Rachel Elbon and Adam Smith, students in the School of Architecture in the College of Architecture and Design, have won an award in the 2016–17 AIA COTE Top Ten for Students national design competition. The event is hosted by the American Institute of Architecture Committee on the Environment and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.
Elbon and Smith, who are fourth-year students, designed “Gastronomia: Sustainable Architecture,” a community hub-inspired design that includes a culinary research lab, farm-to-table restaurants, affordable housing, and farming technologies. The project was one of 10 winning submissions.
Winning projects will be exhibited April 27–29 at the AIA Convention in Orlando, Florida, and at the 106th ACSA annual meeting in March 2018.
Now in its third year, competition challenges students across the United States to prepare cutting-edge designs that demonstrate sustainable design thinking. Participants must address site ecology, energy and water use, ecological systems, and other factors that affect environmental impact.
Earlier this month, Elbon and Smith earned a first-place finish in UT’s Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EUReCA), a university-wide competition that encourages undergraduate participation in faculty-led research enterprises and capstone projects. Of the 330 entries, Elbon and Smith earned a Gold Award with their design “Urban Quarter Organics.” Their faculty mentor was Kevin Stevens, a lecturer in the School of Architecture.
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CONTACT:
Amanda Johnson (865-974-6401, amandajohnson@utk.edu)
Tyra Haag (865-974-5460, tyra.haag@tennessee.edu)