AIA Austin’s DesignVoice Committee, in partnership with AIA Austin COTE, propose Force Majeure, a design competition that addresses contemporary issues that are impacting our lives.

It has become increasingly obvious in the past year that disasters, both natural and human-made, exacerbate inequities in our society. Strengthening our communities allows us to be more resilient in the face of future Force Majeure scenarios. How can we as design professionals help support and provide care for the most vulnerable groups of people in our society?

This year’s ideas competition is a multi-brief format that will challenge teams to identify a local issue that one of three principles of the Framework for Design Excellence—Design for Equitable Communities, Design for Water, or Design for Well-being—might ameliorate and propose a solution that embodies the chosen principle.

The designs submitted will not only propose solutions to concrete issues but also explore the relationship between global crises and smaller, actionable local design interventions.

Eligibility

This call for design ideas is open to anyone who wants to create
and put forth innovative ideas to solve current challenges. Teams may be formed by a maximum of (4) members and a minimum of (2). Team members can be from any discipline. Students are welcome to participate.

Requirements

Each team will select ONE of the following principles on which to submit an entry:
(A) Design for Equitable Communities
(B) Design for Water
(C) Design for Well-being
Each entry should comprise two parts: the statement of the issue to be addressed and the proposed design solution to the issue.