In
the 125 years since William Le Baron Jenney’s 10-story Home
Insurance Building in Chicago became the world’s first skyscraper,
the spectacle of soaring towers has become increasingly common
wherever land is scarce, allowing cities to stack life ever taller,
denser and more dynamic. Like cathedrals and palaces of the past,
skyscrapers today define their cities’ identities as they shape the
skyline. As the late critic Herbert Muschamp wrote of these modern
wonders, “Contemporary architects reveal the inner world in the
process of adorning the outer one.”
Art Knowledge News
MOCK FIRMS
CHICAGO 2010
COLLEGIATE
ARCHITECTURAL
DESIGN
COMPETITION
THE CHALLENGE
GOES OUT!
What
would it take to gather together the most talented skilled labor
force from among your friends and classmates to produce a
nationally-recognized project? If this is the sort of challenge
which intrigues and motivates you, you are just that's the kind of
visionary we're seeking to compete in the 2010 Mock Architecture
Firm Competition! If you believe you have what it takes to put
together a team of success-minded drafters, graphic artists,
engineers, and communicators to incorporate your own simulated
architecture firm then make plans now to be in Chicago, April 15-17
for the 2010 Mock Firms Finals. We hope to see you there!
WHAT IS THE MOCK FIRM COMPETITION?
The Mock
Architecture Firm Competition is the next
step in student-design competition. It is an
exciting & innovative opportunity for students
interested in the design/build industry to test
their skills in a uniquely collaborative
environment, compete on a national level and
have their work evaluated by top industry
professionals.
WHAT IS THE FOCUS OF THIS YEAR’S CONTEST?
This year’s
theme is “Global Challenges: Architectural
Solutions.” As we continue to make
adjustments for the long journey into the 21st
Century, we recognize the need and the privilege
to utilize our talents and ideas to improve
living conditions for our communities and
beyond.. This year's International Skyscraper
Challenge endeavors to achieve innovative
dwelling solutions through the design of
vertical communities.
IS THERE A MIN/MAX FOR FIRM PARTICIPATION?
The minimum
individual student participation for a mock architecture
firm is two (2). The maximum number is four
students plus one instructor.
WHO CAN ENTER?
Students who
are undergrads or grad students previously or
currently enrolled in a studio design or
architectural design course at a university or
community college.
HOW DOES THE COMPETITION WORK?
Entrants are
to submit concept sketches of the target project
as a part of contest registration. Each sketch
series must be accompanied by a minimum (1)
one-page synopsis of your project proposal. .
These finalists will gather in Chicago over a
3-day period in April to present the entirety of
their work to a panel of industry professionals.
The 2010 Most Outstanding Mock Firm along
with the following will be awarded at the
conclusion of the competition.
Top Firm Organization
Top Building Design
Top Marketing
Presentation
WHAT HAPPENS AT NATIONALS?
Each firm will
be given a 15-20 min window to present
their firm, and projects consisting of CAD
drawings, site model, media presentation and
oral presentation.. After jury review, winners
will be announced. Participants will all receive
lunch, dinner, city and campus tours, and
involvement in an entertainment event.
HOW ARE THE PROJECTS JUDGED?
Projects will
be judged by architects, professors, graduate
students, media and members of the international
Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
Evaluations will be based on the following:
precision, practicality, participation &
presentation.
WHAT IF WE CANNOT MAKE IT TO
CHICAGO FOR THE FINALS?
Participants
who cannot physically be present for the finals
in Chicago in April can prepare a video
describing both their firm and their project.
Drawings should be mailed to us, but models are
not required to shipped. However, models should
be thoroughly photographed for the judges, if
they not being shipped. Of of course since it is
obviously an additional challenge to sometimes
fare as well as those present, extra time and
care should be given to your presentation.
Judges will be required to give identical time,
attention and effort to evaluating each project.
WHY SHOULD I ENTER THIS
COMPETITION?
The uniquely
valuable experiences gained from participation
are as follows:
the opportunity to
simulate a professional environment in preparation for
the future
the opportunity to
receive course credit hours for the studio
the opportunity to to
receive direct, immediate project evaluation:
the privilege of
having your work reviewed by leaders in the design
profession
the chance to have
your work viewed by professionals from around the world
at the Expo
having access to
scores of firms via the convention to gain prime
face-time for an internship or employment
WHAT DO WE RECEIVE IF WE WIN IT ALL?
Mock
Architecture Firm finalists will be determined
and invited to participate at
nationals April 2010 in Chicago. The national
winners will receive an award package consisting
of a monetary scholarship award, the value of which will
be announced in the upcoming months.
With the ongoing shrinkage of available and
suitable space to meet the residential needs of
burgeoning urban populations, designers and
developers are looking at the use of vertical
communities to achieve housing goals. The 2010
International Skyscraper Challenge affords
today's future designers an opportunity to
assume the profile of professionals as they
incorporate a team of skilled partners to
design, construct and market a tall building for
a site within the dense urban population of
Mexico City – the 3rd largest
metropolitan region in the world.
WHAT ARE THE DESIGN PARAMETERS FOR THE BUILDING?
Current Stats & Facts:
ü
Located in a valley region on a former riverbed with
frequent seismic activity
ü
Mexico City is the economic and cultural center of the country of Mexico
ü
Its population is approaching 8.5 million people
ü
Greater Mexico City has a population exceeding 19 million –
making it currently the 3rd largest such region
in the world.
ü
Air quality is poor and the city suffers from a lack of
fresh water supply
ü
Its income per capita is $25, 258 competitive among global
capitals
ü
The metro is one of the busiest in the world transporting
approximately 4.5 million people every day in addition to an
international airport and extensive bus system
ü
Founded on Aztec and 16th Century Spanish
influences
ü
Roman Catholicism is the predominate practice of faith
ü
The tallest building is Torre Mayor – an office building
that is 225 meters (740 feet or 55 stories). It is also the
tallest building in Latin America and was designed by the
architecture firm, Zeidler Partnership Architects.
Commission Objective:
To bring together a design team from among
your peers to conceive, design, construct and market what is
to be the largest residential building in Mexico City which
advantages public transportation, sustainable solutions, and
cultural considerations.
Design Parameters:
Residential program
Comprehensive
utilization & maximization of site
Street-level entries, lobby and lower floors can
facilitate commercial programs
Height restrictions: between 50 – 75 stories, 650’ –
800’
Residential units should accommodate a family of 5
minimum
Post modern form
Must be constructed to withstand an 8.5 earthquake
Plans to achieve zero-energy usage over a period of time
Environmentally-conscious building design
Climate-conscious
Culturally-conscious in the area of materials,
amenities, agrarian practices and the local economy
Integration of public transportation
Interaction or relationship with community fabric
Site Context:
We have
researched areas with the central district of Mexico City
for sites appropriate to the design project stated here.
Please choose one of the three selections provided and be
prepared to justify your selection in written and oral
presentations.
Specification Note: While we are providing several
general locations, we are not requiring an exact location or
orientation on these sites for your building as to allow for
variations in problem solving interpretations and
approaches. We are however specifying a maximum allowable
building footprint of 55,000 sq ft.
CONTEST
DETAILS
WHAT ARE THE MAIN OBJECTIVES FOR THE
COMPETITION?
To assemble a team of designers with diverse
talents and abilities to create, contract,
construct and have fun commercially marketing a
residential high-rise or super-tall skyscraper
as a pretend-professional firm.
ARE THERE ANY QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE FIRM?
Firms must be no less then two (2), but no more
than four (4). The main members of the firms
shall be called partners and/or principals. Job
titles can be assigned to each partner, but is
not a requirement. Although partners should
attend the same school, they do not have to be
the same grade level nor in the same class or
section in that school.
HOW DO WE PUT TOGETHER OUR DESIGN TEAM UPON
WINNING?
The idea of the competition is to achieve a
basic simulation of an architectural firm which
is preparing to pitch its design ideas to a
prospective client. You have begun this process
by choosing your main partners already. Now, it
will be necessary to assign specific tasks to
each partner according to their abilities.
Additionally, each and any task which can be
best performed by someone other than your
partners can be assigned to classmates as staff
in your company or as independent
sub-contractors. This group of employees or
contractors can number any amount in total. The
only restriction is that they be students. Your
instructor can serve as a consultant to the firm
or project.
WHAT SPECIFIC PROJECT AREAS ARE REQUIRED TO
COMPETE AT NATIONALS?
The List of required projects is as
follows:
·
A Company Logo
·
A Business Card
·
An organizational flow chart showing the
hierarchy of mock employees and their job titles
·
A single page description of the focus and/or
scope of your firm
·
A video presentation introducing the structure
of your firm (and project if you so choose)
·
Poster presentations showing color perspectives
of various views of your building
·
A series of CAD drawings consisting of the
primary elevation, a site plan, a residential or
office floorplan, and a 3-D perspective view.
·
A scaled model of the building and its
surrounding environs.
·
An oral presentation selling the design of
building which should include descriptions of
materials used, architectural styling,
amenities, features, innovations, sustainability
and LEED design goals, creative financing, and
community benefits.
WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC PARAMETERS OF THE REQUIRED
PROJECTS
A company logo can range from the style,
font and position of your firm's name to an
existing or original symbol or graphic.
Business cards
should contain the firm's name, logo, name and
title of holder, city, state, (country if
applicable), email and phone number.
The organizational chart should list
founding partners and "principals" at the top
with the next tier being you would designate as
firm members. Below this level would be any
contracted students from another class or school
along with adult consultants.
A summary of your company can encompass
anywhere from a paragraph to a page of typed
information describing your firm, its programs,
purpose, its strengths, and technologies. Report
should be 1.5 or double-spaced. The title should
be the name of your firm.
The video is to be between 2-4 minutes in
duration and uploaded to YouTube. The content
should primarily be a description of your firm's
organization and all the different roles
involved. It can additionally be comprised of a
walk through of your design process from start
to finish, an overview about your building, or a
combination of any or all the afore-mentioned.
The video should include Mock Architectural
Firm Competition in the opening or closing
credits.
Poster presentations
should be on a 18" x 24" foamboard or close
approximation thereof. You can have up to 3
posters. Posters should be color-illustrated
showing interior and exterior perspectives of
your building and its environs. Text
descriptions or captions can be included, if so
desired. No border is preferable.
CAD drawings
of your skyscraper project should number (4)
four in total consisting of an elevation, site
plan, floor plan, and perspective. Drawing size
should be presented on "C" (17" x 22") or
"D-sized"
24" x 36" paper or near to that size but not to
exceed it. Title in Title block should read Mock
Architectural Firms. Your building name should
be the title of the drawing. Include firm's
name, school name, date, drawing scale, and
section codes, i.e. A-1, A-2, etc. Dimensions
can be included on the plan and/or elevation
views.
Model Presentations
should display not only your building and its
site, but as much of the surrounding environs as
possible including non-descript buildings and
structures. Landscaping is encouraged. Your
building's scale should allow the entirety of
your project to sit on a tabletop surface of a
size average 3' x 2.5.' The building can be made
of any materials you deem appropriate including
plexi-glass, wood, cardboard, foamboard, etc.
Oral Presentations
of your building project should inform judges of
the virtues of your design. This would include
justifications for the construction of this
project, descriptions of the design style and
materials used, architectural compatibility in
the community, amenities, features, innovations,
sustainability and LEED design goals, creative
financing, and community benefits. The length of
your presentation should fall between 5 to 10
minutes. Visual aids and media can be used to
support your presentation, but should not
consume nor supplant your verbal report.
Re-designs
of your building is not only allowable but
anticipated. In real world situations, original
concepts and design submissions are often
subject to a “re-do” because of various
constraints. These may be financial, community
or civic-oriented, and client-directed.
Nevertheless, your final construct should be a
radical departure from the original. Please
retain these design changes and present them
along with the final project at the national
event.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR NON-ATTENDING MOCK FIRMS
While it is regretful on our part that
we will not be able to interact with you in person, we
understand any issues which would prevent your
attendance. We don't want you to be at any disadvantage
for your presentation and will do our best to insure a
fair representation of all "firms" not present in
Chicago.
The following are several presentation
specifics to be noted in lieu of being able to present
in person in Chicago
1. Only one video submission is
necessary. This video can be 5-10 minute in duration
with our advice to keep it on the lower side of the
range as it can be difficult to ensure attentiveness
with lengthy presentations. So this video replaces any
and all others. Its purpose is to put a face (human
element) to your firm for the judges. This video should
be more comprehensive introducing not only your firm and
its organizational structure, but adding spoken elements
to your building project as to your thinking,
philosophy, and other nuances which might be difficult
to capture from print & models. Finally it should be
uploaded on YouTube and sent to us on DVD (please test
it to make sure it works!). The video should reach us
before or by April 2nd to give us opportunity to
review and determine a set-up procedure.
2. Non-presenting firms which are not
sending their model through to us can submit a set of 6
photos not to exceed 8 x 10 or can submit 3 additional
18" x 24" presentation posters (totaling 6 overall)
showcasing the building model.
3. The reason we limit the amount of CAD
drawings is to minimize the timeframe needed to assess
entry by the judges. But in deference to additional
programmatic elements indicated, we will allow one (1)
plan per differing element to be submitted. Also, a
section can be submitted in lieu of the CAD perspective.
4. Every project received will be set-up
with care as it also reflects on us if its not done
properly and pleasingly. Please make sure to secure
attachments and other such constructed elements and to
provide a means for reattachment if separation occurs
while shipping. We cannot buy glue and other such
materials if needed in every case. If your display
presentation requires an ordered set-up, please provide
instructions (possibly with a photo) as to desired
arrangement. Finally, presentations posters have been
mailed to us before so that is a possible and preferable
option., but if that is not feasible, you can mail them
via tube with the CAD material.
2009 MOCK
FIRMS
NATIONAL SKYSCRAPER CHALLENGE
NO FEAR OF
HEIGHTS!
A REVIEW OF 2009
CHICAGO, MAY 2009 | For one
weekend in May, the campus of the Illinois Institute of
Technology (IIT) was the center of the tall-building
universe. Fortunate patrons were treated to an exhibition
from an advanced architectural studio for IIT students which
focused on the design of a skyscraper for Mumbai, India
sponsored by the
Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
Additionally, the finals of the inaugural Mock Firms
National Skyscraper Challenge was also taking place in the
ballroom of the McCormick Tribune Campus Center.
The
Mock Architecture Firm Competition is an exciting and
innovative opportunity for students interested in the
design/build industry to test their skills in a uniquely
collaborative environment and against peers on a national
level. Students were asked to establish and organize their
own firm consisting of a maximum of 4 principals (partners)
and an unlimited number of student-employees. This year’s
theme was “No Fear of Heights!” As the skyscraper has once
again become a focal point of architectural conversation
around the world, we challenged students to design and build
an iconic structure to be located in the locale of their
choice. The specific challenge was to carry-out their design
concepts for a mixed-use tall-building through the use of
drawings, models, illustrations, video and oral
presentations to be judged by some of the country's top
architects at a 2-day finals event hosted by the College of
Architecture at IIT on the Southside of Chicago.
Eleven
finalists with nine present competed for top honors after an
initial selection back in February which was based on the
quality of submitted sketches and building concepts. A total
of 22 secondary and post-secondary institutions entered the
2-division competition from the East Coast to the West
Coast. As contestants arrived by air, rail and roadway, they
were introduced to the Chicago's best via a walking tour
through Millennium Park, Lakeshore East, and River North
with a stop-over for some Chicago-styled hotdogs at
Portillo's an Barnelli's.
Students
arrived to set-up for judging on the second day of the event
in an exhibition/display-type format. Students were then
expected to present their prepared materials and "sell"
their designs to each judge as they individually evaluated
each project. Present in hand for the jury process was
Martin Wolf FAIA, Senior Principal and
Principal-in-Charge of Design for Solomon, Cordwell and
Buenz, Ross Wimer AIA, Design Partner, Skidmore,
Owings and Merrill, Stephen Yas AIA, RIBA President
and Owner of Yas Architecture, LLC, Antony Wood,
Executive Director of the Council on Tall Buildings and
Urban Habitat, and Jan Klerks, Research &
Communications Manager, CTBUH.
Upon
entering, jury members were taken aback at the level of
quality present in the projects submitted for judging. Among
comments given were, "was that a mock firm or an actual
firm?" and, "this is a great competition and more schools
need to know about it." and finally, "I need to get my son
and his school involved in this, this is great!" Most of the
awe was directed at the high school entrants as they
produced a level of work nearly mirroring their collegiate
counterparts.
The
competitive weekend concluded with participants, teachers,
family and friends gathering for an Awards Dinner at a
downtown Chicago pizza establishment. Multiple awards and
and top honors were presented to student firms at the
back-end of the affair. In reflection of their overall
experience, students themselves gave praise and recognition
to the value of time-management learned, the satisfaction of
seeing their completed projects, and the opportunity to
receive professional and unbiased reviews from a jury
top-shelf architects. The following is a list of finalists
and honors achieved.
