2012 Competitions Annual

The effect which the architecture profession has experienced from the economic downturn over the past few years is reflected in the almost complete lack of competitions for real projects in the U.S. Although we have seen no lack of ideas competitions in this country during this period, real projects have been at a premium. This can be seen at all government levels, but especially in the municipalities.

So it can come as no surprise that the majority of competitions for real : projects in this volume reflect not only the institutional commitment of foreign nations to this process, but the dire economic straits our governing; bodies find themselves in. To the delight of many American firms, the island of Taiwan is still staging open competitions for major projects. Neil Dinari Architects of Los Angeles won the Keelung Harbor Service Building Competition, with Asymptote of New York a close runnerup; and U.S.-based firms Stoss, Inc. of Boston and Studio Gang of Chicago both placed high in other Taiwan competitions.

Of the successes on the North American scene, Michael Maltzan won competitions for both the Inuit Art and Learning Centre for Winnipeg Art Gallery, as well as the St. Petersburg Pier event-the realization of the latter in question because of the municipality's financial constraints. Situated in a more robust economy, the Canadian project will undoubtedly go ahead

All of this leaves us to wonder what the immediate future will bring. The American economy is slowly recovering, but probably not at a pace to yet plant the notion that a competition is the best vehicle to arrive at a design for a major project. So architects who still have time on their hands should still be looking abroad for opportunities -at least for the moment.