Alcoa Kawneer and AIAS Announce 2012 Student Design Competition

Published on Wednesday, 13 June 2012 09:07 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

NORCROSS, Ga. and WASHINGTON-( Business Wire )-

Alcoa's Kawneer business and The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) announce today the Enlightening Libraries: Student Design Competition. Sponsored by Kawneer and administered by the AIAS, this competition will challenge students to redesign a dated public library that is an effectively urbanized, collaborative community space appealing to all generations and integrating the most recent technologies. Total prize money is $7,750, including $3,000 for the first place winning design team.

The competition, now in its seventh year, challenges students to learn about building materials and techniques, specifically architectural aluminum building products and systems, while demonstrating an understanding of sustainable design. Participants are required to integrate a variety of Kawneer products, from entrances and framing systems to windows and curtain wall systems as they relate to efficient community spaces, to develop a new-age library that embraces an atmosphere of enlightenment and learning.

A jury of four architectural professionals will evaluate submissions based on ingenuity and originality as well as design clarity and the ability to create an aesthetic that compliments the community and environment. Appropriate use of materials, including light shelves and sunshades that enhance natural light, will be key factors in the evaluation and selection of winning designs.

Developed to engage architecture and design students from schools worldwide, contest submissions can be the work of an individual or a group of up to four students. Students interested in participating in the competition must register no later than October 14, 2012. Submissions must be made digitally via the competition website on or before November 29, 2012. Winning entries will be published in the Spring 2012 issue of Crit, Journal of the AIAS and will be on display at the 2013 AIA Convention and Design Exposition in Denver, Colorado, June 2013.

To learn more about the competition and how to register, visit http://kawneer.aias.org/ For more information on AIAS, visit www.aias.org. To learn more about Kawneer, visit www.kawneer.com.

About Kawneer

With more than 100 years of innovation and experience, Kawneer North America is headquartered in Norcross, GA, and is the leading manufacturer of architectural aluminum products and systems for the commercial construction industry. Kawneer is part of Alcoa’s global Building and Construction Systems (BCS) business unit. In 2010 Traco, a leading manufacturer of windows for more than 65 years, joined Alcoa BCS as a division of Kawneer. Alcoa BCS manufactures and markets architectural systems and products in North America, Europe, and Asia. Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina, and has been active in all major aspects of the industry for the past 120 years. For more information on Kawneer or its products, please visit www.kawneer.com.

About Alcoa

Alcoa (NYSE:AA) is the world’s leading producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the past 120 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral part of Alcoa’s operating practices and the product design and engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for ten consecutive years and approximately 75 percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 61,000 people in 31 countries across the world. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com.

About the AIAS

The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is an independent, nonprofit, student-run organization dedicated to providing unmatched programs, information, and resources on issues critical to architectural education. The mission of the AIAS is to promote excellence in architectural education, training, and practice; to foster an appreciation of architecture and related disciplines; to enrich communities in a spirit of collaboration; and to organize students and combine their efforts to advance the art and science of architecture.

AlcoaInvestor ContactKelly Pasterick, 212-836-2674orMedia ContactLibby Archell, 212-836-2719