The Buckminster Fuller Challenge 2014

Result

October 23, 2014, New York City - The Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI) is pleased to announce that a comprehensive climate change adaptation and community development project, Living Breakwaters has been selected as the winner of the 2014 Fuller Challenge, "socially responsible design’s highest award". The project was submitted by SCAPE / LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PLLC based in New York.

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Overview

Each year a distinguished jury will award a $100,000 prize to support the development and implementation of a strategy that has significant potential to solve humanity’s most pressing problems.

Description
Winning the Fuller Challenge requires more than a stand-alone idea or innovation that focuses on one aspect of a system failure. BFI looks for holistic strategies that demonstrate a clear grasp of the big-picture dynamics influencing your intervention. If a proposal emphasizes a new design, material, process, service, tool or technology, it is essential that it be part of an integrated strategy that deals effectively with key social, environmental and economic factors.
BFI seeks initiatives that tackle urgent needs at a range of scales: from macro-strategies that have the potential for widespread, tangible impacts, to local, community-based initiatives with global relevance and replicability. A highly competent project team with the capacity and commitment to move the solution forward for transformative impact is essential.
Entries must meet the following criteria:
- Visionary: put forth an original idea or synthesize existing ideas into a new strategy that creatively addresses a critical need
- Comprehensive: apply a “whole-systems” approach to the design and implementation process; aim to address multiple goals, requirements and conditions in a holistic way
- Anticipatory: factor in critical future trends and needs as well as the projected impacts of implementation in the short and long term
- Ecologically Responsible: reflect nature’s underlying principles while enhancing the ability for natural systems to regenerate
- Feasible: rely on current technology, existing resources and a solid team capable of implementing the project
- Verifiable: able to withstand rigorous testing and make authentic claims
- Replicable: able to be adapted to similar conditions elsewhere
Winning initiatives integrate these criteria into powerful design solutions that have the potential to play a significant role in the transition to an equitable and sustainable future for all.

Jury
Not yet announced

Prize
The winner (individual or team) will receive a $100,000 cash prize to support the on-going development and implementation of their winning solution.

Entry Fee
US $100
A discounted entry fee of $50 is available for students, academics (employees at a university or research institution), people entering on behalf of a registered non-profit, and financially contributing members of the Buckminster Fuller Institute.

Entries
Descriptions(total 1,600 words) and up to 6 images

Links
Past winners

Organizer
The Buckminster Fuller Institute

Official Website
http://challenge.bfi.org/