School M.O.D.

Best School Design; Honorable Mention for Building—Student

School M.O.D.

This prototype school building focuses on feasibility and maximizing flexibility. The usual constraints of fixed areas are resolved by combining modular (M), open (O), and dual structural (D) systems. This construction technique allows any individual to build with locally available materials to meet immediate needs while providing the opportunity for future growth.

View the full project description
and photos.

 

About the Entrants

Ikue Nomura

Ikue Nomura, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria
Master of Structural Design and Timber Engineering Candidate 2010, Vienna University of Technology, Austria

Ikue Nomura is currently pursuing a master degree in Structural Design and Timber Engineering at Vienna University of Technology, Austria. Her studies focus on wood based building design for sustainable urban development. Her research includes investigations into the material properties of wood and denchronology at a couple different institutes in Germany and Italy. With her education, she has realized the potential of timber construction and its effect on the environment and sustainable architectural development. Upon graduation, she plans to continue working toward a goal of sustainable design in all of her projects.

Yosuke Kawai

Yosuke Kawai, University of Pennsylvania, Dayton, OH
Master of Architecture 2009, University of Pennsylvania

Yosuke Kawai is a recent graduate from the University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Architecture. His involvement in design projects, including academic, independent works, and employment experiences, has given him the opportunity to materialize his ideas from the conceptual to the built environment. The Lifecycle Building Challenge allowed him to focus on some of his other interests on sustainable issues that go beyond the traditional selection of materials and attempt to approach ‘total’ sustainability - wrapping together feasibility, flexibility and the role of society to contribute more to the built environment. Through this experience, he hopes to apply some of these principles into future built works.