WASHINGTON, D.C.—A University of Maryland architecture student has combined two of the world’s oldest building materials – concrete and straw – in a new way to win top honors in the first international “Concrete Thinking for a Sustainable World” student design competition.

Concrete and Straw: Fusion, created by Daniel Lamp, pushes the boundaries of concrete in green building. His design emerged as the leading concept from nearly 200 entries in the inaugural competition, which was administered by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and sponsored by the Portland Cement Association (PCA).

Lamp combines the superior strength and durability of concrete with the insulation of straw bale construction to create an innovative concrete structure and skin. His design not only uses the straw as an insulator, but also to create formwork that leaves the concrete walls with a straw-like appearance.

“The future success of sustainable development rests on a solid understanding of fundamentals and innovative applications by aspiring young architects,” said David Shepherd, PCA director of sustainable development. “PCA sponsored this ACSA student design competition with a focus on sustainability to help bridge that gap.”

Other top prizes went to Clemson University, Morgan State University, University of Utah, and Israeli Institute of Technology. A total of 267 students from 41 universities in 14 countries, participated in the competition.

Prize-winning projects will be exhibited at the 2006 American Institute of Architects National Convention and Design Exposition in Los Angeles, June 8-10, 2006, and the 2007 ACSA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. ACSA also will feature winning submissions in an online competition summary expected to be available on the organization’s Web site, www.acsa-arch.org this summer.

Winning students, their faculty sponsors, and schools will receive cash prizes and software totaling nearly $40,000. A complete package of pcaStructurePoint©, concrete design software, a retail value of $9,745, is being awarded to each winning school.

2005-06 PCA Competition Winners:
FIRST PLACE
Student: Daniel Lamp, University of Maryland;
Project: Concrete and Straw: Fusion;
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Ambrose, University of Maryland

SECOND PLACE
Student: Janie Kronk, Clemson University;
Project: Green Façade;
Faculty Sponsor: Jori Ann Erdman, Clemson University

THIRD PLACE
Student: Matthew Richardson, Morgan State University;
Project: Westport Bus Terminal;
Faculty Sponsor: Ruth Connell, Morgan State University

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Students: Matt Hintze, Adam Jensen, John Oderda, & Tristan Shepard, University of Utah;
Project: Sweet Carolina;
Faculty Sponsor: Hank J. Luis, University of Utah

Student: Isaiah Dunlap, Clemson University;
Project: Hydro Panels;
Faculty Sponsor: Virginia San Frantello, Clemson University

Student: Hadas Rix, Israeli Institute of Technology;
Project: Finding the Nature of Concrete;
Faculty Sponsor: Aravot Iris & Belferman Ehud, Israeli Institute of Technology

Panel of Judges:
The design jury convened May 6, 2006, in Washington, D.C., to select the winning projects and honorable mentions. The design jury consisted of the following individuals:

Nils Gore is an associate professor of architecture at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Urban Design. Gore favors a hands-on approach to architecture in which he works with real materials, at real scale to develop more creative design solutions. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Kansas State University in 1985, Gore went on to earn a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University in 1993. Gore has taught at the University of Kansas since 2001.

Peter Noonan is a senior design associate at McInturff Architects, an architecture firm with a diversified client base that includes residential, commercial, and institutional projects. His work has been published both locally and nationally, and has received many awards and honors, including a National AIA Honor Award. Mr. Noonan has exhibited his work throughout his career including multiple exhibits at the National Building Museum.

Walt Niestemski is manager for marketing and technical sales for Cemex, a leading global producer and marketer of quality cement and ready-mix concrete products. A 27-year veteran of the cement industry, Niestemski is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accredited professional and has made significant contributions to popularizing the green building movement among his peers as a member of PCA’s Sustainable Development Committee. He also chairs the “Green” Committee for the Concrete Promotion Council of Northern California.

About PCA
Based in Skokie, Ill., the Portland Cement Association represents cement companies in the United States and Canada. It conducts market development, engineering, research, education, and public affairs programs.

About ACSA
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) is a nonprofi t organization founded in 1912 to enhance the quality of architectural education. School membership in ACSA has grown from 10 charter schools to more than 200 schools in several membership categories. Through these schools, more than 4,500 architecture faculty are represented in ACSA’s membership. ACSA, unique in its representative role for professional schools of architecture, provides a major forum for ideas on the leading edge of architectural thought. Issues that will affect the architectural profession in the future are being examined today in ACSA member schools. Additional information is available at www.acsa-arch.org.