Bayside Adapts Design Challenge Announces Call for Submissions

PORTLAND, Maine -- The City of Portland announces a call for submissions for the Bayside Adapts Design Challenge, a planning and community engagement exercise to develop visionary ways to make the Bayside Neighborhood more resilient in the face of climate change. The deadline for submissions is April 10, 2017. Details on how to submit are listed below. 

“The Bayside Adapts Design Challenge asks participants to imagine a future Bayside that remains an economically vital and vibrant community in the face of intensifying rain, increased storm surge, and rising seas," said Troy Moon, the City's Sustainability Coordinator.  The submitted designs, while not intended for construction, will provide context for community discussion and inform planning decisions in future phases of the Bayside adaptation process.

The Design Challenge is open to anyone and has three submission categories - Citizen Planner (individual, team, or neighborhood), Student (Middle and High Schools), and Professional Designers (Including Undergraduate and Graduate Degree candidates). Entrants will be asked to provide a concept summary board and up to three supporting boards with research, renderings, and details around how their vision will promote resiliency in Bayside. 

Submissions will be judged based on five main criteria - coherency, credibility, scope, practicality, and inspiration. After judging, selected submissions will be printed and displayed at the Portland Public Library’s Rines Auditorium on May 3 for public review and discussion. 

“The goal of this visioning process is to inspire, engage and help the community envision a viable future for the neighborhood. We hope that this challenge will spark conversation and excitement around the innovative ideas to make Bayside more resilient,” added Waterfront Coordinator, Bill Needelman.

The submission selected as Best in Show based on the judging criteria will receive a $1,000 cash prize or equivalent donation to the local charity of the winner’s choice. Funding for design challenge is from the City’s recent award of a Leadership in Community Resiliency Grant from the National League of Cities.

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SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

DEADLINE:  April 10, 2017

All submissions and questions should be sent to thm@portlandmaine.gov

A preliminary meeting to field any questions that entrants may have as they embark on the challenge will be held on March 8 at 4 PM.  A conference line will be available to join the meeting remotely.  Contract Troy Moon at thm@portlandmaine.gov for call in details.

Awards will be announced on May 3 at Rines Auditorium in the Portland Public Library

Please see the City of Portland Sustainability Office website for more information and future updates.