USC team wins ShadeLA design competition
Winners of the Shade Zones Design Competition, led by the USC School of Architecture, have been announced. The competition, part of the ShadeLA initiative, challenged teams to reimagine modular shade structures to combat urban heat in Los Angeles. The winning designs offer new strategies for creating cooler, more resilient public spaces.
- The winning design, titled "(Not so) Primitive Hut" by the USC team JN Interstice, was praised by jurors for its simple, scalable, and lightweight gridwork design. The design draws inspiration from Japanese kumiko construction, a technique of assembling interlocking wooden pieces without nails, which allows for both temporal and scalable applications. - The ShadeLA initiative is a broader, cross-sector collaboration between USC, UCLA, the City and County of Los Angeles, LA Metro, and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee. The initiative aims to create a lasting climate legacy by addressing urban heat issues in advance of major global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. - The competition's jury included high-profile professionals from firms such as Foster + Partners, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), and AECOM, providing students with exposure to industry leaders. Submissions were evaluated on a dozen criteria, including sustainability, buildability, and community design, reflecting the holistic design approach valued by top-tier firms. - For students targeting large corporate firms, proficiency in BIM software like Revit is essential for large-scale projects. Additionally, skills in parametric and computational design tools such as Rhino and Grasshopper are increasingly in demand for creating complex and sustainable building forms. - Top firms like Gensler and HOK seek interns with a strong understanding of sustainable design principles, including familiarity with LEED certification, healthy and sustainable building materials, and embodied carbon analysis. Experience with sustainability analysis tools like Climate Studio and Ladybug is also a significant advantage. - Los Angeles is actively pursuing ambitious sustainability goals through its "Green New Deal," which includes targets for net-zero carbon buildings and creating hundreds of thousands of green jobs. This city-wide focus on sustainability is driving innovation in commercial and urban development projects. - Biophilic design, which incorporates natural elements into buildings, is a growing trend in Los Angeles to enhance well-being and property values. This includes maximizing natural light, using natural materials, and integrating vegetation, such as the growing green wall at the Gardenhouse in Beverly Hills. - The city is also seeing the emergence of net-zero energy construction, such as the "Solar Futures House," Los Angeles' first fully-permitted 3D printed net-zero energy home, designed by students from Woodbury University School of Architecture. The city has also mandated that all new municipal construction and major renovation projects be fully electrified.
