15th Annual School of Architecture Steel Deck Competition

Last Updated on 2020.02.25 by slee

Posted: Sunday, 1 March 2020

Epic Lecture & Final Brief: 14:30, Mon, 2 March 2020 in MM 103

Pin-Up Deadline in MM 303: 10:30, Thur, 5 March 2020

Closed Jury in MM 303: 16:30, Thur, 5 March 2020

A Mobile Air Quality Eco-Lab for the Neighborhood Environmental Learning Center (ELC)

Purpose

The ELC is planning a series of Mobile Eco-Labs to give the community the opportunity to learn about the ecology of Pittsburgh - land, water, air, and energy. They will be stored on the ELC property and used in situ or driven to specific locations that they want to study i.e. at the outlet of the AlcoSan sewage treatment plant, next to the Clairton coke works, in city parks and/or next to the Bruce Mansfield Power Plant. They will be open during the school year and available for summer camps. They may also be opened for special events during or outside school and they may also be transported to your neighborhood. During the months when they are not in regular use, the labs may be moved and stored indoors. The architectural character of the labs should draw the public in and should reflect the values of the Environmental Learning Center. The labs are intended to be mobile units rather than permanent "buildings".

For this sketch problem, the lab you design will be focused on air quality. This lab needs to be a teaching tool that can be integrated into the pedagogy of ELC and needs to focus on issues of generation, distribution and end use of energy as it relates to buildings.

Epic Metals has agreed to donate the bulk of the materials for the construction of these stands, so the jury will be considering the creative and expressive use of metal deck products in your design submission.

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Process

Select a partner with whom you want to work. Your partner can be in a different studio, but you must have a partner - no solo submissions. The sign-up list will be available in Google sheets on Monday.

Program

The lab is to be self-contained (roof, walls, floor) and mobile. The use of metal for structure and enclosure keeps the lab lightweight and strong, so that it can be transported without difficulty. It should move in/out of a garage door. The ELC has decided to use this trailer with these dimensions. Roofs, counters, ramps, additional accoutrement, etc. must collapse or be removable for storage inside the farm stand when it is in transit.

The teaching and research areas are to be protected and open areas could include multimedia displays, seating, display shelving, and a sheltered place for users.

The storage area is an enclosed space (that can be locked) for securing expensive equipment. Daylight and ventilation is required and the room must be weather-tight.

The lab should be visible and accessible from major street(s). Consider siting it in a place where passers-by in cars as well as on foot can easily stop. Easy access from the school gardens is desirable for class use. It is desirable to have easy access in/out of the building for storing the lab when not in use. If your team spans studios, you can pick one site and demonstrate its siting.

The lab should be a self-sustaining building, a demonstration of the potential for generating power and collecting water. It should provide enough electricity to power an outlet and light in both storage and teaching spaces. Collect and store water for use on the school landscaping.

Create a memorable name and design the associated signage for your mobile lab.

Specs:

must fit within a 20 foot long by 8 foot 6 inch wide by 11 foot 6 inch tall envelope when in transport
must have a deployable ramp for access
must be designed to the principles of Design for Disassembly (DfD)
must engage the user and be safe for public occupancy
must explore the intrinsic properties of metal deck and may utilize additional, compatible materials
must provide enough bio and/or renewable energy for plug loads and lights
must manage rainwater

Submission Requirements

Two (2) 24" x 36" Competition Panels (maximum 48" wide when pinned up) with:

Brief Narrative describing Project Intentions
Overall Site Plan
Site Plan at 1/16" = 1'-0" (1:192)
Plan/ Section/ Elevation drawings of the stand at 1/2" = 1'-0" (1:24)
Critical Details at 1-1/2" = 1'-0" (1:8)
Assembly/ Disassembly Sequence Drawings
Interior and Exterior Axonometric or Perspective Views
Many of these drawings may be incorporated into a combined axonometric view

One Physical Model

3/4" = 1'-0" (1:16)

The submissions will be judged anonymously, so please ensure that the names of the team members are not visible to the jury during the judging.

Jury

Stephen M. Potts, PE, Vice President of Engineering, EPIC Metals Corporation

The Third Year Faculty

Awards

A total of $2400 will be awarded to the winning teams - $1000 for the First Place Team, $800 for the Second Place Team, $600 for the Third Place Team.

EPIC Metals Corporation is sponsoring the SoArch Spring Awards Gala from 3:00 - 5:00pm on a Wed in April in the CFA Kresge Theater and the Great Hall at which time, the winners will be announced. The top five teams will be notified prior to the event and will be required to be in attendance to be publicly recognized.