CIRT Design & Construction Competition

With the President leaving office in January 2017, historians, academia, and the general public will turn to the creation of a “Presidential Library,” which will also serve as a Museum, to reflect-on and capture the key events of eight years of the Obama Administration. As with any new library this endeavor cannot be just a musty, silent holding area for books, records, and other materials. Instead, this project MUST display an ability to showcase both elements of library technology to emerge as a digital repository of information, while also having aspects of a Museum capable of attracting all ages, ethnic groups, and interests.  The challenge is to create a space that emphasizes natural light, sustainability, education, and community while representing a new understanding of what this presidential library/museum can feature for the Obama presidency – through the BUILT environment! What would you, as a designer using construction materials and ideas, do to attract, engage, excite, and enliven the public to visit such a site in your community? Keep in mind:

• Dimensions, size, costs, etc. must be determined by the team, but all decisions should be explained and warranted based on the resources likely to be attracted to such a proposal. A square foot cost estimate must be provided.
• Use of materials, building techniques, and approaches that emphasize sustainability, energy efficiency, and recyclable eco-friendly products as well as being equipped with the latest smart building and security technologies should be integral to the design proposal.
• NOTE AS TO SITE SELECTION: The actual Presidential Library is planned for Chicago, HOWEVER, for this competition you can site the project anywhere, including your home town/city, just justify the reasons for your site as part of meeting the overall goals for this challenge – i.e., a place where people will want to come or gather.

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Upcycled Architecture is defined as the art of redesigning an existing structure for purposes other than those for which it was originally intended. Upcycled Architecture additionally advances an existing building’s sustainable, dynamic, and programmatic uses. Some contend social and economic changes are creating phenomenal possibilities to upcycle older structures. Very often, buildings outlive their original purposes and today's designers and builders face the challenge of creatively bringing new life and function to them. Upcycled Architecture offers the chance to embrace our past designs while looking to the future for more adaptive uses. Key to success in this challenge:

• Identify the structure(s)
• Provide the reasons for your selection
• Give clear explanation of former or current uses/purpose and what you intend to change it to
• Support for your intended purpose(s)
• You MUST use design and construction materials, building techniques, and approaches (e.g., speak to the structural engineering and construction) that are the essence of your new approach/purpose.  [Dimensions, size, costs, site, etc. must be determined by the team, but all decisions should be explained and warranted based on the resources likely to be attracted to such a proposal. A square foot cost estimate must be provided].

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Reimagining an open space, that is either unoccupied or formerly occupied by buildings and/or storefronts that are in disrepair or not any longer used (or fully used), into attractive, inviting, common area or park-like space can bring not only aesthetics back to an urban center but vitality and livability. This option challenges the teams to:

• Make a site selection (can be open under-used or wasted areas, or replace structures, etc.)
• Show before and after (geospatial mapping, etc.)
• Make it inviting exciting and sustainable to the public
• Select landscaping and/or other structures for the reimagined space
• You MUST explain how your design and construction choices will accomplish your goals to make the changes you plan. [Dimensions, size, costs, site, etc. must be determined by the team, but all decisions should be explained and warranted based on the resources likely to be attracted to such a proposal. A square foot cost estimate and timeline must be provided. Demolition and hazardous material removal should be taken into account as well and be fully discussed/shown].

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