May 29 2012

NYIT Architects Compete in International Design Contest

NYIT's School of Architecture and Design is one of two U.S. university programs—Harvard is the other—to compete in an invitation-only international design competition hosted by the L. Bocconi Business School in Milan Italy. The challenge faced by the six worldwide competitors (other invitees are based in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Spain, and Sweden) is to design a futuristic extension of the Bocconi campus in the industrial neighborhood Centrale del Latte. The NYIT team led by Adjunct Assistant Professor Giovanni Santamaria includes 2012 graduates from his Design VIII class—Arianna Armelli, Peter Cecora, Aurelija Jara, Talha Kirmani, Ishan Kumar, and Wagdy Moussa—as well as members from the School of Landscape Architecture at Kingston University in London, England, and the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at Politecnico di Milan, a partner on the school's May 2011 design proposal for Nuoro, a city in Sardinia, Italy. They will submit a design proposal on Thursday, June 7. 

Their design envisions an environment of open spaces integrated with Milan's urban landscape and serving as a connection to the city's surrounding communities. The architects worked sustainable strategies into their proposal, such green roofing systems, water collection, natural ventilation, solar energy, and biomass. The campus will feature:

• Classrooms
• Lecture halls
• Office and management space
• Recreation center
• Sports facilities (pool, basketball courts, soccer field, and gym)
• TV and radio station
• Specialized stores
• Accommodations for students and professors

A jury of industry professionals will select three winning designs in early July.