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
Multifamily Housing | May 1, 2023
A prefab multifamily housing project will deliver 200 new apartments near downtown Denver
In Denver, Mortenson, a Colorado-based builder, developer, and engineering services provider, along with joint venture partner Pinnacle Partners, has broken ground on Revival on Platte, a multifamily housing project. The 234,156-sf development will feature 200 studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments on eight floors, with two levels of parking.
Mass Timber | May 1, 2023
SOM designs mass timber climate solutions center on Governors Island, anchored by Stony Brook University
Governors Island in New York Harbor will be home to a new climate-solutions center called The New York Climate Exchange. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), The Exchange will develop and deploy solutions to the global climate crisis while also acting as a regional hub for the green economy. New York’s Stony Brook University will serve as the center’s anchor institution.
Market Data | May 1, 2023
AEC firm proposal activity rebounds in the first quarter of 2023: PSMJ report
Proposal activity for architecture, engineering and construction (A/E/C) firms increased significantly in the 1st Quarter of 2023, according to PSMJ’s Quarterly Market Forecast (QMF) survey. The predictive measure of the industry’s health rebounded to a net plus/minus index (NPMI) of 32.8 in the first three months of the year.
Sustainability | May 1, 2023
Increased focus on sustainability is good for business and attracting employees
A recent study, 2023 State of Design & Make by software developer Autodesk, contains some interesting takeaways for the design and construction industry. Respondents to a survey of industry leaders from the architecture, engineering, construction, product design, manufacturing, and entertainment spheres strongly support the idea that improving their organization’s sustainability practices is good for business.
Codes and Standards | May 1, 2023
Hurricane Ian aftermath expected to prompt building code reform in Florida
Hurricane Ian struck the Southwest Florida coastline last fall with winds exceeding 150 mph, flooding cities, and devastating structures across the state. A construction risk management expert believes the projected economic damage, as high as $75 billion, will prompt the state to beef up building codes and reform land use rules.
| Apr 28, 2023
$1 billion mixed-use multifamily development will add 1,200 units to South Florida market
A giant $1 billion residential project, The District in Davie, will bring 1.6 million sf of new Class A residential apartments to the hot South Florida market. Located near Ft. Lauderdale and greater Miami, the development will include 36,000 sf of restaurants and retail space. The development will also provide 1.1 million sf of access controlled onsite parking with 2,650 parking spaces.
Architects | Apr 27, 2023
Blind Ambition: Insights from a blind architect on universal design
Blind architect Chris Downey shares his message to designers that universal design goes much further than simply meeting a code to make everything accessible.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 27, 2023
BD+C's 2023 Design Innovation Report
Building Design+Construction’s Design Innovation Report presents projects, spaces, and initiatives—and the AEC professionals behind them—that push the boundaries of building design. This year, we feature four novel projects and one building science innovation.
Mixed-Use | Apr 27, 2023
New Jersey turns a brownfield site into Steel Tech, a 3.3-acre mixed-use development
In Jersey City, N.J., a 3.3-acre redevelopment project called Steel Tech will turn a brownfield site into a mixed-use residential high-rise building, a community center, two public plazas, and a business incubator facility. Steel Tech received site plan approval in recent weeks.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 27, 2023
Watch: Specifying materials in multifamily housing projects
A trio of multifamily housing experts discusses trends in materials in their latest developments. Topics include the need to balance aesthetics and durability, the advantages of textured materials, and the benefits of biophilia.
