“Concrete Thinking for a Sustainable World” Competition

Students came up with ideas for novel uses of concrete in sustainable design during the 3rd Annual “Concrete Thinking for a Sustainable World” competition.  Sponsored by the Portland Cement Association (PCA) along with the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) and administered by Association of Collegiate School of Architecture (ACSA), top winners included Antonio Vigil’s “Recycling Center + Mercado”.  Vigil states:

The site is tucked adjacent to Interstate 25 in Albuquerque, New Mexico
where there are several large wholesale and retail stores nearby. These
types of consumer attractions exemplify the waste and mass consumption
that have plagued our cities for far too long. The introduction of a
Recycling Center in this area is a strong statement on its own. However,
in order for this center to engage the community as well as compete
against the adjacent stores, another program must be added to this
center. The addition of a local Mercado [market] where people can sell
and exchange their own goods, not only speaks to a local cultural tradition
but helps reinforce the idea of reuse.

He also notes of the design that the bales of recycled goods mirror the design of the center–

These bales, which are bound by a wrapping of wires to hold the condensed
recycled goods together in order to be sold and shipped, are
reflected by the concrete structure that wraps this collection of uses
together into a cohesive design.

Link to PCA Press Release

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