Each year, all sixty-nine third-year architecture students participate in the MKM Design Competition. For the past 8 weeks, the students apply their design knowledge and skills to the same project, exploring designs for a mixed-use development for a site in downtown Muncie, Indiana. Students had the option to work individually or in teams of two; all entries were judged together. Having established an endowment specifically for this competition, MKM architecture + design in Fort Wayne, awards prize money to the winning projects.

About the multi-use design challenge – “The MuncieForward Center”
Muncie, similar to many midwestern cities, faces numerous challenges.  Aging population, shifting and diminishing educational resources, food deserts with limited access to fresh and healthy produce, and shifts from a manufacturing based to technology-based workforce. Like most communities across the country, Muncie is struggling with contemporary issues of social equity, justice and public health as we move toward a post pandemic future.

The submitted projects should feature and celebrate innovative uses of steal, and should be a new landmark within the city announcing and demonstrating a new path forward. Elements that should be included in the structure are: a full gym, lounge for community events, small kitchen, local produce market, auditorium, gallery, workforce development space, health center, office space, and mechanical room.

 

THE JURY:

Andrew Mitchell, AIA ACHA and associate principal at MKM Architecture + Design
Kelly Carlson-Reddig, associate professor of architecture at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Sohith Perera, founding partner of KORA Architecture DPC
Alexandre Mballa-Ekobena, computational designer, researcher and consultant in the field of Art, Architecture and Design
Andras Cseh, founding partner at CAN Architects, Gyor, Hungary

To view the presentation and hear the jurors comments on the entries click here.

 

FIRST PLACE (tie)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECOND PLACE + MKM MENZE PRIZE

 

The Menze Prize honors Ronald Menze – one of the founding principles of MKM and a recipient of the Alumni Award of Outstanding Achievement from Ball State’s College of Architecture and Planning. To honor his dedication to the college over the years, one entry each year is presented with the Menze Prize.

This entry receives the Menze Prize because it ties into the MKM values of enhancing the wellbeing of our communities and lifting up of marginalized communities. This entry has a good overall design has nice integration of active and passive systems.

 

 

 

 

THIRD PLACE (tie)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HONORABLE MENTION

Gage Buchmeier
Alexis Rogge
Adam Jarosik and Michael Shirley
Alana Kunkler and Sabrina McColl
Seong Park