For students in the architectural field, coming up with great ideas for their projects is sometimes not as difficult as creating physical prototypes. In the 2013 Spring Design Charrette, students from Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Interior Architecture were asked to do this and more in a two-week multidisciplinary urban design competition.
The students from Architectural Design 9, Landscape Design 4, and Interior Design 4, worked in teams of 4 or 5 to design an urban park, located at 517 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, and accessible to people who have sensory and cognitive challenges and needs. In order to make their projects accurately accessible, the students had to walk around the location without relying on their senses, especially their sight.
The assignment did not only include a design proposal, graphic representation, and large-scale physical prototype; it also had to be condensed to a 10 slide, two and half minute presentation.
Assistant professor, Nick Gelpi organized and curated the event in which over 150 students participated. A total of 30 teams presented their project in a PechaKucha format presentation in front of a jury on January 22nd 2013 on the rooftop of the Paul L. Cejas School of Architecture building. Among the jury members were, Cheryl Jacobs, Executive Director of the AIA in Miami, Todd Tragash, Practicing architect in Miami, Jack Brough, Design Architect for Herzog and DeMeuron, and Silvia Barisione, Curator of The Wolfsonian Exhibitions. Professor Gelpi explained that “the best projects had three things going for them, they were good designs but also supported by a physical Prototype, and lastly had to be presented well.”
The winners of the Spring Design Charrette competition were announced on January 31st at the Miami Beach Urban Studios during an evening opening exhibition.
1st Place: “Planted Mosaic”
Team Members: DanielPitaluga, JamesLagreca, AnnaDrescher, ManuelMenoya
Faculty Advisor: Ebru Ozer
2nd Place: “Self Sustained – From Waste to Gain”
Team Members: Juan Gelez, Javier Alonso, Daneele Hall, Patricia Duran, Kenia Medina
Faculty Advisor: Olivia Ramos
3rd Place:”Seemless Modularity”
Team Members: Melissa Marrero, Guadelupe Lira, Danilo Navarrete, Yesenia Hernandez
Faculty Advisor: Alice Cimring
The College of Architecture + The Arts is proud of the students and faculty who participated in the multidisciplinary event, as well as, the effort, time and creativity put toward the 2013 Spring Design Charrette.
We invite the FIU community to attend the exhibition of the students’ designs at the Miami Beach Urban Studios, 420 Lincoln Road, 4th floor, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information please visit http://www.mbus.fiu.edu
Students! Remember to follow @fiusoa on Twitter, FIUsoa on Instagram and “Like” FIU School of Architecture on Facebook for the latest news on your School of Architecture.
