Clemson architecture students win national competition

Published: August 10, 2010

CLEMSON — Clemson University architecture students earned first-place honors in a national competition to create a space that would connect people to themselves, others and nature.

Will Allport of Mount Pleasant, Nick Barrett of Irmo and Jason Butz of Charleston — students of Daniel Harding — won the 10th annual steel-design student competition. Administered by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction, the program challenged students to explore a variety of design issues related to the use of steel in design and construction.

Their specific challenge was to design a building that would provide a necessary respite from real world diseases, promote healing and foster a reconnection between people and nature.

The Clemson project, “Subconscious Suspension,” was designed to create a peaceful retreat in downtown Greenville near the Peace Center. It called for a large building in the area near an open-air pavilion and old mayonnaise factory.

The jury that chose the winning design stated that Subconscious Suspension was a “powerful project presented with compelling imagery. Good environmental consideration and urban integration.”

Second place went to Lawrence Technological University and honorable mentions were awarded to students from the Illinois Institute of Technology; California Polytechnic State University; the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; and the University of Virginia.

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