Architecture at Zero 2021-22 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 decarbonized design.
The competition, now in its tenth year, was conceived as a response to the zero net energy targets set out by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) in the 2008 report, “California’s Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan.” In this report, the CPUC set out four “Big Bold Energy Efficiency Strategies” for California that include the goals that all new residential construction in California be ZNE by 2020 and that all new commercial construction be ZNE by 2030.
The 2021-22 competition challenged entrants to develop affordable housing for farmworker families in permanent residence in Visalia, California. About 138,000 people live in Visalia, the seat of Tulare County, making it one of the larger cities in the Central Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions on the planet, providing more than half of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts grown in the United States. The economy of the city of Visalia is driven by agriculture, especially grapes, olives, and citrus.
Winners of the 2021-22 competition are:
Student Honorable Mention Award: EZB HOUSE
University of Cardiff, UK and Texas A&M, TX
Student Merit Award: URBAN VILLAGE
Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland
Professional Special Recognition Award: IT’S A WOONERFUL LIFE
RNT Architects, San Diego, CA
Professional Special Recognition Award: SOL HARVEST VILLAGE
BAR Architects, San Francisco, CA
Professional Merit Award: PUENTES VISALIA
Passive House BB, San Francisco, CA
Professional Merit Award: SEMILLAS Y RAICES (Seeds and Roots)
DLR Group, Los Angeles, CA
Professional Merit Award: de la tierra
Paul Halajian Architects, Clovis, CA
Learn more about the winning entries here.
The competition jury was composed of:
Lance Collins, AIA, Director, Partner Energy, Torrance, CA
Siboney Díaz-Sánchez, RA, NOMA, Opportunity Communities, Boston, MA
Mary Ann Lazarus, FAIA, LEED Fellow, Cameron MacAllister Group, St. Louis, MO
Paul Torcellini, PhD, PE, Principal Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO
Allison Grace Williams, FAIA, AGWms_studio, San Francisco, CA
Architecture at Zero was sponsored by Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas and Electric, Southern California Gas Company, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. USGBC Central California, ASHRAE Golden Gate Chapter, State of California Energy Commission, IBPSA-USA, and the California Architecture Foundation co-sponsored the effort.
Cover image of de la tierra courtesy of Paul Halajian Architects.
