Introduction
Developer HUB has teamed up with Archiboo to create a new competition – the Engineer Pitch. They are asking structural engineering firms to pitch creative ideas specifically focused on repurposing commercial buildings to provide low-carbon homes.
The winning engineering firm will be commissioned on a live HubCap project.
Context
HubCap are a HUB venture who deliver low-carbon living places by repurposing commercial buildings in central urban locations. As structural engineers play a pivotal role in retrofit projects, their expertise is often required before any other consultant, taking centre-stage throughout the project. HubCap want to broaden the pool of structural engineers they work with to ensure they can access emerging ideas around new materials, new technologies and circular economy principles to reduce carbon further still.
The competition will shine a light on the critical role played by engineers in retrofit and low carbon development, giving them the opportunity to take the lead by sharing their innovative thinking with a wider audience.
More than ever collaboration and great design is essential to deliver dynamic, appealing and flexible buildings. Engineers may choose to collaborate with an architectural practice on this assignment but we hope architects will be happy to play a supporting role on this occasion.
Brief
Prepare a 3-minute presentation to share your ideas about a typical HubCap project (see Appendix*), where the key requirements are usually:
- Conversion from commercial to living spaces
- Extension to add mass to the roof or side
- Inclusion of shared amenity space
- Introduction of publicly accessible amenity to ground floor
- Heritage elements
Use the building described in the Appendix* as a springboard to showcase your firm’s best and most forward-thinking ideas and tools, for example:
- Future materials
- Re-use and recycling
- Use of technology
- Flexibility for future use
- Maintenance solutions
- Other pioneering ideas
Please note, we are looking for inspiration not calculations. Please don’t present plans. We want ideas, the more creative the better. This is about dreaming big and showing the art of what is possible with structure, both now and in the near (and even distant) future.
The judging panel will be announced shortly and will be chaired by Damien Sharkey, HUB's Managing Director.
Applying to the Engineer Pitch
If you would like to apply, please fill in the form by June 2nd
Successful firms will be contacted by email after the shortlisting stage in mid-June.
The seven finalists will present their ideas at the Engineer Pitch on July 11.
The event will take place at the Building Centre before a live audience.
To purchase tickets please go to Ticket Tailor.
A video of a recent Architect Pitch can be watched here
*The Appendix will be be sent to the shortlist. If you require the Appendix before the shortlisting stage please contact us.
