February 10, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHICAGO - The Forge Prize finalists may soon find themselves $10,000 richer--and the judging will take place live on YouTube next Wednesday from 11:00 am - 12:30 p.m. CST at youtube.com/AISCsteelTV!

For the second year in a row, the American Institute of Steel Construction will share their inspiring visions with the whole AEC community by streaming their final jury presentations live on YouTube.

"Last year's judging was a fascinating look at a conversation between young designers and our experienced judges," said Alex Morales, AISC Senior Steel Specialist and Forge Prize organizer. "It was a fabulous peek into the design and collaboration process."

The Forge Prize celebrates emerging architects who create visionary designs that embrace steel as the primary structural component while exploring ways to increase project speed.

About the designs

The three final designs are very different from one another, but they all offer intriguing visions for the future.

Hunter Ruthrauff of T.Y. Lin International Group in San Diego designed a 3D-printed steel pedestrian bridge that spans Balboa Park's Florida Canyon. Ruthrauff chose 3D-printed steel because it offers better tensile strength than 3D-printed concrete and lessens the complexity of the design process.

Jieun Yang of Habitat Workshop imagined Signal Park in San Jose, Calif., a cluster of urban villages that seamlessly blend into the area's natural landscape. The steel scaffolding structure in the park would collect and filter rainwater to be used for cooling mist stations and site irrigation.

Mert Kansu and Yimeng Teng of VMDO Architects proposed a civic mixed-use plaza in Richmond, Va., that focuses on public engagement, community programs, and sustainability. Their design incorporates steel plates to create an expressive folding form. 

About the judges

Pascale Sablan, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP - Associate, Adjaye Associates

With over 13 years of experience, Sablan has been on the design team for a variety of mixed-use, commercial, cultural, and residential projects around the world. Pascale is the 315th living African American female architect in the United States to attain her architectural license. She has received numerous honors including the 2018 Pratt Alumni Achievement Award, Emerging New York Architect Merit Award, NOMA Prize for Excellence in Design, 2018 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Young Architects Award, and the 2021 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award. Pascale is founder and executive director of Beyond the Built Environment.

Robert Cassidy - Executive Editor, Building Design+Construction | Editor, Multifamily Design+Construction

Cassidy served as editorial director of BD+C from 2002-2014. He holds a bachelor’s from the College of the Holy Cross and a master’s in urban studies from Yale. He was a city planner in Providence, R.I., and Arlington, Va., and edited Planning Magazine, the publication of the American Planning Association. In 1979 he co-founded the Friends of the Chicago River and served as its Chair from 1979 to 1982. His published books include Livable Cities: A Grass-roots Guide to Rebuilding Urban America and Margaret Mead: A Voice for the Century. In 2016 he was awarded the G.D. Crain, Jr. Award for Lifetime Editorial Achievement from Connectiv, the business information association serving the business-to-business media sector.

Bob Borson, FAIA - Associate Principal, BOKA Powell

Borson is widely recognized as the blogger behind Life of an Architect--one of the world’s most popular architectural blogs. Dallas AIA named him “Young Architect of the Year” in 2009. He received the Award for Excellence in the Promotion of Architecture through the Media from the Texas Society of Architects in 2015 and was elevated into the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in 2017.