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• 2007 TCA/PCA National Design Competition - Storm Housing 2007

CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT

USA: TCA/PCA National Design Competition: Storm Housing 2007 sponsored by the Tilt-Up Concrete Association and the Portland Cement Association.  Students in the field of architecture, currently in a graduate or undergraduate program are invited to present conceptual designs for a storm-resistant housing complex located along the Gulf Coast using site cast concrete panels known as “Tilt-Up” for their shell components. Storm Housing 2007 is an international, open, single-stage ideas competition. Registration Deadline: August 31, 2007.  Entry Deadline: September 15, 2007.

BRIEF – TILT-UP CONCRETE

Tilt-Up concrete is one of the fastest growing construction techniques in the United States.  It is a method by which building elements (typically, but not limited to walls) are site cast and set into final position with a crane.  Over the last decade the sophistication and aesthetic quality of Tilt-Up buildings has risen dramatically.  The creativity of architects and contractors is resulting in the application of this method to a wealth of new uses, new forms and new building types.

Tilt-Up has a number of distinct advantages in construction.  Among them:

• Panels can be formed into any shape – all subject to the imagination of the designer
• Concrete has inherent durability, important where strength of the building perimeter or envelope is important
• Panels can be large, more than 30-ft wide and several stories tall (some reaching nearly 100-ft), since it doesn’t require transportation by truck
• Concrete has thermal mass properties, important with today’s concerns for sustainability

To find out more about Tilt-Up and to look at what is currently being done, please visit the Tilt-Up Concrete Association’s (TCA) website at www.tilt-up.org.

COMPETITION – BACKGROUND

Two major events in the 21st century have significantly impacted the manner in which buildings are designed and constructed—9-11 and Hurricane Katrina.  Architecture is responding to this reality with buildings that are better able to resist the impact of severe forces which can be imposed upon them in a major storm or attack.  Professionals and students need to be aware of the options available to deal with this new reality – Tilt-Up concrete provides one such option.

One of the latest developments in the use of Tilt-Up is in housing, both single- and multi-family.  Tilt-Up provides an opportunity, due to its inherent strength and durability, to resolve the necessity for storm resistance specifically for high profile areas where the storm potential is high.

OBJECTIVES

This competition seeks to challenge entrants in creatively solving the problem of replacing large volumes of single-family housing for lower income levels in regions hardest hit by recent hurricanes along the Gulf Coast.  Wind and water forces on existing Gulf Coast regions have resulted in devastating losses while rebuilding efforts to date offer only short-term solutions subject to repeating scenarios.  Entrants are encouraged to  present prominent, architecturally significant design solutions for housing units that can be placed in new rebuild communities that provide measurable improvements to long-term durability.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

The site for the contest formerly consisted of the following characteristics:

• 300 ft x 600 ft block
• 20 - 60-ft x 150-ft lots with single-family structures
• Residential plans ranged in size from 1,100 sq.ft. up to 2,500 sq.ft., one- or two-story structures.

REPLACEMENT HOUSING PARAMETERS

The following describes the design conditions that must be met with the proposed solutions:

• Housing can be developed with a conceptual site plan consisting of single-family structures or multi-family complexes.
• Homes must have the same size range as original plans.
• The block should consist of 20 units total.
• Develop in detail one unit or multi- unit structure utilizing Tilt-Up concrete in whole or in part.
• Housing should be slab-on-ground with no basement considerations.
• Designs can investigate both form and finish for Tilt-Up construction.

After an entry registration is received, the TCA will provide the entrant with an electronic information packet that consists of:

• Descriptive information about Tilt-Up
• Examples of the use of Tilt-Up in residential designs (reference only)
• Site information with orientation and regional identification
• Photos of original houses from region and damage incurred by recent storms
• Information for uploading submissions to the TCA Student FTP site or mailing electronic formats

COMPETITION JUDGING

A panel of judges will review entries for the following criteria:

• Creative use of the design concept in overall solution
• Application of the Tilt-Up construction method
• Appropriateness of response in the context

COMPETITION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Entries to this competition must include and are limited to a CD- or DVD-ROM or uploaded to the TCA Student FTP site directory.  Digital entries will consist of only three pieces of information:

• Design narrative – Explain both the process rationale and the design solution in a one-page description.
• A 30-in x 30-in board (electronic format submitted as a PDF in 300dpi resolution) which graphically embodies your design solution.

Boards are recommended to contain the following:

• Conceptual site plan
• Unit floor plan
• Elevations / sections / details
• Sketches or 3-d views
• Diagrams or other information which explain your solution
• Title
• Brief bullet point descriptions
• Your entry information including:
• Your Name
• Your Contact Address
• Your Contact Phone and Email
• Your School
• Your Faculty Member

The TCA will produce display boards from these electronic files prior to judging.

SCHEDULE

(please note: competition schedule is subject to change—updates will be noted in bold as they are applied)

August 31, 2007 - Registration Deadline for Entries (Early registrations accepted)

August 31, 2007 - Questions Deadline

September 3, 2007 Design Packets Emailed to all Entrants (Early registrations will receive ahead)

September 3, 2007 - Question Responses Deadline

September 14, 2007 - Submission Deadline

October 5, 2007 - Announcement of Competition Winners at
TCA Annual Convention – University of Maryland Campus, College Park, MD

Entrants to the 2007 TCA/PCA Storm Housing Competition are encouraged to also submit their project to the 2008 Concrete Thinking For A Sustainable World sponsored by the Portland Cement Association (www.cement.org) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).  Visit the competition website for more information at www.acsa-arch.org.

Awards

Sponsored by the Tilt-Up Concrete Association and Portland Cement Association.

First Prize - $ 4,250 (USD) *

Second Prize - $ 3,250 (USD) *

Third Prize - $ 2,250 (USD) *

Honorable Mentions (2)

* Prize package includes cash to students and sponsoring departments (if applicable) as well as one free registration ($750 value) to the 2007 TCA Convention (Oct. 3-6) and a $500 Travel Allowance.

Student Cash awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd equal $1,500, $1,000 and $500 respectively.

Cash awards to sponsoring departments (where applicable) for 1st, 2nd and 3rd equal $1,500, $1,000  and $500 respectively.

Prize winners, Honorable Mentions, and any additional projects deemed deserving of recognition by the jury will be published in an issue of Tilt-Up TODAY after the conclusion of the competition. Sponsoring departments will receive recognition for their promotion and involvement as well as a complimentary copy of the TCA resource library consisting of one The Architecture of Tilt-Up and one 6th Edition Tilt-Up Construction and Engineering Manual.

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