FOCUS

The focus of this competition is to craft an investigation, identify a design improvement and create a solution containing brick or any brick-based application as a key building material.

CHALLENGE

The use of brick in creating human shelter has a history that is at least 4,000 years old and until recently has been the prevailing strategy for maximizing user comfort in many regions of the World. Ironically, many of these passive techniques are now considered “alternative” or new.

In the context of increased emphasis on sustainability and integrative design, this Competition seeks to attract and promote new ideas in the manufacturing of, the application of, or the physical arrangement of clay masonry units that promote energy efficiency and environmentally sustainable building design.

Integrated Building Design

Entrants are asked to design a passively heated and cooled building using clay masonry as a primary material. While integration of ideas into a complete building design solution are encouraged, we are also interested in ideas about the nature of the masonry unit, wall assemblies and other studies that contribute to the knowledge and integration of masonry and environmentally efficient construction.

Technical Design

Non-building entries that explore specific technical aspects of the “brick” or an assembly are encouraged. Such submissions should present the application and contribution of their idea to a building design. Entries limited to material studies or assemblies will be give full consideration under this category.

THE PROJECT (for the Integrated Building Design Challenge)

MassEnergy, LLC is a “bio-mass to energy” company exploring and developing sources of energy from plant sources such as algae, switch grass, corn, sorghum and other materials. MassEnergy, LLC is planning to build a new headquarters building in Baltimore Maryland, close to the Columbus Center for Marine Biology, various campuses and biotech centers of the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University and federal agencies. Activities here will be predominantly administrative in nature. It is the desire of the company to create a project exemplary of the sustainable future they seek to promote. They have set out to create a net-zero energy building according to the following priorities:

• Energy reduction: reduce energy demand as much as possible through innovative design and passive systems of thermal and ventilation controls.
• Renewable Energy: Produce needed energy on site through renewable sources.
• Green Energy: Purchase any short fall or peak demand from green energy sources.

Design an environmentally responsible office building focusing on architectural innovations both new and old, to achieve a net-zero energy solution. The functional and programmatic requirements for the Corporate Headquarters are outlined below. The area allocations are suggestions only and may be altered. Solutions should observe the total gross square footage, within a range of +/- ten percent.

AREA ALLOCATIONS

Ground Floor

Ground Floor Retail / determined by the designer
Loading Dock / Recycling Area

• 2 bays for 40’ long box trucks provide dock space for dumpsters and waste storage minimum clearance: 16’ – 0”

Office Floors

Core elements to include

• Toilets
• Janitor Closet
• Mechanical space
• 4 elevators
• Recycling room

Parking

• Provide parking at grade for 60 cars
• Provide interior bicycle storage for 50 bicycles

THE SITE

The site for this competition is in the City Of Baltimore in an area known as Canton Crossing. It is significantly East of the City with easy access provided by a future light rail station at Boston and Highland Streets. (http://baltimoreredline.com) The Red Line will connect the site with the University of Maryland and its biotech park on the west as well as many of the amenities of the City including downtown, Harbor East, Fell’s Point and the American Can Company development in Canton. There is also easy vehicular access to Interstate 95 which connects Baltimore to Washington, DC, and points north.

Site Information can be found below:

Site Photos:

• Clinton Street View South Clinton Street View South
• Clinton Street View Southwest Clinton Street View Southwest
• Boston Street/Clinton Street looking Southeast Boston Street/Clinton Street looking Southeast
• Boston Street/Clinton Street looking Northeast Boston Street/Clinton Street looking Northeast
• View East from Mid-Site View East from Mid-Site
• First Mariner Bank Tower First Mariner Bank Tower
• View from Boston Street Lot looking West View from Boston Street Lot looking West
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Click here to download a pdf of the site.
Click here to see the site on google maps.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN INITIATIVES

The design project must use brick as a key building material for the structure and site work. Sustainable design innovations and ideas should be used throughout the project including the building and exterior. Buildings and sites designed for sustainability aim to lessen their impact on our environment through energy and resource efficiency. Your goal is to design a Net Zero energy building. Site and landscaping can make use of permeable paving systems to mitigate the negative effects of storm water runoff. Entries should clearly indicate which sustainable strategies are being employed and give evidence of an understanding of the benefit of those strategies individually or collectively.