Destination Food, an open-source technology platform that connects food supply with demand on a local level, was voted the $3,000 Grand Prize winner in Building Design+Construction's first annual Vision U40 Competition. The competition took place last week at BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco.
The goal of the competition was to develop and present innovative solutions for today's pressing social, economic, technical, and cultural problems related to the built environment. Fifteen teams participated in the Vision U40 competition. Each team had just 90 seconds to pitch their concept to the entire group, who voted for their top five.
Here are the five winning teams (click here to see all 15 concepts):
1. Destination Food ($3,000 grand prize winner)
Problem: More than 23 million Americans live without access to affordable, nutritious food. Making things worse, 40% of the food in the U.S. goes to waste.
Solution: Destination Food is an open-source technology platform that connects food supply with demand in a simple, convenient, and affordable way. The app includes a database of profiles and ratings for growers, GPS mapping for connecting consumers to the closest food suppliers, and a scheduling tool for setting up deliveries.
Team:
Cynthia Dubberley, Architect, Eskew + Dumez + Ripple, New Orleans
Christina Weber, Business & Community Development, DIRTT Environmental Solutions, San Francisco
Tyler Krehlik, Architect, SmithGroupJJR, San Francisco
Kelly Dubisar, Architect, Gensler, San Francisco
2. The Kids Are Alright ($500)
Problem: The younger generation prefers to stay inside, whether in the classroom or on the couch. Additionally, parents are missing out on sharing the same learning opportunities their children have.
Solution: Create a Foursquare-type mobile app that, instead of pulling up nearby restaurants, provides educational information based on your current location—from details on the oak tree in your backyard to the history of the landmark building in the center of town. The app encourages kids and their parents to interact with and learn about their surrounding environment.
Team:
Beatrice Tang, Associate Principal, Callison, Seattle
David Monroe, Assistant Project Manager, Balfour Beatty, Dallas
Lauren Smith, BIM Manager, S.M. Wilson & Co., St. Louis, Mo.
3. F.A.B.R.I.C. ($500)
Problem: "Unsocial" media has unraveled the fabric of our neighborhoods. How do we encourage people to get outside and interact and connect with their neighbors and communities?
Solution: This digitized sidewalk encourages people to get outside and weave back into their communities. F.A.B.R.I.C. (short for "future, active, bio-optic, responsive, inter-community" sidewalk) features virtual, interactive games, energy generation, social spaces, and an associated mobile app that, for instance, will alert users when a friend is nearby.
Team:
Elliott Disney, Project Engineer, Southland Industries, Union City, Calif.
Greg Hadsell, Associate, HDR Architecture, San Francisco
Susie Westrup, Sustainability Specialist, Balfour Beatty, Dallas
Nathan Ducote, Project Manager, Balfour Beatty, Dallas
4. WellBOX ($500 - tied for fourth place)
Problem: During the next 20 years, 970 million people will be added to third-world countries. These areas lack access to critical healthcare services and clean water.
Solution: The WellBOX is a portable health clinic that can be dropped into any region of the world to provide clean drinking water and healthcare services and education. The self-sustaining unit will be powered by solar panels and will tap into a local well to provide water filtration. The modular structure will come equipped with tele-medicine equipment, allowing doctors to diagnos remotely.
Team:
Emily Guglielmo, Senior Structural Engineer, Martin/Martin, Larkspur, Calif.
Candace Small, Architect, VOA Associates, Chicago
Vincent D'Ambrosio, Senior Vice President, Hill International, Marlton, N.J.
Chris Hermreck, Project Manager, JE Dunn Construction, Kansas City, Mo.
4. Internext ($500 - tied for fourth place)
Problem: The digital information world offers us instantaneous, universal access, but inundates us with data in a constant, overwhelming stream. As a result, our connections to others and our surrounding community are becoming less meaningful. We've lost our sense of place.
Solution: Internext filters when and where you receive specific digital information based on rules you set, helping you prioritize your life following preferences that reflect your values. Want to spend more time with your family? Set a rule that holds all email after 6 p.m. on workdays. Want to connect with fans of your favorite team while on vacation? Let Internext find the popular hangouts.
Team:
Dace Campbell, Customer Success Manager, Autodesk, Shoreline, Wash.
David Mayman, Architect, Gensler, San Francisco
Craig Chinn, Associate Principal, KTGY Group, Irvine, Calif.
Molly Engelbert, Assistant Project Manager, Balfour Beatty, Dallas
Related Stories
| Jul 17, 2014
A high-rise with outdoor, vertical community space? It's possible! [slideshow]
Danish design firm C.F. Møller has developed a novel way to increase community space without compromising privacy or indoor space.
| Jul 17, 2014
How the 'pop-up' retail concept can be applied to workplace design
“Pop-up” has rapidly become one of the most pervasive design trends in recent years. It has given us pop-up shops and pop-up restaurants, but can it be applied to the professional work environment?
Sponsored | | Jul 17, 2014
A major hop forward
The construction of efficient metal buildings has helped Perrault Farms expand its hops-harvesting business.
| Jul 17, 2014
22 land questions to decide if your build site works
When you’re ready to build, land needs a serious amount of attention. Since it can singlehandedly shift your building plans, land must be investigated, questioned, and eyed from every angle. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Jul 16, 2014
Mergers and acquisitions of AE firms on track for strong year in 2014
Through the first six months of 2014, Morrissey Goodale tracked 101 sales of U.S.-based architecture and engineering firms, roughly the same amount as during the first six months of 2013.
| Jul 16, 2014
Ware Malcomb announces New Jersey office expansion
Architecture and design firm also honored for commercial real estate projects in New Jersey.
| Jul 16, 2014
Learning design fundamentals in the digital age – How to balance learning and technology
My colleague and I were once asked an insightful question by a Civil Engineering Professor that sparked an interesting conversation. He’d been told about our software by some of his students who had used it during their summer internship. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Jul 16, 2014
Check out this tree-like skyscraper concept for vertical farming
Aprilli Design Studio has stepped forward with a new idea for a vertical farm, which is intended to resemble a giant tree. It uses lightweight decks as outdoor growing space, adding up to about 25 acres of space.
| Jul 16, 2014
User input on aquatics center keeps students in the swim [2014 Building Team Awards]
Collaborative spirit abounds in the expansion and renovation of a high school pool facility in suburban Chicago.
| Jul 16, 2014
Nonresidential construction starts up 34% in June
Construction starts for nonresidential work saw a surge in June, rising more than a third compared with the previous month, according to Reed Construction Data.
