Four short documentaries about revitalization, rehabilitation, reuse and resiliency were selected as winners of the AIA Film Challenge 2019, announced by the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
“It’s an honor to celebrate this year’s winning films, which spotlight architectural projects that are transforming communities through the power of design and collaboration,” said AIA executive vice president, CEO Robert Ivy, FAIA. “When civic leaders and architects work together, they can have an unbelievably positive impact on communities, clearly shown in each of the films that were submitted to this year’s competition.”
Judges selected the film “The EastPoint Project” as this year’s Grand Prize winner. As a result of redlining and segregation, the east side of Oklahoma City has seen a lack of investment. “The EastPoint Project” aims to be a catalyst to encourage public and private developers to invest in the east side and to inspire the community to envision what the neighborhood could become by rebuilding, rehabilitating and revitalizing empty lots. The film will receive a $5,000 prize and a trip to Chicago for a screening and celebration during Chicago Ideas Week, among other prizes.
The runner up is “A Place of Second Chances,” which presents the hopeful stories of two individuals who prove that the tide of recidivism can be reversed when prisons are designed to comfort and rehabilitate.
“A Building Shaped by Light: Austin Central Library” is third place winner. The film highlights Austin’s new Central Library, which serves as a community gathering space in the heart of the community and western portal to downtown.
The People’s Choice Award was given to “Learning Organisms, Floral Collectives,” which tells how new technologies such as 3D printing and AI robotics can play a role in the future of the built environment. The People’s Choice Award winner will receive a $5,000 prize and debut at Chicago Ideas Week.
Grand prize, runner up and third place recipients were selected by a panel of judges, while the People’s Choice Award was selected through votes cast online by the public. Judges for the 2019 AIA Film Challenge were architect Karen Braitmayer, FAIA; architectural filmmaker Ian Harris; Hollywood director Joseph Kosinski; ARCHITECT magazine editor Wanda Lau; and architect Jimmie Tucker, FAIA.
“I am honored to have served as a judge for the AIA Film Challenge,” said Hollywood director Joseph Kosinski. “As a trained architect, it’s wonderful that AIA is using film to show the impact of architecture in a community.”
To learn more about the winners and watch about 70 short films, visit aiafilmchallenge.org.
