Grantee: Bowling Green State University
Principle Investigator: Andreas Luescher
Year: 2020
Project Number: 2020.017
Status: COMPLETED
Educating the next generation of designers is a key objective of the NCMA Foundation. This architecture student design competition at Bowling Green State University has for many years challenged architecture students to solve real world problems with concrete masonry.
Program Details:
In the 12th annual competition at Bowling Green State University, students will explore the theme “Concrete Block Construction around the Globe.” Students will be encouraged to research possibilities for innovative integrations of concrete masonry units as well as dry stack concrete block construction. They will explore details based on structural engineering like statics and dimensioning, construction site organization and providing the proper tool to aid in their design solution. Additionally, students will also explore hardscapes by studying segmental retaining wall (SRW) or articulating concrete block (ACB) units traditionally produced by NCMA Producer Members. The Ohio Masonry Association (OMA), as in years past, will offer support to the program.
The principal investigator continues to believe that the artificial boundaries between design and construction technology can be reduced by highlighting the physical properties of materials and methods as fundamental to the design process, and not simply “functional” and “technical” concerns to be worked out later. Furthermore, the addition of concrete masonry to the university’s materials library will complement our ever-increasing and comprehensive collection, which they view as a critical resource for design education. This student-centered design competition will support the faculty and students in exploring the methods of the practical concrete masonry fields, and the culture of design that applies to the concrete masonry material; it will serve to connect faculty, students and the concrete
masonry construction industry; and it will continue to build a portfolio of design inventions based on concrete masonry.