Fantastic Second Meeting - Team Project Selection

We narrowed down our Team Project choices for this year from 33 to the following 3:

A Waterfront / Riverfront Park

A History Museum

An Underwater City

Please start investigating what you think these project might need to be a place that you would want to visit.  In addition, start think about what information you might need to design and build these structures. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind for the Park and Museum according to the CIRT Competition brochure.  And a few thoughts to consider regarding the Underwater City.

Post as much information, sketches, ideas, concepts and photos as you can find and come up with.  There are no wrongs answers here.  But you all must contribute something. 

Waterfront/Riverside Park

Besides offering extensive and inviting green open space, a Waterfront/Riverside Park should be developed as an eco-park learning experience. Utilizing renewable energies and an intelligent park management system, the park should play a pivotal role toward a successful overall development of the town/city/community it serves. To this end, this design completion option challenges you to create visionary and innovative planning and landscaping proposals that either redevelops an existing park area or creates one along a major waterfront/riverside site. The final proposal should also contemplate a mixed use development comprising of residential, office and retail space, as well as the new public realm/landmark. (The park may be of your own dimensions and sited on a plot of your choosing, but these decisions should be fully explained and in keeping with the overall budget and resources that are likely to be attracted to such a project. A square foot estimate is required).

History Museum

This design/construction option challenges you to create with the use of materials, construction elements, and design decisions the “ideal” history museum. The museum may house locally significant historical events or personalities, be thematic in nature (e.g., colonial period, western expansion, etc.) or event specific (lunar landing, 911, milestone anniversary of an event – 150^th Civil War, 100^th – WWI, etc.). The basic parameters include: meaningful exterior and entrance area. It should be compelling, recognizable, functional, and relevant to the surrounding community or locale. An interior space that conveys a sense of place: it should be welcoming and promote exploration and narrative. Flow should be intuitive. Pre-function events space and retail space are also critical resource areas for the museum and should be integrated seamlessly into the overall flow of the museum. The total project area for this challenge is 50,000 square feet. The construction budget is set at $15 million, including contingencies. Use of materials, building techniques, and approaches that emphasize sustainability, energy efficiency, and recyclable eco-friendly products as well as being equipped with the latest smart building technologies should be integral to the design proposal.

Underwater City

What has led to the need for an underwater city?  Is the underwater city a consequence of other environmental impacts?  Is the city sustainable?  How long do humans reside in the city? What type of building systems would be required to sustain life?  Is the city design for a specific population such as researchers or is it for everyone?  How would the city generate energy?  What are it's environmental impacts?  What type of material would you suggest for its enclosure?

Go Team 8!