New architecture and design competitions addressing public spaces, civic life, border crossings, and steel structures

The Duval County Courthouse Plaza as Public Art
Register/Submit Deadline: Tuesday, Sep 22, 2020

With a $500,000 budget, an artist will be commissioned to transform a three-acre lawn in downtown Jacksonville into work of public art for the citizens and visitors of Jacksonville. The city seeks a design that is a dignified, memorable and iconic work of art in front of the Duval County Courthouse and links the urban center with the historic African American neighborhood of LaVilla.

RE-CONNECT - AIA Phoenix Metro 2020 Ideas Competition
Registration Deadline: Friday, Oct 2, 2020
Submission Deadline: Monday, Nov 9, 2020

A city is not just defined by the planners and architects that build it, but also by the users that occupy it and the businesses who serve them. Technology has made us virtually closer to one another but more detached physically and emotionally. As any other herd of mammals, people had the natural need for a sense of belonging. Gathering has been one of the most primitive ways to develop a sense of belonging. Gathering sets the framework for the exchange of ideas and experiences with others; and originally, we used to gather in the public realm. [...] The challenge is to experiment with new gathering experiences in a variety of urban CIVIC scenarios, that promote social exchange, community activities and citizens interaction through the implementation of multifunctional designs, while at the same time addressing issues of equity and feeling of welcoming for everyone.

BORDERS: Transforming Forgotten Lines
Register/Submit Deadline: Saturday, Mar 6, 2021

Borders must be bridges for the humankind, and connections between our civilisations; however, what we have seen during the last decades is something completely different. Borders around the world have become a symbol of conflict, racism, fear, inequity, and division. One single line could divide between opportunity and hope and poverty and oblivion. What if we change that concept through the architecture? [...] The main purpose is to design an architectural project able to transform a crossing border chosen by the participant, to join cultures, peoples, and create a vital spot for economic growth for all sides. Transform the crossing border into a place that unites and promotes cultural diversity. At the same time, the project creates a friendly atmosphere for the encounter of two or more nations. Participants have the challenge to develop an attractive programme for business and different economic sectors.

2020-2021 ACSA/AISC Steel Design Student Competition
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, Apr 7, 2021
Submission Deadline: Wednesday, Jun 2, 2021

Administered by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the program is intended to challenge undergraduate and graduate students, working individually or in teams, to explore a variety of design issues related to the use of steel in design and construction. Steel must be used as the primary structural material and contain at least one space that requires long-span steel structure, with special emphasis placed on innovation in steel design. [...] The 2021 Steel Design Student Competition will offer architecture students the opportunity to compete in two separate categories: CATEGORY I: "WORKPLACE WELLNESS - THE FUTURE OF DESIGN" and OPEN. — The competition's 2020 edition just announced the winning entries.

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