AIAS and Kawneer announce design competition winner

The American Institute of Architecture Students and Kawneer Co. Inc., Norcross, Ga., recently announced the winners of the fourth annual national student design competition. The competition, sponsored by Kawneer and administered by AIAS, challenged students to learn about building materials,specifically architectural aluminum building products and systems, in the design of a municipal courthouse.Ball State University’s Eric Laine was awarded first place and $2,500 for his design, “Justice Center.” The competition received submissions from 46different schools and universities throughout the United States, with at least 11 universities adopting the competition as a class project. Participants were required to research, respond to and highlight the unique aspects of designing a municipal courthouse that embodied the surrounding community’s history, religious and secular beliefs, and cultural differences. Additionally, participants were challenged to utilize green building principles throughout the design process,including consideration of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED building standards. Competition objectives included developing knowledge about materials, products and installation, as well as creating a secure facility that looks to fulfill the civic, cultural and service needs of the community—today and in the future. Submissions were evaluated based on ingenuity and originality, as well as appropriate use of sustainable products and design clarity. Winning projects can be viewed on the AIAS website at www.aias.org/kawneer. For more information on AIAS, visit www.aias.org. To learn more about Kawneer, visit www.kawneer.com.