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PULLMAN, Wash. - The demolition of Seattle’s 520 Floating Bridge is expected to create enough waste material to fill the interiors of 67 Boeing 747s. But if designers respond to a challenge from a graduate architecture student at Washington State University, they may yet find a way to turn it into something usable.

As part of her thesis and required final design project, Sara Strouse, a student with the WSU School of Design and Construction, has developed a design competition which she hopes will provide lessons on reuse and sustainability. The competition encourages entrants to find creative uses for the materials from the old bridge.

"I want to find out if I can get the idea of adaptive reuse more recognized through the use of competition, as well broadening the audience of my thesis,” Strouse said.

She announced the competition in early June and submissions are due by August 15. While Strouse does not have the authority to grant a contract to the winning designer, she has gained enough sponsorships to award a $3,000 first place prize.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Seattle Gallery will display the winning entries and is co-presenting the competition.  NBBJ, KSI Architecture and Planning, the WSU School of Design and Construction, and Kiewit/General/Manson, A Joint Venture, are sponsors. Kiewit/General/Manson is the contractor on the bridge project.

The new bridge is scheduled to open in 2014, at which time the existing bridge will be decommissioned and removed.

Paul Hirzel, a faculty member in the School of Design and Construction and chair of Strouse’s graduate committee, said the multiple dimensions of this project make it relevant and full of potential.

"Infrastructure is of big interest in the US right now, and encouraging the reuse of an existing structure versus demolition contributes to sustainability measures that are becoming more and more critical,” he said.

Although the timeframe for the competition is short, Hirzel is optimistic about turn-out. The jury for the competition includes the well-known architect and WSU graduate, Robert Hull.

 

Strouse said she hopes the competition will attract between 50 and 100 design teams and individual designers.

"I hope to get both designers and the general public to start viewing public projects as opportunities for something greater, and competitions as ways to encourage innovation amongst designers,” Strouse said.

The competition is open to professionals and students over the age of 18. Winners will be announced at a post-competition jury panel discussion moderated by Peter Steinbrueck at the Seattle Design Festival on September 21. The festival is sponsored by Seattle’s new non-profit, Design in Public. The AIA Seattle Gallery will display winning entries from September 18-October 26.

 

For more information on the competition, please visit www.rethinkreuse.org.

 

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