ARCHITIZER IS EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH SUNBRELLA® FOR THE FIFTH ANNUAL FUTURE OF SHADE COMPETITION, WHICH IS DEDICATED TO EXPLORING SPACE-BUILDING POTENTIALS OF FABRIC. OVER THE YEARS, THE COMPETITION HAS GENERATED INTEREST FROM ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS ALL OVER THE WORLD, ATTRACTING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT ADVANCE THE TECHNOLOGICAL AND AESTHETIC POTENTIAL OF SUNBRELLA PRODUCTS. THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER IN EACH CATEGORY WILL RECEIVE $10,000 AND A CHANCE TO HAVE THEIR DESIGN REALIZED WITH SUNBRELLA FABRICS.
The Future of Shade Competition is now open! We are pleased to introduce the third of three categories available for entry: the Well-Being Challenge.
Mindfulness and self-care are two terms quickly shaping a large part of everyday vocabulary. From getting exercise to practicing meditation to taking part in a favorite hobby, activities that de-stress and recharge the body and brain are crucial to maintaining a successful life balance. And architecture can play a powerful role in shaping a holistic lifestyle of wellbeing.
According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, humans have strong preferences for the natural over the built. Yet the National Academy of Sciences says that nature-based recreation has actually decreased 25 percent in the last 40 years. Whether that’s due to lack of access to nature or overwork indoors, the design community can be instrumental in urging people to get outside by creating structures and settings that respond to this inherent need for nature.
Nanjing Green Towers by Stefano Boeri Architetti; images via Stefano Boeri Architetti
One way to ensure that people have this connection is through wellness gardens. Typically designed for — but not exclusive to — hospitals, nursing- or retirement-home settings and rehabilitation centers, these outdoor amenities may promote leisure as well as serenity.
This concept of biophilic design is on the rise. Green towers engulfed in flora are popping up around the world. Stunning green rooftops provide both sustainable ecosystems for buildings and also places of retreat for occupants. In addition, hanging gardens — where a building’s façade is overgrown with a surreal display of nature — are trending, particularly in Vietnamese architecture. Even indoor trees are gaining momentum in interior design.
LENNE Office by Kamp Arhitektid
Incorporating such green space within and around a piece of architecture expands the potential of the built environment, allowing it to help promote longevity and wellness for its users. That’s why landscape architecture is a vital part of humanity’s overall health.
In previous years, the Sunbrella Future of Shade Competition asked entrants to specifically design a wellness garden incorporating performance textiles, green spaces that foster relaxation within or outside of a building. Last year’s winner, “Draping Scenery” by Hyunjeong Kim, created a unique system of shading and seating using Sunbrella fabrics for a treatment center.
Draping Scenery by Hyunjeong Kim
Kim proposed weaving a single sheet of fabric up and over a series of metal frames, resulting in a sequence of swinging loops of fabric that open up to the sky above, as well as roof overhangs that shield against direct sun. The intriguing aspect of Draping Scenery is its tendency to sway in the breeze mimics the movements of leaves, grass, trees and other natural flora.
2016 Sunbrella Future of Shade — Wellness Garden Grand Prize Winner
For the 2017 competition, Sunbrella is broadening the scope: The Well-Being category challenges entrants to design any shaded outdoor space that can host a wide range of users with enough seating and ease of circulation. The space can exist anywhere that seeks to promote wellness, whether a hospital, nursing home, rehab facility, office tower, community park or even a private home. Entrants should consider everything from a yoga studio and meditation room to a napping space, reading nook or garden.
Now is the time for you to realize the ideal green space that sustainably and creatively marries manmade materials with nature.
The deadline to submit to any of the Sunbrella Future of Shade categories is May 14, 2017. View past winners of the competition here. More information can be found on the contest’s competition page here on Architizer.