Enter now! Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. Central on November 30, 2023.
The Forge Prize welcomes any conceptual design. All we ask is creative, technical, or other innovative approaches to solving a specific design challenge (i.e. environmental, economic, social, logistical, etc).
Successful Forge Prize submissions should also think outside the box when it comes to designing and building the concept. Consider and demonstrate how structural steel can make the whole process faster.
Your concept may be outside the box, but we want you to ground it in an existing physical context--that is, an actual site. You may locate your design anywhere in the U.S., and your drawings should prominently identify the site. If you choose a site that is already occupied by an existing structure, note the replacement in your narrative.
The competition is open to designers or teams of designers based in the U.S. who are:
Emerging practicing architects (those licensed for less than 10 years or on the path to licensure);
Tenured or tenure-track educators who have taught for less than 10 years in a university-level architecture program in the U.S.;
Adjunct architecture educators who have taught for less than 10 years and have been licensed for less than 10 years or are on the path to licensure;
Graduate-level architecture students enrolled in a university-level, U.S.-based architecture program.
If you have questions about your eligibility, please email theforgeprize@aisc.org to discuss your individual circumstances.
Required documents
1. Narrative
This is where you'll explain the challenge you've set yourself and how you propose to solve it. Tell the judges all about your idea--where it came from, why it works, why steel would be a good choice for this design, and how your concept could shorten the time it would take to design and build a structure.
Be concise. The narrative shouldn't exceed 500 words.
We'll need some basic information listed on the submission. These items will not count toward your word count and should appear in the upper left corner of your document.
Name of project
Location of project
Type of project (i.e., museum, residential, etc.)
Size of project (in sq. ft)
All entries are judged anonymously to ensure fairness. Do not put your name on your narrative.
Upload your narrative as a single-page PDF (standard letter size). The filename should be formatted to include the project name and the word "narrative" (i.e., SmithTower_Narrative).
2. Images:
A picture truly is worth 1,000 words. Show off your design!
Robust submissions are more competitive. We encourage you to provide compelling visual content that best illustrates your concept (i.e. perspectives, renderings, interesting sections, 3D modeling, photography, plans, elevations, spatial diagrams, stacking diagrams).
You may upload up to five ARCH D Sheet layouts (24”x36”) in full color or animations that supplement your drawings.
PDF drawings should be submitted at 300 DPI, not to exceed 20 MB each.
The file name for each item you upload should contain the project name, a description, and credit info (i.e., SmithTower_LobbyView_creditJaneSmith).
