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The Canadian Institute of Steel Construction is proud to host the Architectural Student Design Competition. Each year, the competition aims to introduce students to the use of exposed structural steel and show the design potential of formal expression, detailing and surface finish. Winners and finalists receive cash prizes, including $8,000 for the first prize Award of Excellence.
2025 Competition Theme
Students in Canadian Schools of Architecture and Engineering are asked to design an observation platform that is reached via a vertically motivated structural typology. A significant portion of the structure should be free standing, and so lateral stability needs to be considered. The primary access to the platform may be via stairs, but a lift is to be included to maintain barrier free accessibility.
The primary structure must be fabricated from Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (AESS), with specific reference to the Categories and Characteristics as described in the CISC AESS Guide. Detailed references are available through the competition website.
The site is to be located in Canada to the specific discretion of the student team. The observation structure should have a significant relationship to and engagement with the view.
Submissions close May 16, 2025. Submit your designs here
| 1st Prize – Award of Excellence | student team (1) $8,000 faculty sponsor $2,000 |
|---|---|
| 2nd Prize | student team (1) $4,000 faculty sponsor $1,000 |
| 3rd Prize | student team (1) $2,000 faculty sponsor $500 |
Proposals will be verified for conformity. Valid proposals will be scored individually by each jury member according to the 5 criteria listed below. The jury will meet in a final round to select, amongst the 10 finalist projects who received highest score, the 3 Prizes of Excellence.
Scoring and judging will be based on the following criteria:
• Aesthetics and ingenuity
• Incorporation of competition theme
• Use of structural steel
• Buildability (specification of steel sizes and shapes)
• AESS finish
Proposals must exclusively use steel in the design of the structure and for surfaces where appropriate. The design must demonstrate an understanding of the properties and possibilities steel has to offer.
The competition theme requires students to:
• elaborate a structural frame with steel elements
• design buildable connections
• collaborate with a steel fabricator to choose the steel members and their connections
Students and faculty sponsors are encouraged to seek advice and guidance from a local steel fabricator to help chose the right steel sections and elaborate the design. CISC can suggest on request names of steel fabricators.
The competition is open to all current full-time students (individually or in teams of maximum 3) registered in a Canadian school that offers an accredited or non-accredited program of architecture or architecture / engineering of at least 3 years duration.
Each student team should register and identify a primary contact for the team. A faculty professor that endorsed the individual or team must be provided. Teams that include students in engineering are encouraged to participate.
The competition may be conducted as part of a design studio project under the direction of the faculty sponsor or as an independent extracurricular self-directed project. In all cases, winning entries and their faculty sponsor will receive the stipulated prize.
To submit your proposal, please click on the link and complete the form and upload your submissions to the portal.
All entries must be received by 5:00 p.m., ET on May 16, 2025.
Jury
A civil engineer by training, Sylvie Boulanger obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Alberta, a master’s degree in structures from the University of California (Berkeley), and a doctorate from EPFL (Switzerland). Her main area of expertise for 30 years has been structural steel. At the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC), she led the development of the national approach on Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (AESS). As vice-president with Supermétal (Canam-Structures), she specialized in multi-story structures and bridges. She was Senior Director of the Research and Applications Division at the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Corporation (JCCBI). She is currently an independent consultant with MTB Consulting, vice-chair of the CSA S6 standard on the design of highway bridges, senior advisor in asset management with Planifika; and instructor at McGill University.
Andrew Voth, P.Eng., Ph.D.
Associate
Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd., Toronto
Nicolas Demers-Stoddart, Lead Designer, Partner Architect , OAQ, OAA, MRAIC, RIBA, B.Eng.
Andy Metten, P.Eng., Struct.Eng. Partner & StructuralEngi neer Bush, Bohlman & Partners LLP, Vancouver
Loraine Dearstyne Fowlow, Associ ate Professor, School of School of Architecture,Planning and Landscape University of Calgary
Owen Rose, Principal Architect, PA LEED
rose architecture, Montreal
Marc Gasparetto, Project Director
Cherubini Group, Dartmouth
Sponsors
Details and Past Winners
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