2000/01 ACSA/STI HSS Design and Engeneering Challenge

ACSA & STI
Type: Open, restricted
Registration Deadline: February 1, 2001
Submission Deadline: April 27, 2001
Open to: Third-year students & above
Entry Fee: None
Awards: US$15,750 Total
Jury: Not yet announced

The HSS Design and Engineering Challenge calls for students in architecture, structural engineering, industrial design, or other engineering and design disciplines to work either individually or in teams to explore a variety of aesthetic and technical issues related to the use of hollow steel structural sections. The program strongly encourages (but does not require) students to work in multi-disciplinary teams.

DESIGN and ENGINEERING CHALLENGE
Working with faculty sponsors, students are invited to submit any of the following for consideration by the jury:
1 A hypothetical or realized design for a building or portion of a building employing hollow structural sections as a significant element;
2 A hypothetical or realized design for a piece of street furniture or other useful industrial item using hollow structural sections as a significant element;
3 A hypothetical or realized design for any other object, piece of furniture, vehicle, or other item featuring the innovative application of hollow structural sections.

Within the three broad design categories of building or partial building, street furniture or industrial item, and other objects or furniture, students may focus on one or more of the following issues in the context of Livable Communities and/or Adaptive Reuse:
1 The collaborative process, involving students of architecture, engineering, industrial design, and other related fields;
2 Improvements to or creative re-use of civic infrastructure;
3 Public transportation systems (including proposed applications of “ISTEA” funds);
4 Community-oriented projects with emphasis on using hollow structural sections to produce structures or products for disadvantaged populations;
5 Environmental issues/sustainability;
6 Prototypical applications;
7 Adaptive reuse of abandoned or under-utilized structures, especially for educational or public purposes;
8 Improved workplace environments;
9 Connection methods/assembly methods (focusing on structural integrity);
10 Cost optimization/strength-to-weight optimization (with emphasis on affordability for users);
11 Evaluation of existing building codes or manufacturing standards;
12 Integration with other materials.

This competition differs from typical ACSA competitions in that it does not entail a specified program for which entrants must design a solution. The reason for this departure is that the sponsors wish to identify innovative student work in all forms. It is also hoped that the lack of a specified program will facilitate the participation of multi-disciplinary teams.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
The ultimate goal for a team’s submission should be an aesthetically pleasing design combined with a thoughtful presentation of its building and/or technical information.

Entries in the Hollow Structural Sections Design Challenge should predominantly use structural tubing in their designs. By specifying steel tubing as a structural element, the designers demonstrate an understanding of the building properties of structural steel tubing and appropriate uses of HSS products. Entries that include specifications of HSS sizes and shapes used in the design will be given stronger consideration by the jury.

Teams should also consider the practical application of their design. Submissions in the HSS Design Challenge frequently include student-built projects, a unique opportunity for most student design competitions. These entries often appeal to the jury based on their “practicality” and structural usefulness. While imaginative studio projects and innovative product designs are strongly encouraged in this program, submissions should reflect a clear vision of the project’s place and purpose. To this end, submissions in the 2000-2001 HSS Design and Engineering Challenge are encouraged to focus their work on livable communities and/or adaptive reuse.

When creating their submissions, students should understand the building and aesthetic properties of HSS. Hollow structural sections are high-strength welded steel tubing used as structural elements and in a variety of manufactured products. HSS is produced in round, square, and rectangular shapes and a broad range of sizes; HSS can accommodate the variation in geometric and design requirements encountered from project to project. Benefits include uniform strength and high strength-to-weight ratios. This makes it an ideal material for creating “transparent” designs, such as supporting large amounts of glass, column-free space, and spanning long distances beneath vaulted ceilings. HSS is also fire-resistant, cost-effective, and recyclable. Sections can be coated to fully resist corrosion, significantly reduce maintenance, a useful characteristic in ecosystems.

For more information or to register, contact:
ACSASTI HSS Design & Engineering Challenge
1735 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20006 USA
Tel: 202.785.2324
Fax: 202.628.0448
Email: submissions@acsa-arch.org
Website: http://www.acsa-arch.org