PER/FORM Live Design Competition challenges architects to first-of-its-kind performance based design contest

NEW YORK – Sefaira announced PER/FORM Live Design Competition, a  building design contest to challenge the brightest minds in architecture to create inspired and sustainable building designs.

The competition is organized in two parts–an online round followed by an unprecedented live, in-person design competition to take place at the Pratt Institute in Manhattan on Saturday, May 17th. Registration is open now through April 2. To register visit https://performlive.com. Winners will be selected in each of the two rounds.

Together with platform sponsor SketchUp; architectural partner BKSK Architects; design partner, The Public Society; media partner Metropolis Magazine; and academic partner, Pratt Institute; Sefaira invites architecture professionals and students in the United States and Canada to develop and submit designs that strive for the highest standards in both aesthetic form and building performance.

Participants will receive free access to Sefaira’s real-time performance analysis software and the intuitive 3D design tool SketchUp. This will equip contenstants with the latest innovative building design software, meaning they will have the tools they need to rapidly develop and iterate high performance building design concepts. Additionally, participants will receive guidance to help them create the best high performance designs. The top 30 designs from the online round will be exhibited at the live event in NYC and a winner will be selected among them. Thirty contestants from the online round will also get the chance to compete head-to-head in the live contest.

The live competition – May 17
On the day of the live competition, contestants will gather at Pratt’s Manhattan Campus to compete in three fast-paced rounds, in front of a live audience. A high-calibre jury of design and sustainability experts will evaluate the designs based on strength of concept, aesthetics and building performance metrics. The winner on the day will be interviewed and featured in Metropolis Magazine.

BKSK Architects Sustainable Design Director Jennifer Preston describes the spirit of the competition, “In our practice, we find that the most effective design is found at the intersection of poetry and performance. We envision this competition as a critical opportunity to expand the dialogue dedicated to elevating design.”

Sefaira CEO Mads Jensen added, “At Sefaira we are all about empowering designers to realize their high performance building vision. The PER/FORM competition is an opportunity for great designers to show-case their talents in Performance Based Design, and we look forward to welcoming all the contestants and to see what great designs they can create when they combine their outstanding talents with the leading edge in building design software.”