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.”
One
of this nation’s most inspiring moments occurred back
in May of 1961, when then President John F.
Kennedy declared that we (the American people)
would strive to put a man on the moon by the end
of that decade. That challenge was taken and
achieved. The future was only as distant as our
imaginations and determination would allow.
Though our space program has been practically
defunded, pioneers within the public realm are
taking up the challenge of discovery once again.
Comparatively, while many prolific medical
advances occurred in the 20th Century, today
talented and dedicated individuals are working
diligently to unlock the secrets to conquer
disease and maladies which may only benefit
future generations. In areas of technology and
design, innovative thinkers are rapidly
unfolding a futuristic manner of living month by
month. Finally, in the art and science of
architecture, we are seeing the constant
evolution of creative, aesthetic geometry and
efficient environmental building solutions. Yet,
while design communities across America and
particularly in Chicago have enjoyed an
inventive history rich in innovations, financial
and regulatory constraints have relegated much
of the present day cutting-edge design\build
examples to Asia and the Middle East.
The
2013 installment of the Mock Firms Competitions
hopes to establish a platform for aspiring young
professionals to “re-discover” the ideas,
designs and technologies which helped to
introduce past communities to their “future”
work, leisure and domestic environments. It is
possible the next iconic skyscraper, home design
or building technology resides in this upcoming
group of competition participants. Could that be
you?
Rendering of Jordan
Gate soon to be the tallest buildings in Amman
The
passing of seasons of leisure is rarely easily
received within academia. Yet, the opportunities
for new discoveries and achievements,
anticipated in upcoming sessions of
collaborative learning, can bring a unique
excitement and level of satisfaction
unparalleled among personal experiences. One
such opportunity for discovery and achievement
is the 2013 Mock Firms International Skyscraper
Challenge and National Home Design Competition
concluding April 25 - 26 2013 in beautiful
downtown Chicago. With the theme of "Rediscover
the Future," aspiring young design professionals
will be challenged to produce an iconic
super-tall for Amman, Jordan (collegiate) and
Chicago, IL (high school). Programmatic targets
include design solutions for a diverse and
comprehensive vertical healthcare community and
for multi-student residency in a single-family
housing environment. Finalist will share in the
unique experience of interacting with leading
design professionals as their ideas are
evaluated by the same. The outcome of the 2012
event saw first time winners from the NewSchool
of Architecture in San Diego, Calif. and Olathe
East High School in Olathe, Kansas who shared
International and National Mock Firms of the
Year respectively.
This
year could hold that defining moment for your
academic (and maybe professional) career through
the gathering of a "dream team" of skilled
classmates, the submission of a ground-breaking
design, and the confident pitch to some of the
nation's leading architects. Why not take on the
challenge as a senior project, independent
study, semester assignment or studio project.
Measure your progress and your abilities against
many of the best in your subject, major or field
of study. The ascent to the top may be the
result of an ambitious path of adventure!
Be apart of an elite class. Step out from the
crowd. Apply online today!
Entering
its 5th year, the Chicago-based Mock Firms Competition has
become one of the foremost student-based design competitions
in the country. The Mock
Firms model aims to help facilitate the formation and
function of simulated-architectural design firms by
collegiate and secondary school students and is open to any
Chicago college
student, as well as national and international 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.
Vector Collaborative from Drexel
University
THE VENUE FOR FINAL PRESENTATIONS
Chicago, Illinois will once again serve as the site of the 2013
Mock Firms Competition final presentations. The
tentative location for this event is the
Congress Hotel and Plaza Convention Center on
beautiful and iconic Michigan Avenue. It sits
across from the city's front yard - Grant Park
and is but a few steps from the world renown
Millennium Park. This historic facility has
hosted presidents and dignitaries both famous
and infamous, national and international for
more than a century.
DESIGN OBJECTIVE
To organize a “mock” or simulated design\build
firm for the purposes of conceiving,
coordinating, constructing and commercializing a
comprehensive healthcare supertall building in
Amman, Jordan which serves multiple segments
of the medical community.
ABOUT THE PROJECT SITE
Amman is the capital city of Jordan, located in the Middle
East. Jordan currently is a constitutional monarch with
Amman as the political, cultural, and commercial center of
the country. Jordan is currently 92% Muslim and about 6%
Christian. Population is estimated at around 2.8 million
and because of the constant immigration into the city the
population is expected to jump up to around 6.5 million by
2025.
Amman is around 649 square miles large and is spread across
19 hills that range in elevation from 2,300 feet to 3,600
feet. Because of the drastic changes in elevation climate
depends on the location. However average highs range from
59-68 degrees in the summer and lows of around 50 -32
degrees in the winter.
Economy in Amman is constantly growing and is a hub for
business, leading the Middles East in areas such as
healthcare, information technology, foreign investment, and
tourism. Because of the interest in Amman, tourism is a big
part of the city and westernized businesses such as
McDonalds and Fridays along with similarly styled clubs and
bistros which can all be found here.
Welcome to Amman!
Architecture in Amman is full of history and has sprinkles
of Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic historic styles.
Jordan government is currently making efforts to preserve
the historical areas of downtown Amman and blend the modern
architecture with the surrounding historic buildings. The
city is also nicknamed “the White City” because of the
common use of white Jordanian limestone on modern buildings
as dictated by municipal law. Amman is definitely a blend of
modern and traditional, as the hills are scattered with an
arrangement of homes and the downtown is packed with modern
stores, souqs, hotels and restaurants.
RECENT CHAMPIONS!
2012 International
Mock Firm –Capsule ArchitectureLab,
NewSchool of Arch, San Diego, CA
2011 International
Mock Firm –VOX, DIS Copenhagen, Denmark
2010 International
Mock Firm –Meteous,
Cal Poly, San Luis-Obispo, CA
2009 International
Mock Firm –Cal Poly, San Luis-Obispo, CA
#
# #
NewSchool of Architecture Graduate Students Take Top Honors
for 2012
A
NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD) team won the MCM
Group Mock Firms International Skyscraper Award, the highest
honor in the international 2012 Mock Firms Competition
collegiate division held in Chicago May 3–4. The
undergraduate team, which also won the titles of Top
Sustainable Mock Firm and Top Architecture Mock Firm, was
among six finalist teams in the competition’s college
division, formally called the International Skyscraper
division. The finalists also included a second NSAD team
composed of graduate students.The winning team members, who named their mock firm
Capsule Architecture Lab, are all undergraduate students in
NSAD’s
Bachelor of Architecture program: Monika Banakaite,
Wilfred Briones, Brandon Nash, Lam Thanh Nguyen and Carlos
Sandoval. The group’s NSAD faculty mentor was Raul Diaz, an
associate with Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects. As the
overall winner of the competition, the student team receives
a $1,000 prize sponsored by the
MCM Group International, an award-winning studio of
planners and architects that has developed more than 2,000
projects around the world. Their primary practice areas
include sustainable design, leisure and tourism and cultural
and heritage projects. Featured are three members of the
winning NSAD team prepare their model at the 2012 Mock Firms
Competition.
PROFS & FACULTY- USE AS A CLASS DESIGN PROJECT
If you are
administrating or instructing studio classes within your
school or college of architecture, consider utilizing the
design criteria for the 2013 International Skyscraper
Challenge as a semester studio assignment. In addition
to the benefit of availing yourself to this ready-made
design brief, your class can benefit from the measurement
against the best among their peers as well as the rare
personal evaluation of their work from leaders in design
profession.
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS -
CONSIDER COMPETITION FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY PROJECT
Undergrad and
graduate architecture students take this opportunity to put
your talents and abilities into the marketplace through
participating in this years' International Skyscraper
Challenge. In utilizing the 2012 Mock Firms Competition
as a classroom studio, independent study project or a
personal project among friends, you can position yourself to
be recognized among the some of the world's top collegiate
prospects to firms seeking to take on the best and the
brightest! Take advantage today of this unique opportunity
to show you have what it takes to play a meaningful role in
a firm as you organize your team (firm) to advance a design
project through from start to finish. Then get to experience
our exclusive one-on-one interaction with the nation's top
design professionals who'll advise you and your team on what
it takes to get to the next level. Find a faculty sponsor
and register today!
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, tentative height/floors, tentative site, 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 11, 2013. 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
Direct
phone inquires
between the hours of 7am - 7pm CST
773.410.1314 (please
identify contest division and location)
Brief inquiries can
also be texted to
773.410.1314 for a more immediate response
Registration
materials can be sent via direct
mail to the following address:
Chicago Architecture Today
P.O. Box 3714
Chicago, IL 60654
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
A registration form emailed or direct mailed
Registration fee in the form of a check or online
payment
1 - 3 page proposal summarizing the general
design direction of your building project
Preliminary sketch (es) of the partner's initial
design ideas
An organizational chart or description outlining
the hierarchy and functions of all contributing members
of your team
Promotional materials i.e. brochures, business
cards, etc for your building project
Media Publication i.e. social & local media
reporting on
your participation in this event
A video presentation introducing your firm (all
partners), location, and your project
Board
presentations showing plans, perspectives & sections
of your building
A
scaled physical model of the building and its
surrounding environs.
A
10 minute oral presentation selling company
and building proposal which should include descriptions
of materials used, architectural styling, amenities,
features, innovations, sustainability and LEED design
goals, creative financing, and community benefits.
ENTRANT QUALIFICATIONS
Mock Firms competitions are open to all registered or
enrolled collegiate students whether undergraduate or
graduate level. Qualifying institutions do not have to be
accredited "design" programs but can also include community
colleges and liberal arts schools. Individuals who are
currently not enrolled but are not employed or interning at
a design firm and are no more than 1 year removed from their
last attendance or graduation date can also qualify but
should seek to retain a faculty sponsor or advisor from
their affiliated school. However, faculty advisors or
department personnel are not required for participation. 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. A
"firm" should consist of students from the same institution
or previously enrolled at that institution at the time
registration.
Visit and
like our mock firms Facebook page where
contacts videos will be linked along with the
YouTube postings.
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:
Sustainability in Focus
Sustainability Diversified
and Applied
Sustainable Systems
Sustainable Building and
Lifestyle Products
Accompanying the 4 DVD's is a
data CD which contains the following:
A multi-question file
which can be used as an exam or series quiz
LEED Design situations for
cad programs
Case Studies of successful
green projects
Images of green-related
subjects
Additionally, a 46-page
workbook of assignments and resources compliments the video
series with ...
Discussion, Group & Design
Questions & Projects
A Green Glossary &
Statistics
LEED Charts
Important Standards in
Sustainability
Online Resources
Based on the documentary
Sustainable Chicago
Produced & Published by
Chicago Architecture Today LLC
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.
RECAP OF THE 4th ANNUAL MOCK FIRMS COMPETITION
CHICAGO, MAY 2012
CORPORATE RENAISSANCE HOMEWOOD-FLOSSMOOR H.S.,
FLOSSMOOR, IL
May
10, 2012 (Chicago) The historic Congress Plaza
Hotel and Convention Center in Chicago was once
again the setting for the 4th Annual Mock Firms
International Skyscraper and Regional Home
Design Competition. Over 100 participants from
20 collegiate and secondary academic
institutions across 7 states converged on
the city Thursday and Friday, May 3 & 4, 2012 to
dodge the rain and enjoy exceptionally beautiful
weather. Student "firms" from out-of-state and
one in-state were treated to a personalized tour
of BSA LifeStructures - a design firm
specializing in healthcare and academic
institutions based in Indianapolis but with
offices in Chicago and elsewhere. Visiting
participants were also given opportunities to
experience Chicago's world class architecture
through walking-based excursions throughout the
day.
Friday, May 4th
begin with an outdoor orientation and continued
onto a diverse project exhibition of 26
conceptual designs of a mixed-use supertall
sited for Beijing, China, a mixed-use supertall
sited for Detroit, MI and a single-family home
programmed for an aging and disabled homeowner.
The theme this year was versatility and designs
reflected flexibility in programs, context,
architecture and sustainability. This year the
competition was graced by a record 9 jurors from
various firms and institutions and included the
following:
Lira Luis AIA, RIBA, Principal Architect
Role at ALLL (Atelier Lira Luis, LLC)
Todd Snapp, Associate
Principal at Perkins+Will
Daniel Shirk, Senior Project Designer, AIA
LEED AP at MCM Group
Rene Steevensz AIA is the founder of STUDIO
SYM DESIGN
Travis Howe,
Designer at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill
Architecture
Paul Sterner,
AIA, LEED AP, is the President and Founder
of Oculus Architecture®
Nathaniel Hollister,
Production Coordinator - CTBUH,
Manages The Skyscraper
Center, the official tall building database
of the CTBUH
Iker Gil,
architect, urban designer, and director of
MAS Studio, director of the architecture
series at the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago
Alex Tsparis,
Design Professional at BSA
LifeStructures
MAXIMIS ARTIFEX, NORTH GARLAND
H.S., GARLAND TEXAS
Student firms were expected to "pitch" their
design concepts and marketing plans to 6 of
these top industry professionals who were
present to juror their presentations as well as
their projects. The event concluded by evening
with the Mock Firms Awards Presentation also
hosted by the Congress Hotel. The results are
listed below.
Thank you to our distinguished jury for the
sacrifice of time and effort they put in to held
make this event a success. Also, a special
thanks to our esteemed sponsor - the MCM
Group of Long Beach, California which
sponsor our top collegiate award and to
architect and representative from MCM Group,
Daniel Shirk who flew in from California to
take part in this event. Additionally, a
word of thanks to all of the first time and
returning programs. Finally, a word of
appreciation to the Congress Hotel and Sales
Associate Debra Sample for making our 3rd
consecutive stay there a successful one.
2012 Mock Firms Award Designations
BOREALIS, WAUBONSIE VALLEY H.S., AURORA, IL
(Collegiate)
International Skyscraper Challenge
First Place: Capsule ArchitectureLab,
NewSchool of Architecture + Design, San Diego,
CA
Runner Up: ANDO, Higher Technical School of
Architecture-Seville, Seville, Spain
2012 Top Marketing Mock
Firm
First Place: Vector Collaborative, Drexel
University, Philadelphia, PA
(Tied) Runner Up: Re-Flex, University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
(Tied) Runner Up: Capsule ArchitectureLab,
NewSchool of Architecture, San Diego
2012 Top Construction Mock
Firm
First Place: Ando, Higher Technical School of
Architecture-Seville, Seville, Spain
Runner Up: The Way Associates, Cornell
University, Ithaca, New York, New York
2012 Top Organization Mock
Firm
First Place: Re-Flex, University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Entering
its 5th year, the Chicago-based Mock Firms Competition has
become one of the foremost student-based design competitions
in the country. The Mock
Firms model aims to help facilitate the formation and
function of simulated-architectural design firms by
collegiate and secondary school students and is open to any
