December 4, 2015 Architects Judge, Award Student Work
One assignment. Eight student teams. Two professional organizations. Two awards.
Competition was at a high level on Dec. 3, 2015, at the College of Architecture and Design as fourth-year architecture students competed for awards—and invaluable feedback—from professional architects.
Student teams from four of the school’s integration studios competed for the annual Brewer Ingram Fuller Sustainable Design Award and the American Institute of Architects Middle Tennessee Student Design Award. Early in the semester, students were given the assignment to design an approximately 30,000-square-foot facility with commercial or mixed use. Students were challenged to integrate both conceptual and schematic design into their projects and demonstrate understanding of building systems, such as structural, electrical, mechanical and plumbing.
Increasing the complexity of the competition was the requirement that the projects satisfy a minimum of a silver rating in LEED™ criteria, a green building certification program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Projects also were required to adhere to the AIA Committee on the Environment metrics, and students were not allowed to verbally present their projects for the jurors.
In the competition, students’ designs included a culinary school, museums, housing and more.
Architects from Brewer Ingram Fuller presented the Sustainable Design Award to the student team of Austin Fleming and Beasley Chantharath, taught by Kevin Stevens. The team received $1,000 to defray costs associated with study materials and testing fees for the LEED™ Green Associates examination.
The Brewer Ingram Fuller Sustainable Design Award was established by an endowed gift from Brewer Ingram Fuller Architects in Knoxville, which was founded by UT School of Architecture alumni, Dan Brewer (’77), Lee Ingram (’76) and Anthony Fuller (’76). The purpose of the award is to encourage architecture students to incorporate sustainable design strategies in their work to be better prepared to lead the field of sustainable design when they enter the profession.
First place award from AIA Middle Tennessee went to the student team of Johnna Coetzee, William Harvell and Jonathan Ruiz, taught by James Rose. These students received $1,500 from AIA Middle Tennessee.
Second place, $500, was awarded to students Brian Lam and Spencer McCarty from Bob French’s studio.
“The reason we’ve invested in the university since 1992 is to build a bridge for students to engage with architects in practice and to continue communication with faculty,” said Carol Pedigo, executive director of AIA Middle Tennessee. “Over the years of supporting this student competition, we’ve given close to $50,000 to support students and the college.”