eroded its job base. An extensive freeway system constructed in the 1950s and 1960s had facilitated commuting. [This development along with] the Twelfth Street riot in 1967, as well as court-ordered busing accelerated white flight from the city. Commensurate with the shift of population and jobs to its suburbs, the city's tax base eroded. Consequently, social ills such as Heroin and crack cocaine use afflicted the city. In the years following, Detroit's population fell from a peak of roughly 1.8 million in 1950 to less than half that number today.
Downtown Detroit Skyline
Renaissance has been a perennial buzzword among city leaders, reinforced by the construction of the Renaissance Center in the late 1970s. This complex of skyscrapers, designed as a city within a city, together with other developments, slowed and eventually began to reverse the trend of businesses leaving Downtown Detroit by the late 1990s. In the 1990s, the city began to receive a revival with much of it centered in the Downtown, Midtown, and New Center areas. One Detroit Center (1993) arose on the city skyline. In the ensuing years, three casinos opened in Detroit: MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, and Greektown Casino which debuted as resorts in 2007–08. New downtown stadiums were constructed for the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Lions in 2000 and 2002, respectively; this put the Lions' home stadium in the city proper for the first time since 1974. The city also saw the historic Book Cadillac Hotel and the Fort Shelby Hotel reopen for the first time in over 20 years. The city hosted the 2005 MLB All-Star Game, 2006 Super Bowl XL, 2006 World Series, WrestleMania 23 in 2007 and the NCAA Final Four in April 2009 all of which prompted many improvements to the downtown area.
The city's riverfront is the focus of much development following the example of Windsor, Ontario which began its waterfront parkland conversion in the 1990s; in 2007, the first portions of the River Walk were laid, including miles of parks and fountains. This new urban development in Detroit is a mainstay in the city's plan to enhance its economy through tourism. Along the river, developers are constructing upscale condominiums such as Watermark Detroit.
THE VENUE FOR FINAL PRESENTATIONS Chicago, Illinois will be the site of the 2012 Mock Firms Competition final presentations. The tentative location for this event is the Congress Hotel and Plaza Convention Center on beautiful and historic Michigan Avenue.
DESIGN OBJECTIVE To organize a “mock” design\build firm for the purposes of conceiving, coordinating, constructing and commercializing a mixed-use tall building or single-family residence which accommodates senior-living for the appropriate designated venues.
CONTEST DIVISIONS Currently, Mock Firms consists of the following 2 (two) categories: National Skyscraper Challenge Regional Home Design Challenge
PRIZE DESIGNATION Finally, participants strive for excellence in the hopes of being designated the Top Mock Firm of the Year taking home a minimum $500 prize. Equivalent winning designations include but may not be limited to the following:
Honors/Awards Top Design Firm Top Marketing Firm Top Firm Organization Top Construction Firm Top Engineering Firm Top State Firm* Top Overall Mock Firm *Contingent upon multiple entries from a state or school
PREVIOUS YEAR RESULTS Nearly 40 registered student-firms Over 100 individual participants 10 different participating states Over $2,000 in prizes distributed
STATES OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS
California Illinois Kansas Michigan Missouri Nevada New Mexico South Carolina North Carolina West Virginia Wisconsin
CHANGES FOR 2012!
TEACHERS - USE AS A CLASS DESIGN PROJECT Understanding the challenges you face as a teacher in planning a curriculum which meets required objectives but also engages the disinterested as well as challenges the self-initiated, the mock firms model seeks to provide you with alternative instructional methods through competition. This is accomplished by utilizing a cooperative educational approach through involving the entire class (if desired) in an effort to take a building project from conception to construction. Although only 2-4 (with an optional 5th) partners are pegged as the "principals" of the competing group, each additional classmate can participate as associates in employing their specific skills to bring the project to completion. Alternatively, multiple firms can be organized in one class or section to compete with each other. In addition to the benefit of availing yourself to this ready-made project assignment, your class can benefit from the measurement against the best among their peers around the country as well as the rare personal evaluation of their work from leaders in design profession. Let us know if we can assist you in tailoring an experience to meet your needs and objectives.
DATES AND DEADLINES Note: Events and dates scheduled for listed events are subject to change
Late Registration Deadline - Jan 7, 2012 thru Mar 3, 2012 Video Presentations - April 14, 2012 Project Deadline for Non-attendees - April 20, 2012 Media Publication Inclusions - April 6, 2012 Project Presentation - Friday, May 4, 2012
CONTACT & MAILING ADDRESS Send any inquiries, info to the following:
Please email registration and proposals to info@mockfirms.org Materials can be sent via direct mail to: Mock Firms P.O. Box 3714 Chicago, IL 60654 Direct phone inquires between the hours of 7am - 7pm CST 773.410.1314 (please identify contest division and location)
REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW The basic required submissions for the competition are as follows: for a more detailed description of each item, please refer to the design brief which can be downloaded below
.
While more detailed descriptions of each item are available in the Design Brief. The following is a list of design requirements specific to the Detroit skyscraper project.
ENTRANTS REQUIREMENTS Because Mock Firms is a wholly collaborative enterprise, entrants must register a team of no less than two (2) partners, but not more than five (5) to qualify for competition. Although participants do not have to be in the same class, partners should consist of students from the same school.
In order to qualify for participation in the Mock Firms competitions, entrants must submit among other stated criteria a project proposal. This proposal is a preliminary declaration of the scope and direction of your desired building project. We are not looking for details at this stage as we know things of this nature are to be worked through an ongoing design process. We are seeking a rudimentary approach to what kind of design team you may be looking to assemble in order to accomplish competition objectives. Additionally, we desire to gage your initial perspective on the overall scope and direction of your design concept. This report is to be viewed only as a summary of possibilities and intent and will not be used to tie any "firm" to its content in the final analysis. Our hope is that each design partner or team give purposeful thought to their plan of action even that those plans evolve into something almost entirely different from what was present at the outset. To this end, we are asking for a 1 - 3 page, 1.5 or 2x spaced brief which includes a tentative firm name, possible individual project team titles (responsibilities) needed, why you and your firm are taking on this commission, name and dominate program of your building (if it will be the skyscraper project), intentions of incorporation of sustainable principles and consultation you may seek (i.e. teacher, professors, professionals, etc). This report should accompany registration but can be sent separately up to January 6, 2012. If you will be registering later in March and would like to submit this report at that time, please email your request to info@mockfirms.org
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
PRESENTATION PARTICIPATION All competition registrants will be eligible to make final presentations. Multiple "firms" from a school, program or class is acceptable. Instructors and adult chaperones are expected to accompany student-participants. Although this event takes place over 2-3 days, project presentations will take place on only one day in Chicago, Friday, May 4. The first and last days will be scheduled opportunities to enjoy the city and architectural-related activities. However, we understand that coming to Chicago may not be a realistic option for some participants. Therefore, project materials can be sent to Chicago in lieu of your being present there.
PROCEDURE FOR NON-ATTENDEES As previously mentioned, it is anticipated that some registrants will not be able to make the trip to Chicago for a variety of reasons. In consideration of this, we want those of you to whom this might apply to know that our determination is to make every effort to assure your project receives an equal assessment with those present. One of the ways we seek to accomplish this is to permit non-attendees the use of additional materials to help fill in the gaps which might result from not being able to vocally explain your design. Details of what the these exceptions are will be available upon registration.
ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPDATES Mock Firms Welcomes First Time Participants!
Midwest Region St. Charles North H.S., St. Charles, Illinois Waubonsie Valley H.S., Aurora, Illinois
South Region Klein Forest H.S., Houston, Texas North Oconee H.S., Bogart, Georgia
We Also Welcome Returning Participants!
East Region White Knoll H.S., Lexington, South Carolina North Mecklenburg H.S., Huntersville, North Carolina
Midwest Region Bolingbrook H.S., Bolingbrook, Illinois Lemont H.S., Lemont, Illinois
DOWNLOAD THE REGISTRATION FORM
DOWNLOAD THE DESIGN PARAMETERS
Introducing
WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY Fundamental Exercises in Green Building Design
Bringing Our Research and Today's Industry Experts Into Your Classrooms and Organizational Meetings!
A new instructional video series on sustainable design. Titles in this 5-disk video curriculum include:
Accompanying the 4 DVD's is a data CD which contains the following:
Additionally, a 46-page workbook of assignments and resources compliments the video series with ...
Based on the documentary Sustainable Chicago Produced & Published by Chicago Architecture Today LLC 5-Disk Package (DVD, CD) & Soft cover Workbook, 46 pages Retail Price $549.95 (20 additional workbooks - $699.95) To purchase by check, designate payee as Chicago Architecture Today LLC Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery
Refund Policy Full refunds are available for the return of any unopened materials (video and workbook) for up to 10 days after receiving purchase. Return shipping costs will be the responsibility of the customer. Cancelled purchases will be honored if the material has not yet been shipped and if shipped, will be fulfilled after items are returned. There is a non-return policy if any part of the purchased and shipped material has been opened or used.
MOCK FIRMS 2011 STUDENT-BASED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN COMPETITIONS ARCHITECTURE THAT WORKS
COMPETITION REVIEW Last May, scores of participants descended upon Chicago to take place in the 3rd annual Mock Firms National Skyscraper Challenge. Firms and guests had the opportunity to tour the offices of Perkins + Will and also the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Later student firms visited the new Ledge at the Willis Tower 's SkyDeck. Friday was competition time and as usual student firms were impressive as well as outstanding in there presentations. Competition was intense though and saw a first time champion taking top honors overall from White Knoll H.S. in Lexington, South Carolina. DNA Residential was thorough in their in their preparation, approach and presentation for their townhome concept. Multiple honors were awarded to over 20 firms at the award ceremony.
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Entering
its 4th year, the Chicago-based Mock Firms AEC Competition is already highly regarded on the
landscape of student-based design competitions. The Mock
Firms model aims to help facilitate the formation and
function of simulated-architectural design firms by
collegiate and secondary school students. The desired
outcome is to foster collaborative and cooperative
educational experiences which may better prepare
participants for a workplace environment which values these
and similar values. This competitive event continues to
bring together some of the best and brightest talent from
the U.S. and around the world. Additionally, these future
design professionals are given the unique opportunity to
interact with the industry's leading design\build
professionals as they pitch their design concepts directly
to them receiving immediate feedback and evaluation of their
work.
Arkansas
