TRADA University Challenge 2018

Transcription

1 TRADA University Challenge Introduction TRADA is introducing an exciting new format to the University Challenge Design competition this year, building on the best elements of the design competition from previous years. The feedback from students, judges and sponsors in previous years has always been how valuable the interaction at the presentations has been. This year the focus of the competition, which is for 3 rd year students of architecture, engineering and landscape architecture related courses, amplifies that chance to interact with design professionals and industry. Twelve teams of 5 students will be formed, comprising 2 architects, 2 engineers and 1 landscape architect and will compete over 2 days at facilities kindly provided by the University of Sheffield. There is a generous prize fund, the competition is free to enter and travel, food and hotel costs are paid for by the organiser. This is all made possible by funding from our sponsors. The competition will also allow the students the chance to work as an interdisciplinary group and with students from other universities. This is an opportunity not only to reflect on what happens in practice, but a chance to exchange ideas beyond their peers at their home university. There will be a winning team and two runner-up teams out of the twelve competing, who will share a 4000 prize fund. In addition the students and participating universities will benefit from the publicity material generated, including edited film footage of the whole event. UK based universities can apply for 1 student to enter a 3 rd year architecture or engineering student. If the university runs both courses / disciplines, then 2 students can be entered. Sheffield University, the host, will be providing the 12 landscape architecture students required.

2 The competition will be a day and a half long starting at 1pm on Friday 23 rd Feb 18 and finishing on Saturday 24 th February at 5pm. This is principally to minimise disruption to the teaching calendar. The Diamond Building, University of Sheffield, which is hosting the 2 day competition 2 Background to the competition As timber is being used in ever more imaginative ways, this year we challenge the students to look at timber as an alternative to the usual choice of concrete for multi-storey car parks. This challenge is set as part of TRADA s University Engagement Programme, which aims to inspire the architects and engineers of the future to design iconic buildings and engineering solutions in wood. The major cities of the world are responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions, being focal points of human activity. A Green City seeks to reverse this trend and take the idea of green roofs and urban parks to the next level. Green buildings can feature vegetation aimed at reducing levels of air pollution, increasing urban biodiversity and reducing the overall building energy demands. In greening the whole city, this co-ordinated approach to green buildings and a greener landscape can have a greater impact tackling all these factors. But it is not just cities that produce environmental challenges, but any densely populated area. But what are the environmental benefits of vegetation growing on a building? Reduced surface water runoff, leading to reduced urban flooding; absorption of solar and manmade heat emissions reducing the urban heat island impact on needing to cool our buildings as much; as well as reduced air pollution and increased urban biodiversity. The greening of the urban landscape helps us connect the urban and rural lifestyles, including pastimes such as developing urban agriculture. This can have local financial, social and environmental benefits. It allows everyone a chance to play a part in enhancing their environment and working towards a more sustainable future. But the inclusion of more green landscape into the urban environment is just one aspect of making our cities and towns healthier and more pleasant places to live and work. With many major car and vehicle manufacturers moving towards hybrid or all electric vehicles and health experts suggesting we move towards more active healthy lifestyles, then the design needs to consider how to future proof the building as this shift continues to gather greater momentum.

3 3 The challenge Students will be asked to design a multi-storey timber car park that encompasses not only the current parking requirements, but one which is future-proofed to consider the transition to greater numbers of hybrid and electric vehicles. The use of timber should include structural supports, decks and access ramps. In their designs students will specifically be asked to: Explore how the structure can be fit for purpose for current use, as well as considering the likely near future greater migration to hybrid and all electric vehicles, as well as the influence of healthy travel such as cycling facilities. Design an aesthetically pleasing building. Explain how the structure can be a local focal point for urban agriculture and generating more community involvement in the building s green spaces. Consider the carbon footprint of the structure, not just in terms of embodied energy in creating the structure, but how the car park will use green energy to light the building at night. In addition explain how they might future-proof the building. Design for prefabrication students should look at how the design could be prefabricated to reduce on-site construction time and reduce waste production (this should be easy for timber). Design for adaptability also look at how the car park could be expanded in the future, either upwards or sideways to increase capacity. This could also consider a possible change of use if car use declines. Design for deconstruction students should look at how the car park can be deconstructed at the end of its life, to aid reuse of the car park itself or the components. This links to the Circular Economy principles. Consider carefully how the car park could have a positive impact on urban biodiversity and how this could be achieved. Will it include beehives for instance, to help with pollination of the urban agriculture they might have placed within the car park? These healthier city concepts could include: vertical farming, urban wildlife sanctuaries, air filtering by means of green walls or simply cladding it with photovoltaics. These ideas are not simply to be used as a gimmick, but to go further in the greening of the structure, giving a radical transformation of what has been for decades a grey eyesore associated with pollution, into the embodiment of what the 21st century city should be like.

4 4 Prizes Winners Prize of 400 for each team member. Two teams of joint Runners Up prizes of 200 for each team member. The chance of winning a prize as a student will be 1 in 4. 5 Expected timescales on the competition days Day 1 Friday 23 rd February pm Arrival, informal introductions + tea or coffee pm Briefing on the challenge including Q&A. Lecturer from host university briefing on their building use policies including fire alarms etc. Students allotted to teams pm Presentations by Judges pm Initial design time pm Dinner and informal discussions with judges pm onwards Additional design time if students wish at hotel. Day 2 Saturday 24 th February am Further design time at host university am Tea and coffee pm Secondary design phase. Chance to discuss with design professionals pm Lunch. Opportunity for more informal discussions pm Final design time / prepare presentations pm Groups present a 2 minute short pitch presentation to Judges pm Groups present a 10 minute presentation to an individual Judge pm Judges deliberations. Presentations to students from sponsors pm Award Ceremony and finish.

5 6 Key dates for the University Challenge Official application release date 4 th October 2017 Closing date for receipt of entries 6 th November 2017 (places issued on a first come, first served format) Notification of student places in competition 13 th November 2017 Supply of background reading for all students 11 th December 2017 participating All return tickets to be purchased by students to 31 st December 2017 travel to event. University Challenge Days 23 rd and 24 th February Travel and other expenses For those invited to the competition, we will pay reasonable travel expenses to attend the event. This will be the cheaper of: 2nd class advance rail fare (preferably with Student Rail Card where this exists); or Mileage at 45p per mile Air travel will be considered by those coming from Northern Ireland and Scotland please contact us beforehand to approve. Hotel accommodation, the first night s dinner and second day s breakfast and lunch will also be provided free of charge. 8 Practical issues The 1 or 2 students from each university will be separated into different teams of 5 students, with other university students making up their team quota. This will be in order to get them working in mixed discipline and multi-university teams. They will need to be able to research in teams, so the students will need to provide some means of accessing the internet for themselves - the host university will not be providing this. It is strongly suggested that they use their Eduroam setup for this purpose. Sheffield is easily accessed by train from most locations. The hotel will be located a short walk from the train station. The university venue is approximately minute walk from the hotel. Buses and trams also run this route.