May 1, 2017 Architecture Students Named Winners in National Design Competition
Two students in the College of Architecture and Design recently earned national recognition for their sustainable design of an urban farming project.
Rachel Elbon and Adam Smith, both 4th-year students in the School of Architecture, were named winners of the 2016-2017 AIA COTE Top Ten for Students, a national design competition hosted by the American Institute of Architecture Committee on the Environment (AIA COTE) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).
Together, Elbon and Smith designed “Gastronomia: Sustainable Architecture,” a self-sustaining structure in the heart of Knoxville that seamlessly integrates natural systems and environmental technology into the built environment. The community hub includes a culinary research lab, farm-to-table restaurants, affordable housing and farming technologies. The project was chosen by AIA and ACSA as one of the Top 10 in the country.
Now in its third year, the AIA COTE Top Ten for Students challenges students to prepare dynamic, cutting-edge designs that demonstrate command of sustainable design thinking. Participants, working individually or in teams, must address site ecology, energy and water use, ecological systems and other considerations that affect environmental impact.
Winning projects were exhibited at the AIA Conference in Orlando, Florida, April 27-29.
