Urban SOS is AECOM’s student competition. It was created to engage students in urban planning and design, architecture, landscape  architecture, economics, environmental studies, and engineering with the issues confronting modern cities and allowing them to propose solutions that, if worthy, will be seen by established professionals in their field. With more than half of the growing world population living in cities, how we address urban, economic and natural landscapes will determine much about the future of our planet. As a global design and engineering consultancy, AECOM recognizes that cities require broad-based, interdisciplinary thinking and, if properly managed, can become machines for environmental and social progress.

AECOM is seeking submissions for the fifth student competition. The theme of this year’s competition is Urban SOS: Towards a New Industry. They are seeking integrated design, planning, environmental studies and engineering proposals in any urban context that relates to or improves the relationship between industry and urban development worldwide. Projects take the form of a creative urban design, landscape, architectural or engineering solution that reimagines the challenges related to an abandoned factory or place of production.

Proposals should identify a city with a derelict piece of infrastructure and develop an inspiring economically viable concept that reanimates part or the entire site. Students are encouraged to consider the potential for making and production to be a driving force for urban growth.

Each proposal must address and attempt to answer the following questions:

Growth: How does this project support productive, sustainable and innovative growth? What do you make? What services do you provide? What do you trade with other parts of the world? What?

Asset improvement: How does the proposal build upon the city’s existing assets and infrastructure?

Revitalization: How does this intervention revitalize its context?

Collaboration: How does this intervention engage with local networks of leaders and institutions? What is its relationship with local businesses and philanthropic entities?

Technology: How does the project explore the line between contemporary technologies of production and outdated industry? Does it demonstrate an interest in repurposing cast-off technologies and materials in ways that consider the evolution of technology and the roles technology and industry play in our lives and our cities?

Benefit: How does the project benefit the city’s residents?

Responses can range from a strategic framework to a surgical micro-response, from a whole landscape system to a single piece of architecture. Entrants should demonstrate a holistic and sustainable approach to their proposals. They should present a connective language that can embrace many or all aspects of the site, expressing a language of built form that ties together land, buildings, ecology, infrastructure, and economic and social activity to strategically transform a site. AECOM are asking for professional responses to challenging questions. Judges will value creativity and innovation, but your response must be fundamentally feasible.

Eligibility
The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students at all levels of higher education around the world. Entrants must be enrolled in a certified program during the 2014 academic year.

Submissions may be from individuals or teams of up to four members. Teams will benefit from having members of multiple disciplines. This year, we are encouraging entries from students concentrating in departments such as anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, international development, sustainable economics and the broader social sciences.

Location
All sites must be urban; that is, in, of, or pertaining to human settlement, whether formal or informal.

They may be at the center of a city or at its fringes, and in all locations that may exist between these conditions. Sites must be real places and geographically identified with a Google Earth or Google Maps reference.

Site selection is open to any country or territory in the world.Sites must directly address industry in an urban context.

Deadlines
Pre-registration of interest: June 1, 2014
Final submission deadline: August 1, 2014
Announcement of three finalist teams: August 11, 2014

Winner and prizes
Each of the three semi-finalist teams will receive an honorarium to contribute to travel expenses related to visiting New York to present the team’s submission. The semi-finalist honoraria are to contribute to expenses related to attendance and presentation at the Center for Architecture only and cannot be exchanged for other prizes. No other costs or fees will be covered by AECOM or the sponsors.

The winning team (or teams) will receive a cash prize. The total prize money is valued at US$15,000, which may be divided amongst one or more winning teams.

Up to US$25,000 of combination of cash and in-kind staff time will be donated by AECOM to a charitable or humanitarian organization or related agency to help further develop the winning proposal. Decisions made by the judging panel shall be final.

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