The 5th Eiffel Competition is launched for architecture and engineering students
Students at schools of architecture have until 15 July 2019 to register for the Eiffel Competition. Once registered, they will have until 15 September 2019 to submit their proposals. Prizes worth €68,000 are up for grabs, comprising professional software licences and cash awards.
The ideas competition is organised by the corporate foundation of the Société de la Tour Eiffel. SMA BTP and the software publisher Abvent are joining the Eiffel Competition as sponsors.
What project will students have to design?
Students at schools of architecture and on engineering courses will have to design a property development using a bio-inspired approach.
The architectural proposal will need to address the following three points:
- Formal inspiration: plants, animals and living organisms in general offer an abundance of sources of inspiration for form. In bio-inspired architecture, form is above all a response to architectural issues of morphology, structure and materials.
- Functional approach: if a building is likened to a living organism, with its functions, behaviour and metabolism, applications that can be replicated in architecture can be found: strength, thermal performance, ventilation and so on.
- Ecosystem approach: the aim here is to imitate, or draw inspiration from, relational principles and strategies in terms of sustainability, productivity, adaptability and exchange networks (use of free energy, feedback loops, recycling, development of cooperation, etc.).
The aim of this biomimicry theme is to encourage students to design new building envelopes and new construction structures, and also to formulate a strong response to social, economic and environmental challenges.
Who are the members of the jury?
The jury is chaired by the President of Plaine Commune, Patrick Braouezec, and its members are:
- Anthony BÉCHU, Architect and Urban Planner – Agence d’Architecture Anthony Béchu & Associés
- François BERTIÈRE, Engineer (X-ENPC), Architect – Chairman of Bouygues Immobilier (2001 / 2018)
- Bertrand-Pierre GALEY, Énarque – Ministry of Culture, Inspector of Cultural Affairs, Director, Deputy to the Director General for Heritage, in charge of architecture (2010 / 2014)
- Michel GOSTOLI, – Eiffage Construction, Chairman
- (2008 / 2017)
- Myriam LARNAUDIE-EIFFEL, Vice-President of the Association of Descendants of Gustave Eiffel
- Kalina RASKIN, Physical chemist and engineer – Managing Director of CEEBIOS
- Xavier SOULE, Architect – Chief Executive of Groupe Abvent
- Daniel VANICHE, Engineer (X-ENPC), Architect – founder and Chairman of Agences DVVD and DVA
- Nicolas VERNOUX-THELOT, Architect – founder and Chairman of Agence In Situ Architecture.