AIAS and Kawneer Announce 2009 Student Design Competition

Alcoa, The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and Kawneer Company, Inc. announced today the fourth annual national student design competition. Sponsored by Kawneer and administered by AIAS, the competition will challenge students to learn about building materials, specifically architectural aluminum building products and systems, in the design of a municipal courthouse. The competition is open to all students of architecture and design in North America, with winning students/teams and their AIAS chapter receiving cash prizes totaling $7,225 including $2,500 for the first place winning design.

"The Student Design Competition provides students nationwide with a unique opportunity to expand their architectural education, learn new design techniques and have their work viewed by numerous industry influentials,” said Matthew Fochs, Director of Design and Outreach Programs, AIAS. "For more than 50 years AIAS has supported student education. Kawneer is committed to providing industry education at all levels – whether students, architects or customers – through its architectural services, green website and forward-thinking tools. Partnering with Kawneer for this competition allows students to further familiarize themselves with real-world products and design principles that are fundamental to today’s building environment.”

Participants will be required to research, respond to and highlight the unique aspects of designing a municipal courthouse that embodies the surrounding community’s history, religious and secular beliefs and cultural differences. Municipal courthouses serve as a symbol of authority in local communities, and as publicly funded buildings need to contribute positively to the fabric of the area through energy efficiency and security. In addition, participants will be challenged to utilize green building principles, including consideration of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building standards, throughout the design process.

Competition objectives also include building knowledge about materials, products and installation, as well as creating a secure facility that looks to the civic, cultural and service needs of the community for the present and future. Submissions will be evaluated based on ingenuity and originality, as well as appropriate use of sustainable products and design clarity.

Three winning designs and three honorable mentions will be selected by the competition’s jury and winners will be announced December 21, 2009 via the AIAS website. The winning projects will be displayed at the 2009 AIAS FORUM in Minneapolis, December 29, 2009 – January 1, 2010 and at the 2010 AIA National Convention and Design Exposition in Miami, June 10 – 12, 2010. The top three submissions will also be featured in the Spring 2010 issue of Crit, the Journal of the AIAS. In addition, the AIAS chapter at each school will receive a cash grant.

The registration deadline is Wednesday, October 14, 2009 and all entries must be submitted by Friday, December 4, 2009. Previous year’s competitions challenged students to design a pediatric outpatient rehabilitation center and family support facility, a hurricane resistant campus-based recreation center and a library for the 21^st Century.

"Kawneer is dedicated to creating products and solutions that help architects make their sustainable visions a reality,” said Karen Zipfel, Director of Marketing for Kawneer North America. "The AIAS Student Design Competition encourages students to think outside the box when designing buildings and applying sustainable products and solutions. We are pleased to be a part of this competition again and eager to see what this next generation of architects and designers create.”

To learn more about the 2009 Student Design Competition visit www.aias.org/kawneer. For more information on AIAS, please visit www.aias.org. For more information on Kawneer, please visit www.kawneer.com.

About the AIAS:

Headquartered in Washington, DC, the American Institute of Architecture Students was established in 1956 and is an independent, nonprofit, student-run organization dedicated to providing unmatched programs, information, and resources on issues critical to architectural education. The mission of the AIAS is to promote excellence in architectural education, training and practice; foster an appreciation of architecture and related disciplines; enrich communities in a spirit of collaboration; and to organize students and combine their efforts to advance the art and science of architecture. The AIAS is comprised of more than 6,000 members at almost 130 chapters around the world.

About Kawneer:

With more than 100 years of innovation and experience, Kawneer North America is headquartered in Norcross, GA, and is the leading manufacturer of architectural aluminum products and systems for the commercial construction industry. Kawneer is part of Alcoa’s global Building and Construction Systems (BCS) business unit. Alcoa BCS manufactures and markets architectural systems and products in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Alcoa (NYSE:AA) is the world’s leading producer and manager of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina facilities, and is active in all major aspects of the industry. For more information on Kawneer or its products, please visit www.kawneer.com.