Submission Site
Competition Theme
Students in Canadian Schools of Architecture are asked to design a pedestrian bridge that will span between two sites to establish a meaningful connection. The bridge, by its elegance and gesture, should draw attention and be the symbol of a link between an origin and destination. By engaging on the bridge, one should discover a new perspective. The bridge is to act as a platform to pause and view an intermediate space. The purpose is not just about crossing, but about offering an opportunity to gain knowledge about a site. To favour viewing, its structure may incorporate a platform, benches and seats, interpretation plates, signage, lights and any other appropriate feature.
Site
The site is in Canada, left at the student’s discretion. It may be in the wilderness, between steep mountains, cliffs and valleys or in an urban environment. The bridge can connect two municipalities, a suburb to a forest, allow to cross over a river or a motorway. The choice should be explained in the text describing
the proposal. Images of the context and the bridge’s connection with the site at either end should be clearly illustrated.
Program
The program is about connecting two sites while offering a unique perspective of an in between space. The bridge’s design must elegantly express a path made of steel spanning between two topographies offering the opportunity to pause and observe. The structural steel construction of the bridge must be part of its essence and appearance. Structural steel offers a variety of expressions, from solid rectangular plates to curved and delicate members, it may express simplicity or intricacy, the choice is left to the competitor’s creativity to propose an original signature.
| 1st Prize – Award of Excellence | student team (1) $8,000 faculty sponsor $2,000 |
|---|---|
| 2nd Prize | student team (1) $4,000 faculty sponsor $1,000 |
| 3rd Prize | student team (1) $2,000 faculty sponsor $500 |
| Honourable Mentions | at the jury’s discretion 1 book/student |
Understanding Steel Design: An Architectural Design Manual
In order to understand how to design and build with steel from the perspective of its architectural applications, hundreds of steel structures have been observed, analyzed and appraised for this book. The resulting account is informed by many years of experience in teaching and providing continuing education. It opens up an innovative approach to the reality of working with steel: a new look both at the state of tried-and-tested techniques, and at potentials emerging in advanced projects that transcend national borders and limits imposed by standards.
Diagrid Structures: Systems, Connections, Details
Diagrids are load-bearing structures made of steel diagonal grids. They were first used in the great buildings of the turn of the millennium, such as the Swiss Re Tower in London (The Gherkin) and the Hearst Magazine Tower in New York City. Diagrids owe their ensuing popularity not only to their stunning aesthetic value, but also to their very tangible benefits: lateral loading capacity, a massive saving of material, a significant gain in open, usable floor area, and increased flexibility. At its opening in 2014, the Leadenhall Building in London will be the first skyscraper without a bearing inner core thanks to a diagrid structure.
Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel: Specifications, Connections, Details
This book provides the means for a better control and purposeful consideration of the design of Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (AESS). It deploys a detailed categorization of AESS and its uses according to design context, building typology and visual exposure. In a rare combination, this approach makes high quality benchmarks compatible with economies in terms of material use, fabrication methods, workforce and cost.
Complex Steel Structures: Non Orthogonal Geometries in Building with Steel
Complexity in architecture, construction and material manipulation is constantly increasing due to our present ability to design, calculate and fabricate an extending range of geometric shapes and systems. This volume addresses the design of complexity in the planning, fabrication and construction of steel structures based on non-orthogonal geometries: curved and chaotic geometries, poly-diagrid systems, lattice-grid structures and others. Topical photographs by the author on a wide range of international projects present innovative methods and techniques, providing an excellent understanding of the possibilities and requirements of complex steel structures
• Aesthetics and ingenuity
• Incorporation of competition theme
• Use of structural steel
• Buildability (specification of steel sizes and shapes)
• AESS finish
Proposals must exclusively use steel in the design of the structure and for surfaces where appropriate. The design must demonstrate an understanding of the properties and possibilities steel has to offer.
The competition theme requires students to:
• elaborate a structural grid with steel elements
• design buildable connections
• collaborate with a steel fabricator to choose the steel members and the connections
Collaboration between designer(s) and fabricator(s) is encouraged to familiarize students with the industry and allow them to develop a proposal in the context of real construction.
Students and faculty sponsors are encouraged to seek advice and guidance from their local steel fabricators to help them chose the right steel sections and elaborate their design.
Each student team should register and identify a primary contact for the team. A faculty professor that endorsed the individual or team must be provided. Teams that include students in engineering are encouraged to participate.
The competition may be conducted as part of a design studio project under the direction of the faculty sponsor or as an independent extracurricular self-directed project. In all cases, winning entries and their faculty sponsor will receive the stipulated prize.
Registration is free.
Each student team should register and list a primary contact for the team. A faculty professor that endorsed the individual or team must be provided.
Schedule
| August 3, 2021 | Competition announced |
| April 1, 2022 | Registration deadline |
| May 13, 2022 | Submission deadline |
| June 17, 2022 | Announcement of winners and publication of winning entries |
| September 2022 | Award of Excellence presented at the CISC Canadian Steel Conference in Vancouver and exhibition of the winning entries |
| October 2022 | Touring exhibition of finalists |
Sponsors
Contact
For more information, please contact:
Education & Research
education@cisc-icca.ca
Supreme Steel LP
Abesco
Tek Steel Ltd
Norak Steel
Weldfab