CTBUH 2012 Student Tall Building Design Competition

The goal of the competition is to shed new light on the meaning and value of tall buildings in modern society.

Description
The goal of the competition is to shed new light on the meaning and value of tall buildings in modern society. As noted by the 2011 Competition Jury Chair, William Pedersen of Kohn Pedersen Fox, “There has been a major transition in the sense of the value of the tall building and what it can contribute to the urban realm, and society in general. This transition moves the tall building away from just an instrument of financial exploitation and toward a development highly concerned with its impact on the city, the environment, and the urban habitat.”
In light of global climate change, public awareness of urban sustainability has forced designers to rethink and reinvent the role of the high-rise building type. They must contribute to the protection of endangered environments and offer sustainable alternatives to how cities operate, as they meet the growing demands of urban dwelling and reshaping the landscape of modern cities. It is increasingly important that tall buildings connect with the urban fabric, integrating with the existing city/street life, and reflect the nature of the city in which they are built.
Participants are free to site their projects anywhere in the world. This is not to undervalue the importance of site, and thus participants should carefully consider their site (which must be a “real” site, in a real location) as the site context should inherently have significant influence over the project’s design. Participants are also free to determine the size, height, function, accommodation and responsibilities of the building. The intention is these freedoms on site and program will maximize the diversity and creativity of the responses. It is also intended to allow students from specific high-rise educational studies around the world during the 2011–12 academic year to submit their projects for consideration.

Jury
The Competition Jury will be made up of prominent professionals involved in the 2012 Shanghai Congress, creating a multi-disciplinary group of tall building experts.

Prize
First Place: US$8,500 (US$5,000 cash + stipend to attend 2012 Shanghai Congress (up to US$3,500 value*))
Second Place: US$6,500 (US$3,000 cash + stipend to attend 2012 Shanghai Congress)
Third Place: US$4,500 (US$1,000 cash + stipend to attend 2012 Shanghai Congress)
Fourth Place: US$4,000 (US$500 cash + stipend to attend 2012 Shanghai Congress)
Fifth Place: US$3,500 (Stipend to attend 2012 Shanghai Congress)
Honorable Mentions

Entry Fee
None

Entries
One A0 board and One DOC file written description (A4 one-page)

Timetable
Short-listed “Semi-finalists” Announced: July 16th, 2012
Top-five “Finalists” announced: July 30th, 2012
CTBUH Shanghai Congress: September 19th-21st, 2012
Top-five “Finalists” present to jury in Shanghai: September 20th, 2012
Winners announced and prizes conferred during Congress Dinner: September 20th, 2012

Links
Past winners

Organizer
Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)

Official Website
http://www.ctbuh.org/