Winners of the 2022 Timber in the City competition showcase wood design in architecture

The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) have just revealed the winners of the 2022 Timber in the City 4: Urban Habitats Competition in partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Architecture and the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design.

The competition is meant to highlight innovations in wood design using different types of building systems in a year that has seen record-breaking applications of mass timber construction, particularly in the U.S. market. Students in the contest's fourth edition were tasked with designing structures for a site located near Atlanta's Arts Center MARTA Station and were judged by a panel that included The University of Michigan's Arash Adel; MATTAFORMA founder Lindsey Wikstrom; Washington State University professor Omar Al-Hassawi; University of Virginia professor/After Architecture co-founder Katie MacDonald; and Georgia Tech's Master of Architecture program Director Michael Gamble.

ACSA Executive Director Michael Monti said: "This year’s designs imagine a transformation of our cities through sustainable buildings, renewable timber resources, and innovative techniques to build and design healthy environments."

A total of 3 prize winners and 5 honorable mention projects were selected from a field of more than 600 participating ACSA member schools. Registration for next year's challenge begins on April 13th. 

Keep reading to see more details about each team's winning design. 

1st Place Winner: Pine Hill

Students: Peter Koczarski & ZhongMing Peter Zhang
Faculty Sponsor: Caroline Grieco
Institution: New Jersey Institute of Technology

Jury comments: "Pine Hill is a top winner with the students’ innovative timber structure and beautifully detailed drawings, diagrams and sections. The overall building form brings a unique approach to investigative timber expression and an interesting approach to a massive building. The elegant design respects and elevates the benefits of timber construction."

2nd Place Winner: Spatial/Material Speculations: Timber

Students: Ahmed Helal
Faculty Sponsor: Viren Brahmbhatt
Institution: City College of New York

Jury Comments: "Spatial/Material Speculations: Timber is a selected winner demonstrating a holistic approach to timber structure through the exterior and interior system strategies. The relationship between the building layout and site topography is distinctive and well planned. The design is an excellent model of community integration for sustainable urban living."

3rd Place Winner: Hydro Habitat

Students: Evan Craig & Tiffany Velin
Faculty Sponsor: Suzan Wines
Institution: City College of New York

Juror Comments: "Hydro Habitat  is a chosen winner with a compelling timber truss bridge, which provides accessibility to the public along with a new community cultural space. The modular housing units are elegantly designed taking into consideration the inhabitants and a clear solution to environmental demands."

Honorable Mention: Diffusion: Revealing the Forest Within

Students: Maggie Kroening & Connor Schwartz
Faculty Sponsor: Shawn Protz
Institution: North Carolina State University

Jury Comments: "Diffusion: Revealing the Forest Within is a selected honorable mention calling attention to Atlanta’s loss of nature. The students created detailed and beautiful rendering with an interior dominant scheme which highlights the timber construction from within."

Honorable Mention: Foster Atlanta

Student: Sophia Rodriguez
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Hill
Institution: Savannah College of Art and Design
Collaborator: Matt Barnett, LS3P

Juror Comments: "Foster Atlanta is an honorable mention creating homes for foster children with a simple and strong timber structure. The design demonstrates a fun and creative way to use timber in a subtle and sensible manner."

Honorable Mention: Timber Arts

Students: Madeline Esdale, William Evans & Jeremy Tringale
Faculty Sponsors: Tyler Hinckley & Jacob Werner
Institution: Boston Architectural College

Juror Comments: "Timber Arts receives an honorable mention with great consideration to the site’s terrain and how the detailed sections create a beautiful user experience. The mass timber design creates a subdued palette that is beautifully reflected throughout the entire project."

Honorable Mention: Breathing Timber City

Students: Miguel Lantigua Inoa
Faculty Sponsor: Elizabeth Whittaker
Institution: Harvard University

Jury Comments: "Breathing Timber City receives an honorable mention with an innovative timber structure and well represented diagrams. The design promotes healthy living and clean air circulation throughout the building in a pragmatic building form."

Honorable Mention: Oasis in the City

Students: Mingyao Chen, Mosammet Chowdhury & Otabek Ochilov
Faculty Sponsor: Suzan Wines
Institution: City College of New York

Jury Comments: "Oasis in the City is a chosen honorable mention showing an optimistic view of the future of timber construction. The modular mass timber construction builds a carbon-neutral thriving marketplace for the community."