FreeGreen.com is hosting a design contest that challenges designers to bring progressive new ideas in housing to mainstream America. The grand prize is $5,000 plus the plans will be developed fully by FreeGreen.com while allowing the designer retain the rights. They will also post the winning design to FreeGreen.com.
The registration deadline is December 31, 2009 and there is a $50 entry fee. The complete design is due by March 1, 2010 and public voting begins March 20th. The winners will be selected by a combination of jury selection and public voting. Winners will be announced April 8th and the plans will be published on approximately April 30, 2010.
Competitors will be designing a house 1,800 square feet or less for one of two theoretical user profiles: The Starter House or The Not So Empty Nest. I’m seriously considering entering this competition to see if the world is really ready for a mainstream tiny house. The competition is open to students, amateur designers, and architects. Visit the Who’s Next competition rules for all the details.
I think you should enter the contest. It might get more people interested in your ideas. I think it would make a great starter house.
Thanks Bill… that’s what I’m thinking too. In fact I think I might take it a step farther and use an iterative design process using mostly reader input to find the best design. This is a really common approach in the software world and might give the design an edge and story most designers won’t be able to bring to the table. Hmmmm? 🙂
Hey there Michael. Thanks for the post. Looking forward to seeing your design in the contest. Registration is heating up and going strong internationally thanks to a nice post in Italy today. Should be fun.
Thanks David… it sounds like fun. I’m actually planning on using a design approach I’ve used many times in online software development, iterative with user feedback in regular cycles. I’ve had a bit of luck here with it but this will be much more carefully planned. Should be fun!
Michael thanks for the post. I’ll be side by side your entry, I’m sure. This sounds like a blast especially with the guaranteed exposure. Best of luck to you.
Sounds great Brian. More the merrier 🙂
I vote enthusiastically for Profile TWO!!!
I’ve got my fingers crossed for #2 too. But we’ll see what the people vote 🙂