Industry News

The American Institute of Architects California Announces Winners of the 10TH Architecture at Zero Competition

The American Institute of Architects, California (AIA CA) announces the winners of the tenth annual Architecture at Zero competition a design competition for decarbonization, equity and resilience, open to students and professionals worldwide. It serves to engage the fields of architecture, design, engineering and planning in the pursuit of sustainable design.

The 2021-22 competition challenged entrants to develop affordable housing for farmworker families in Visalia, California, one of the world’s most productive farming regions. Winners were chosen by a panel of international experts and awarded $25,000 in total prizes.

“The American Institute of Architects, California has been excited to collaborate on this important initiative that affirms the role of architects in leading efforts to use design to curtail climate change,” said Rona Rothenberg, FAIA, President of AIA CA.

The competition strives to generate new, innovative ideas for a decarbonized future to help achieve California’s goal for all new residential construction to be ZNE by 2020 and all new commercial construction to be ZNE by 2030.

Student winners include:

  • Honorable Mention was awarded to: EZB HOUSE a proposal developed by a team of students from UNIVERSITY OF CARDIFF, CARDIFF, UK & TEXAS A&M, COLLEGE STATION, TX
  • MERIT award that goes to the entry “URBAN VILLAGE” submitted by students from WROCŁAW UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE, POLAND

Professional winners include:

  • SPECIAL RECOGNITION award to:SOL HARVEST VILLAGE, submitted by BAR ARCHITECTS in San Francisco
  • SPECIAL RECOGNITION award to: IT'S A WOONERFUL LIFE by RNT ARCHITECTS in SAN DIEGO, CA
  • MERIT AWARD to: PUENTES VISALIA by PASSIVE HOUSE BB in SAN FRANCISCO, CA
  • MERIT AWARD to: SEMILLAS Y RAICES (Seeds and Roots) from the DLR GROUP in LOS ANGELES, CA
  • MERIT AWARD to: “DE LA TIERRA” by PAUL HALAJIAN ARCHITECTS in CLOVIS, CA, LEED A

Competition entries were juried by international experts including Paul Torcellini, Principal Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Lance Collins, AIA, a Director at Partner Energy, Architect Siboney Díaz-Sánchez, project and design manager at Opportunity Communities in Boston; Mary Ann Lazarus, FAIA a consultant with the firm of Cameron MacAllister Group and Allison Williams, FAIA.

To learn more, visit www.architectureatzero.com.