Architecture at Zero is a design competition for decarbonization, equity, and resilience, open to students and professionals worldwide. It serves to engage the fields of architecture, design, engineering, and planning in the pursuit of sustainable design.

Middle School Building in East Los Angeles, California 

The 2024 competition challenge is to design  a new building on a middle school campus in East Los Angeles (East LA), California.  The new building will replace relocatable classrooms and includes science labs, art classroom, maker space, outdoor learning environments, and a teacher workroom. While the competition program location is Griffith STEAM Magnet Middle School. 

Please note that this is an ideas competition and is not a “real” project.

OVERVIEW OF SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 

1. Entrants will create an overall site plan to accommodate the competition program. Entrants are encouraged to highlight any energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy storage, carbon reduction, and resiliency strategies.
2. Entrants will design the building in detail, while demonstrating how the design will result in lower carbon emissions and embodied carbon, and addressing the requirements of the California Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards.  In order to indicate how the building design will result in lower carbon emissions, entrants will provide required documentation and may also include supplementary documentation. 
3. Entrants are asked to describe how this project will build resilience. Entrants will be asked to complete a table outlining the inclusion of climate adaptation strategies and indicate these strategies on the site plan or section. 
4. Entrants are asked to consider how their design addresses equity for the community. Entrants will write a short essay and indicate on the site plan or section aspects of the design that support equity. 

When you submit your entry, we will also ask how much time each team member spent learning decarbonization principles and preparing the submission. Specifically, we will ask how much time each team member spent on:

                     o Assessing available renewables and PV design
                     o HVAC / load analysis
                     o Daylighting
                     o Whole building energy modeling
                     o Project design
                     o Booklet design and graphics
                     o Technical write-up
Be sure to keep a record of this information as you work on your project.

SUBMISSIONS AT A GLANCE

1. Design Booklet containing all required elements and optional supplementary documentation, if providing. (PDF document). 

2. High-res JPEG of Perspective Drawing 

3. Design Team Information 

4. Student ID (if applicable) 

5. Hours Worked

1. Design Booklet File (PDF document)
All submissions must be in a PDF booklet containing the required elements detailed below. Format size should be  (8 1/2 x 11 inches (A2) or 11 x 17  inches (A3) in either a landscape or portrait format.

If you are submitting more than one of a specific drawing please number the pages #A, #B etc. For example three perspective drawings pages would be 4A, 4B, 4C.

All required elements must be included or your entry will not be accepted. 

File size must not exceed 40 MB. Please do not include names of the team or firm on any part of the entry.

Number and label all pages after the cover page.

· Cover Title page

· Page 1 - Project Narrative

· Page 2 - Site Plan

· Page 3 - Floor Plan

· Page 4 - Perspective Drawing

· Page 5 - Illustrated Sections

· Page 6 - Mechanical System Summary

· Page 7 - Annual End Use Summary

· Page 8 - Monthly End Use Energy Consumption Bar Chart

· Page 9 - Hourly Load Shapes for Energy and Emissions

· Page 10 - Details of Renewable Energy Systems

· Page 11 - Storage Systems

· Page 12 - Decarbonization Strategies

· Page 13 - Climate Adaptation Assessment Matrix

· Page 14 - Equity Essay 

· OPTIONAL Pages 15-25. Supplemental Energy/Resilience/Decarbonization/Equity Information.

Total Submission should not exceed 25 pages.

Do not include information about the design team (team names or firm names) on the Design Booklet. Indication of the design team will result in disqualification.  Do not post images of your submission to social media before winners are announced.

2. High Res JPEG of Perspective Drawing. 

This will be used for promotional purposes if needed.

3. Design Team Information
Fill in the names and contact information for everyone on your project design team on the Design Team Form. Students, please list your advisor. Please note this will be used for all publicity materials. Do not list this information on the Design Booklet.

4. Student ID (if applicable)

Full-time student entrants must provide a copy of their student ID. Recent graduates must have been enrolled full-time during the 2023 calendar year and must provide official documentation of their full-time student status during those years (diploma, student ID showing date, etc.). 

5. Hours Worked
Please list all team members and the hours they worked on the listed activities. 

Please upload all components of your submission through the submit section by Dec 16, 2024 at 1:00 PM PST.

ENTRY FEES

Entry Fee for Professional Architects, Engineers and Designers: $325
Entry Fee for Students and Recent Grads: $0
All registration and submission materials must be received by December 16, 2024 at 1:00pm PST. 

Entry fees are nonrefundable.  All designs are to be submitted digitally.
 

SUBMISION POLICIES

All submissions are final.

There is no limit to the number of entries that an individual or firm may submit; however, each must be submitted separately with separate payments. 

In addition to professional firms, entries from individuals or teams are allowed and encouraged. 

We recommend that entrants who are employed by another company review and comply with their employer’s policies in this area prior to submitting an entry. 

Any public announcements or references will be to the individual or design team and not to any individual’s professional affiliation. 

Indication of the design team will result in disqualification.   Decisions of the Jury are final.

Competition Partners