2001	The 6th Designers 3D CAD Challenge for Architectural CADD Systems 2001 Challenge of the Architectural CADD Cup

Why and how is this particular competition appropriate for the New York WTC site

We regard as a kind of preliminary exploratory design competition. We fully expect that some of the ideas submitted may indeed not involve a building or building complex at all, but something else - who knows..... maybe just some kind of memorial arch.

Before the AIA national starts going to town with any "building competition" and before the current site owners go much further in their talks on CNN about "possibly four smaller towers", we as a nation, and society in general, need to determine if "buildings" are even the way to go here.

Obviously, for all sorts of health reasons, we cannot possibly leave the pile of rubble there as it is now (clearly one option, but not a particularly good one) - so SOMETHING must happen to the site.

THAT is why the 3D CAD Design Challenge, being right now, and potentially focusing national attention on the future and something positive and hopeful, healing, and potentially even inspiring, instead of scaring the wits out of people with constant talk of the war to end all wars. Just as the singers and entertainment industry are singing, the Wall Streeters are continuing in the NY Stock Exchange, and Giulianni encourages us all to go about our jobs which in turn helps out the most - we in the architectural design business can do our part best, by indeed doing our thing - creating images of a hopeful future world.

The 3D CAD Design Challenge, with its emphasis on 3D visualization so that all the non-architects can see what the various options may bring, is unique in many ways for this purpose. The emphasis on a "3 hour design charrette" schematic level means that, quicker than any other forum, we can change the project to help provide this social service. With some people already talking general concepts - for either buildings or parks - we could see a flood of more meshed out ideas by November 14 at the Boston World Trade Center.

You know that, come next year, each CADD company may develop a competition for the site as we have seen in the past, as will the AIA national (if indeed it looks like a "building" is appropriate, as the Design Shootout will explore), but rather than a competition restricted to just Autodesk or Graphisoft or MicroStation users - right now we need an across the board view of ideas, all, of course, using design software so as to make these schematic design ideas truly visual to the public. Finally, the 3D CAD Design Challenge, which I have run essentially as a public service for the professional community for six years now since it has never actually brough in as much as I, the BSA, and others have paid for it, is indeed essentially a non-profit contributer to this cause. Additionally, we are setting up a way whereby each competitor can earn money to be contributed to the New York disaster funds (click here for more info). Geoffrey Moore Langdon, AIA