Additional Scholarships from LTU

In addition to the awards noted on the program, Lawrence Technological University is offering $60,000 in scholarships to attend their university!  This is a $6,000 annual scholarship ($30,000 total) that will be awarded to one Junior and one Senior participant.  Please see the flyer at this link.

[Links updated 9/22/2014]

Upcoming events for 2014 competition

We have some important dates coming up that we need to make you aware of:

• Saturday, February 1st @ 9:00 am – guided Site Visit to Sanger Branch (RSVP by Thursday 1/30)
• Friday, February 21st (Time to be determined) – Rendering Day @ AIAT Office with Lawrence Technical University
• Saturday, February 22nd (Tentative) – Rendering Day @ AIAT Office with Bowling Green State University

We need RSVP’s for these dates as we are having representatives from the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library and the Universities generously sharing their time with us and the students.  We highly recommend attending the Site Visit as the students will have the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the site and existing building, in addition to hearing the Library’s representatives thoughts on the project.  A representative from the Library will be one of the judges, so this is a chance to gain some insight on what they might be looking for.

The rendering days are also extremely beneficial to the students as they give the students the opportunity to learn some tricks of trade from professionals, professors, and other students.  For many students, this project may be the first opportunity to present their work.  Learning from others who have done this before and will be judging the competition is a fantastic way to dramatically improve their skills.

It was suggested that a time during the school day would give the students an opportunity to take a field trip, and thus be more available than an evening when many students are busy with after-school activities.  A Saturday will also be scheduled to allow those students who may not be able to take a field trip an opportunity to attend as well.

If you have not been contacted by an advisor or liaison, please let us know so that we can get one assigned to you.

2014 Program & info

The 2014 AIA Toledo High School Design Competition program has been posted to the following link:

2014 Program

This year's project is a new teen branch library on the same site as the Sanger Branch Library for the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.  The new building can either be free-standing, or can be an addition to the existing library.

Site plans and floor plans of the existing adjacent Sanger Branch Library are posted to the following link:

2014 Resources

The kickoff meeting was held on Monday, January 13, and although the attendees were few due to short notice, the discussion was good, and several good ideas were exchanged between liaisons, advisors and instructors.  Minutes from this meeting are posted in the "Resources" link above.

A few events will be scheduled within the next week (guided site visit, Rendering day(s)) so check back soon!

If you are an instructor and have not yet expressed interest, please email your contact info and expected number of students (we will want names later this month) to hsdc.aiatoledo@gmail.com.

Also, if you had winning students last year and would like to get their boards, they will be available during normal business hours at the Collaborative (500 Madison Ave., Toledo; corner of Madison and Superior).  Please email the committee (hsdc.aiatoledo@gmail.com) in advance if you would like to pick them up, and we will have them available.

[Links updated 9/22/2014]

2014 Competition Kickoff

The kickoff meeting for the 2014 AIA Toledo High School Design Competition is coming up very soon!

When:  Monday, January 13 at 4:30 pm [note correction in time]

Where:  AIA Toledo office (521 W. Woodruff Ave., Toledo)

Who should attend:  Instructors, Professional Advisors/Liaisons, Students who would like to participate

What to expect:  We will be distributing the 2014 HSDC program, as well as answering any questions you may have regarding the competition.  

See you next Monday!  If you need any further information, or are planning to participate but cannot attend the kickoff, please email the committee at hsdc.aiatoledo@gmail.com.

We apologize for the short notice, and thank you for your patience.

2013 Winning Projects - Photos Posted

Photos of the 2013 winning projects have been posted to the HS Design Competition's web album at the following link (judges' comments will be added later):

2013 Winning Projects

2013 Winners list posted!

The awards banquet was yesterday evening, and we have posted the list of this year's winners at this link.  Congratulations to the winning students, their families, instructors, and other supporters!

Photos of the winning boards and comments will be posted soon...

HSDC Awards Banquet 4/23

AIA Toledo would like to cordially invite you to join us at the

AIA Toledo’s 63rd annual High School Design Competition Award Ceremony

Date
Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Location
Grand Plaza Hotel, 444 North Summit Street, Toledo, OH 43604

Schedule
5:00pm
Student Boards Exhibition & Informal Dining

6:15pm
Speaker:  Michael Cadwell, Walter H. Kidd Professor; Director, Knowlton School of Architecture, The Ohio State University
Speaker:  Lucas Metropolitan Housing Administration representative

7:00pm
Awards Presentation

This year’s project was the design of a two-unit residential duplex for the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority (LMHA).  Students were challenged to create a functional living unit that met the needs of affordable housing while addressing many factors such as balancing public/private spaces; responding to site factors and orientation; incorporating sustainable concepts; providing universal access; and, most importantly, designing a building that someone could call “home.”

We are pleased to announce that Mr. Michael Cadwell of The Ohio State University will be speaking at the awards ceremony.  He is a Walter H. Kidd Professor and the Director of OSU’s Knowlton School of Architecture.

Representatives from LMHA & AIA Toledo will also be in attendance and will be presenting awards for the winning entries.

We strongly encourage professional members of our Chapter to attend this highly-supported community outreach program, regardless of previous level of participation.  It is a great opportunity to observe and even influence the future of our profession.

The 2013 HSDC Committee would like to extend special thanks to the following organizations for making this year’s competition possible:

• Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority
• Bowling Green State University – School of Architecture
• The Northwest Ohio Chapter of the US Green Building Council
• The Maumee Valley Section of the American Society of Landscape Architects
• Harold Roe
• AIA Toledo Young Architects Forum
• Becker Impressions
• Toledo Public Schools

Admission to the Awards Ceremony is Free to AIA Toledo members, High School Teachers, Advisors, Students and their family members.

YAF Architectural Design Detail Award

The optional YAF Architectural Design Detail (a.k.a. "Divine Detail") award was listed on the 2013 program as a new award for this year's competition.  This award was added to replace the former model building competition (which had waned in popularity in recent years due to the use of 3D computer models).

A description of the criteria and requirements for this optional portion of the competition are as follows:

Show us your creative details…….. elegant roof feature, connection of differing exterior materials, cabinet details; interior wall assembly, highlighted site element, etc.; whatever the elements, celebrate design and the rigor you’ve brought into designing them.

This detail should be enlarged to a scale that clearly represents the aspect in which you are trying to indicate and still fit on the final presentation board. A brief description of 25 words or less should accompany the detail.

As your instructors and advisors may tell you, there are an almost infinite variety of details that will qualify for this award, thus the requirements are loose.  If you have a unique detail or feature in your design, we recommend you take the extra step to point it out and put your project in the running for additional recognition!

This award is sponsored by the AIA Toledo Young Architects' Forum, a group of emerging architectural professionals (many of whom are HSDC advisors).

2013 Student Info Sheet

The "Student Information Sheet" has been posted at the link below for your students to fill out and attached to the back of their boards (please attach one sheet to the back of each board, sometimes these fall off so we like to have a backup plan).

Student Information Sheet 

Please email us at hsdc.aiatoledo@gmail.com if you have any questions.

[Links updated 9/22/2014]

2013 Program Q&A #1

The 2013 competition is well underway, and we have received questions from several schools regarding the program.  So without further fanfare, here is the Q&A:

COMPETITION QUESTIONS
Is there going to be a model portion of the competition this year?
Due to the reduced quantity of models that have been submitted in recent years, there will not be a model competition this year.  The "Architectural Detail Competition" has replaced that.

Will there be a rendering day this year?
Again, due to lack of attendees the last few times we had it, there will be no rendering day this year.  Architectural advisers are encouraged to provide advice to the students, and may pull in outside help if needed.

Can my students draw their plans at 1/4" = 1'-0" scale?
The 1/8" = 1'-0" scale shown on the program sheet is the minimum; students are allowed to draw their plans at 1/4" = 1'-0" as an alternative.  Please make floor plans, elevations and building section the same scale.


PROGRAM/DESIGN QUESTIONS
Can I stack the 2 units of the duplex and place the ADA unit on the first floor and the second unit on the upper floor?
Yes.  Units are not necessarily required to be side-by-side.  There must be ground-level access to the upper floor unit.

I have several students interested in possible solutions that would result in shared driveways / common areas distributed over all 4 parcels. This is being explored in the interest of creating a mini community of sorts.  Is this permissible?

Yes; however keep in mind that indoor and living areas must be separate.

Each of the 4 units is to be a duplex, correct, for 2 families? Does just one of the two in the duplex have to be handicap accessible, or both?
Each of the 4 buildings is the be a duplex, for a total of 8 dwelling units.  The accessible unit applies to just one of the two units of the duplex (although both may be accessible, at the student's option).

On the site plan, do the students need to show just one unit (duplex) and just indicate the others?

Just one duplex needs to be designed; the other three can be "boxes" on the site plan.