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Branding the American
House
The AIA Committee on Design (COD) 2008 Ideas Competition provides
an opportunity to examine parallels in design professions with the
automobile industry through a sketch design problem. The
architectural design and automotive design disciplines have many
parallels, as well as unique differences.
One of these major differences is the singular nature of
architecture versus the mass production of automobiles. Whereas
architects generally deal with individual clients and specific
places, creating a one-of-a-kind response to needs and desires,
automobile designers respond to the needs and desires of a broad
group of consumers and must create vehicles that will be desired by
perhaps thousands.
But regardless of whether one is designing a singular response
or a mass-produced product, architects and automobile designers
create, not only to make this world a better place, but to make it
a more beautiful place.
Presented By
The American Institute of Architects
Committee on Design
in conjunction with
COD's spring conference, Design Parallels, April 3–6,
2008
Competition Jury
Glen LeRoy, FAIA, dean, College of Design, Lawrence Technological
University
Paul Urbanek, AIA, LEED AP, vice president of design,
SmithGroup
Peter Horbury, executive director of design, North America, Ford
Motor Company
Wendy Fry, ASLA, The Mannik and Smith Group
Tom Buresh, associate dean for academic affairs, Taubman College of
Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan
Challenge
The challenge of this competition is to design a single-family home
for a prescribed typology of American family, paralleling the
methodology used by automotive designers.
The Ford Edge with HySeries Drive™ is
one of Ford Motor Company’s alternative fuel concept vehicles.
It is designed to fit a general buyer typology. The challenge of
this competition is to evaluate that buyer persona and design a
home for that family and their new Ford Edge with HySeries Drive
automobile.
The AIA thanks Ford Motor Company for allowing the use of its
Edge with HySeries Drive concept vehicle for this competition and
to allow entries to include images of the vehicle. The inclusion of
the Ford product in the competition is not an endorsement of Ford
Motor Company or its products.
Program
Meet the family: Demetrio (36) and Tuwa (32) are an adventurous
couple that maintains an active relationship with their two adopted
children, Carolina and Shannon, and loves to travel. Both are
college graduates. Demetrio is an entrepreneur and jazz musician;
Tuwa is an automotive designer. Their family income is
$100,000.
Family activities: The family likes riding bikes and walking
though their neighborhood. Weekends consist of biking through parks
in the morning after dropping the kids at gymnastics and swimming,
shopping in the afternoon, an evening movie, and dinner at a new
location. Vacations include camping trips, kayaking, and hiking.
Demetrio and Tuwa love to review the books and pictures their
children study in school. They love technology and purchasing the
latest gadgets.
Values and attitudes: Demetrio and Tuwa are trendsetters; not
followers. Ethics and integrity are important aspects they share
with their children. They volunteer for community service as a
family to demonstrate teamwork, leadership, and lifestyle goals.
They are active in the local recycling co-op because they believe
in a sustainable future. Their vehicle is an extension of their
lifestyle. Their home should be likewise.
General space needs: The home should provide a living space for
family members to interact with one another. The master bedroom
should include space for working and relaxing. Each child should
have their own personal space. The vehicle should be given a
special space in the design of the home.
Site
The family purchased a small lot in Dearborn, Mich. for their new
home. It is an infill lot in one of Detroit’s older suburbs
that is also home to the Ford Motor Company. It is a rectangular
lot, 50’ wide x 156’ deep. Setbacks are typical of city
lots: 30’ front yard, 10’ rear yard, 5’ side yard.
The lot fronts on its east side along Fomoco Avenue, with a
50’ frontage. Please note the actual site is fictional. A site plan (PDF) has been included to
assist you.
Criteria
Awards are determined according to how persuasively the entries
demonstrate these criteria, subject to the interpretation of the
judges:
- Design excellence: Entries should exhibit a
creative and compelling design.
- Acknowledgement of automobile to lifestyle:
Why would this house design be right for the owners of this
vehicle? How does the design address the attitudes of environment,
cultural, and social characteristics that define the proposed
buyers of the vehicle.
- Sustainable design: Both automobiles and
housing have a responsibility to our sustainable commitment. How
does the design address these issues?
- Creative presentation: Marketing and sales are
important aspects of automobile design. How does this design
complement the overall creative image of the vehicle? Innovative
presentation and sketch ideas are encouraged.
- Design process: Entrants are asked to describe
in their own words how the proposed design expresses the
criteria.
Timeline
March 10: Electronic entries and registration due to the AIA no
later than 9 a.m. EST
March 18: Jury held
March 19: Winners notified
April 3–6: Winners attend the COD Spring Conference in Detroit
for presentation of awards
May 15–17: Exhibition of winners at the AIA 2008 National Convention in Boston
Submission Requirements
Each submission must use the PowerPoint slide template and is limited
to two slides. The first slide should contain all anecdotal
information and a summary of the design idea. The second slide
should contain images, drawings, or sketches to illustrate the
design concept.
Registration
Each entry must consist of one PowerPoint file (containing two
slides), a completed registration form (PDF), and a
nonrefundable payment of the registration fee.
Payment by credit card: Submit the PowerPoint file
and registration form with credit card information to cod@aia.org.
Payment by check: Submit the PowerPoint file and
registration form to cod@aia.org.
Then mail the check with a copy of the registration form to the
following address:
The American Institute of Architects
1735 New York Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20006
Attn: COD Ideas Competition 2008
Complete entries are due to the AIA no later than 9 a.m.
EST on March 10.
Nonrefundable registration fees per
entry:
AIA members: $100
Non-AIA members: $150
AIA associate members: $75
Architecture students: $30
Prizes
The jury may select first-, second-, and third-place winners and up
to three honorable mentions. All winners and honorable mentions
will receive one (1) complimentary registration to the COD spring
conference Design Parallels, in Detroit, April 3–6. The
first-place winner also will receive a $1,200 travel stipend to the
conference. Likewise, the second-place winner receives a $750
stipend and the third-place winner a $500 travel stipend. Teams are
encouraged to apply, but please note that prizes should be divided
among team members.
Exhibition and Publication
All entries will be compiled into a slide show for the COD spring
conference Design Parallels, in Detroit. The winning entries will
be displayed at the AIA 2008 National Convention and Design
Exposition in Boston and displayed on the AIA Web site.
Eligibility
This international competition is open to all registered
architects, intern architects, students, and allied design
professionals, with the following exclusions: any person whose
relationship to a juror might affect the juror’s impartiality
in carrying out his or her responsibilities. These include but are
not limited to members and employees of jurors’ firms, close
business associates of jurors, jurors’ students, close
relatives of jurors, and any employee of the AIA.
Resources and Links
Site map (PDF)
Application form (PDF)
PowerPoint Slide Template (PPT)
Past COD Ideas Competitions
Ford Edge with HySeries Drive
Announcement
Dearborn, Mich. Web site
Questions? Contact Marsha Garcia, 202-626-7488.
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