The Quad 2017

Description

“Quad”, short for “Quadrangle”, is one term for the public square at the center of a college campus.  It’s a space to take naps in the grass on a sunny day, throw a Frisbee with friends, or where inspirational lectures are given on a warm spring afternoon. The experience of the quad is one of vibrancy, playfulness, and connectivity. In our increasingly dense urban habitats, city dwellers seek to discover similar environments in the places they live, work, and play.

The Quad Competition is an international call for a social space installation. The competition is hosted by WHAT’S IN, a multi-disciplinary research initiative that advocates for urban density and housing affordability through design and policy. Since 2012, WHAT’S IN has built traveling exhibits annually to host research content. Past exhibits were all self-supporting structures designed for ease of travel and deployment, and built with inexpensive materials. Proposals should aim to create an installation with similar approaches.

The winning installation will be premiered at Greenbuild / ArchitectureBoston Expo (ABX 2017) from November 8-9, 2017. ABX is an annual event held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC), and will be co-located with Greenbuild this year, creating one of the largest events for the building community in North America. The installation will then travel to other locations in the city as a mobile exhibit.

QUAD 2017 is seeking design proposals that capture the essence of social sustainability by addressing the various factors contributing to the three pillars of sustainability: Environment, Economy and Equity.

Environmental sustainability, promotes a more conscious urban living with lower carbon footprint. In a built environment where resources are scarce, your proposal should consider efficient use, as well as post-installation applications of building materials.
Economic sustainability, encourages an efficient use of resources. the exhibit should achieve the greatest visual and experiential impact with the least amount of resources. The proposed design should also address ease of travel and speed of assembly.
Social sustainability, occurs when current and future generations are actively supported to create healthy and livable communities that are diverse and socially just. Proposals should envision meaningful and impactful spaces that facilitate social interaction, allow exposure to diverse backgrounds and create an environment leading to mutual respect and acceptance. Low-cost and/or digital interactive features are highly encouraged.

COMPETITION SITE and CONTEXT

During ABX, the winning installation will inhabit a 20’ x 70’ space in Northwest corner of the exhibit hall, surrounded by exhibitor booths. It should act as an informal gathering space that draws the exhibit attendees towards the back of the exhibit floor. In addition, the design should include a prominent area to display the latest research findings from WHAT’S IN, in a format suitable to your installation concept.