Architecture at Zero Design Competition 2021-22

Architecture at Zero Design Competition 2021-22 now is over!

Architecture at Zero Design Competition 2021-22: Architecture at Zero is a design competition for decarbonization, equity and resilience, recently open to students and professionals worldwide that challenges entrants to develop affordable housing for farmworker families in Visalia, California.

➜ Short description

The Architecture at Zero Design Competition 2021-22 focuses on decarbonization, resilience and equity. It serves to engage the fields of architecture, design, engineering and planning in the pursuit of sustainable design.

The 2021-22 competition challenges entrants to develop affordable housing for farmworker families in Visalia, California, one of the world’s most productive farming regions. Key aspects of this project include responding to the challenges of equity and resilience through the design solution.

There are four parts to this competition:

➜ First, entrants will create an overall site plan to accommodate the program outlined below. Entrants are encouraged to highlight any energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy storage, and carbon reduction strategies or systems shown.

➜ Second, entrants will design the building in detail, demonstrating how the design will result in lower carbon emissions and embodied carbon, and addressing the requirements of the California Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards. In order to indicate how the building design will result in lower carbon emissions, entrants will provide required documentation and may also include supplementary documentation.

➜ Third, entrants are asked to describe how this project will build resilience. Entrants will be asked to complete a table outlining the inclusion of climate adaptation strategies and indicate on the site plan or section aspects of design strategies that support resiliency.

➜ Finally, entrants are asked to consider how their design addresses equity for the project’s residents. Entrants will be asked to write a short essay and indicate on the site plan or section aspects of design strategies that support equity.

➜ Evaluation Criteria:

Criteria include quality of design, resolution of the program or idea, innovation, thoughtfulness, and technique.

The winners will be announced on February 4, 2022 in an online event.

➜ Who may enter?

This competition is open to students, architects, landscape architects, urban planners, engineers and designers anywhere in the world.