Until very recently, most of us would have never dreamed that they would live to see the first interstellar human settlements. With interest growing fast in space tourism, lunar outposts, and settling humans on Mars, it now almost seems guaranteed. For Architects, Engineers, and other Designers, this presents a brand new set of design challenges for the 21st century.

What does it look like to occupy planets so dramatically different to Earth? How can we turn the challenges of life on another planet into opportunities for human flourishing? How can we think differently about homes, communities, and cities to promote equity and well-being from the start?

virtual info session _ february 22 @ 4pm _ https://ncsu.zoom.us/j/99348199252

[Diversify Architecture] is extremely grateful to our sponsors, whose generosity has allowed us to offer prize money to the top projects from the competition. The competition will be judged by the [DA] team and invited guest jurors, with honors and prizes going to the best submissions.

Design competitions are a great way for students to add a design project to their portfolios (required on college applications!), bolster their college resumes, and take on interesting and unique challenges that improve their critical thinking and design skills. The prizes listed below are an added bonus!

FAQ

To find out more information about the project, rules, and submission guidelines, please download and review the project brief.

Are teams allowed?

Yes! We welcome teams of up to 4 members to submit proposals. Be sure to include all team member names in the lower-right hand corner of every project board.

What kinds of drawings do I need to describe my project?

All teams must have a minimum of a site plan showing the organization of their project, at least one perspective image of their design, and a text description. This can be hand sketches, images of physical or digital models, computer renderings, or any combination of these. You will likely want to complete more drawings, which are up to you! Examples of some drawing types you might want to test out are shown in the project brief.

How do I submit my work?

Each team will submit 2-4 final boards (11x17 sheets of the drawings and information describing your project) to the link below. Each of the 2-4 files must be named using the following format : “LAST NAME_FIRST NAME_SCHOOL_BOARD NUMBER” .
submission link _ www.diversifyarchitecture.com/2030competition-submit

Can middle and high school students be on the same team?

Yes! The team will be eligible for a prize based on the oldest team member.

Can we ask for help from adults?

Yes! We encourage all teams to seek advice from their teachers, local Architects, or others that might be interested in giving guidance. Non-team members are not allowed to produce any of the work that is submitted on final boards.

Finding precise measurements for our sites is challenging, how specific do I need to be?

While both site options are well-documented by photographic satellites, telescopes, and rovers, there are still many uncertainties. You are welcome to make some general assumptions about dimensions that are not available online or in the project brief. Example site sections are provided in the brief, but these are only a starting point and may be adjusted to support your design ideas.

Can we adjust the sizes of the program?

Yes! The program sizes listed in the project brief are a great starting place, but you should feel free to adjust these as you like, so long as each function is still accounted for.