Product Description

Design competitions are a core mechanism of the architectural world. They offer architects unique opportunities to pitch for work and the careers of many name architects have been made by winning an important competition – Richard Rogers, Renzo Piano, Dominique Perrault and Jean Nouvel to name but a few.

This is the definitive book on competitions from over the last decade and will be an essential guide to any architect or student who is considering preparing a competition submission.

• The first in a distinctive new Architecture in Practice series from Wiley-Academy
• A definitive book on competitions over the last decade or so, it will be a touchstone for individual architects and offices
• It illustrates case studies of all the major international competitions
• It provides essential strategic material on entering competitions: from which competitions to enter to the way rules for competitions differ internationally and from region to region
• It supplies a unique overview of recent trends in competitions: in terms of digital presentation, but also preoccupations with issues such as sustainability

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #899988 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

From the Back Cover
The practice of architecture has become increasingly global, but firms participating in design competitions are finding a culture that is continually in flux. As one of the first two titles in the distinctive Architecture in Practice series from Wiley-Academy, this book enables the architect to negotiate the differing rules and processes that govern international competitions. Besides essential strategic material on preparing and presenting an entry, architects will find important tips to help them decide whether to enter a competition. Reviewing the winning case studies, which feature the most recent advances in presentation, graphic design and sustainability, can be a shortcut to success for the design professional. This is an invaluable companion for any architect or student who is intent on growing or establishing their practice.

About the Author
G Stanley Collyer, PhD, editor of Competitions magazine, was a founding member of The Competition Project, Inc., a non-profit making organisation which functions as a clearing house for information on design competitions in the US and abroad. Besides serving on competition juries and acting as a consultant to competition sponsors, he has participated on panels and written on the subject of affordable housing. A member of an AIA Task Force on design competitions in the 1990s, he recently wrote the competition brief and was a juror for a cultural/convention centre for the city of Resistencia, Argentina, in collaboration with Florida International University.

Customer Reviews

Interesting collection of competitions
A great behind the scenes account. Tells you what you need to know on the competing and selection processes and the history of some of the most interesting architectural competitions in the past 2 decades. Very rich in illustrations.
However; it does not tell you much about how to compete and what to present in order to beat the competition.

Good sampling of projects but lacks a couple key elements
There are few reference materials available to the architectural competitor and this release in Wiley's Architecture in Practice series by Stanley Collyer proves to be quite unique in the information presented. Rarely do we have access to the rather mysterious jury process, but here Collyer pulls back the veil to reveal the often controversial, behind-the-scenes deliberations. Serious competitors will find this insight useful in developing strategies for a specific jury type.

Collyer presents twenty-four case studies ranging from 1995 to 2003, organized by building type. Each architect's entry and approach to the project is discussed in detail and is presented with renderings, line drawings and model photos as available. What is lacking in the presentation of the work are the actual competition boards. The arrangement of text, diagrams and drawings is often key to a successful interpretation and understanding of a proposed design.

The introduction provides a cursory overview of the competition process, outlining the reasons to compete and what criteria is critical when making the decision to enter a competition (you will find that this is a bit thin on content in general). It doesn't answer all your questions but it definitely focuses you on the broader picture.