Jonathan Levi Architects Takes Jury Prize
at 21st Century Project Design Showcase
Innovative design ideas earn firm $25,000 grand prize
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2007
(Columbus, OH) Stackable rooms, fold-out beds, and a one-piece sink and toilet are just some of the features that will be included in the residence hall of the future according to design concepts submitted by Jonathan Levi Architects (JLA) of Boston, Massachusetts. These innovative ideas, along with technological advances such as a smart-media wall and glass walls with adjustable transparencies, earned the company the jury’s grand prize for best design as well as $25,000 at the 21st Century Project Design Showcase presented by the Association of College & University Housing Officers – International (ACUHO-I).
The 21st Century Project is a multi-phased initiative leading to the construction of a new, state-of-the-art residential facility for colleges and universities. In addition to creating one or more prototype residential facilities on several campuses, the project will assist colleges and universities in designing new residential facilities that reflect the ever-changing roles that residences play in the collegiate experience.
The event held at the Wyndham Hotel & Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, featured presentations from eight teams of developers, some of which paired architecture firms with university partners. These finalists were chosen from nearly 50 original submissions that originated from around the world. Each were asked to focus their design on the individual student living unit of a residence hall.
“There were several amazing ideas presented during the competition,” said 21st Century Project coordinator Michael Coakley who is also the director of residence life for Arizona State University. “Each one of the eight presentations offered something that deserves to be carried forward and studied as a possible solution for collegiate housing. As a professional, it is exciting to think about what is, and will be, available to students.” The winning design, which JLA named flexDorm, stressed the importance of supporting the academic mission of a college or university and being able to provide adjustable spaces to meet a campus’s ever-changing needs. In a statement, Jonathan Levi, FAIA, the lead designer and principal of the firm, explained that, “the spatial arrangement of individuals and the corresponding potentialities for the interchange of ideas affect the very nature of knowledge creation and dissemination. Fixed arrangements imply boundaries and inhibit spontaneous adaptations to new forms of knowing and communicating. Flexible arrangements help blur boundaries and accommodate the spontaneous groupings needed to support change and invention.
“We believe that the architecture of student residences will play a defining role in the future of colleges and universities over the coming decades. JLA is grateful for this opportunity to engage ACUHO-I, its members, and our colleagues in this critical discussion. We look forward to assisting in following through on the many important initiatives raised by the 21st Century Project and its many competition participants.”
The jury also awarded a special Compelling Commitment to Community award to the design team from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville and Mackey Mitchell Associates of St. Louis. Their design stressed utilizing moveable walls to allow groups of students to re-arrange quickly and easily their space depending on the need; allowing them to create larger common space for social events or reducing it when more privacy is desired. The team also won the audience’s “People’s Choice” award.
Other finalists in the competition included: American Campus Communities with WDG Architecture Team (Austin, Texas); Angelini and Associates Architects (Ann Arbor, Michigan) with Randy Alexander (University of Arkansas); Bergmeyer Associates, Inc. (Boston, Massachusetts); CSO Schenkel Shultz (Indianapolis, Indiana); Marks, Thomas Architects (Baltimore, Maryland); and RATIO Architects, Inc. (Indianapolis, Indiana) with KI (Green Bay, Wisconsin).
“Events like this go to the heart of the ACUHO-I mission,” said Sallie Traxler, the association’s executive director. “We work to educate our members on how they can improve the services and facilities they provide to their students. Even if some of these ideas won’t be available for a few years, it’s important for us to be forward-thinking and identify all that the future of student housing can be.”
The 21st Century Project will host a second competition later this year that builds upon the ideas presented in the first round. The request-for-proposal for this competition will be released in conjunction with the ACUHO-I Annual Conference & Exposition to be held July 7-10, 2007 in Seattle, Washington.
JLA will also present its winning design as part of the ACUHO-I conference.
For more information contact:
James Baumann
ACUHO-I Director of Communications & Marketing
614.292.0099
james@acuho-i.org