Masonry Village Competition
The purpose of the Masonry Village Competition is two-fold. First: Have the masons achieve a greater understanding of the architectural community by assisting them in the design and creation of a structure which can be found in a village, and secondly, have the architects achieve a greater understanding of the workings of the brick mason and see how their one-dimensional plan becomes a three-dimensional structure. This event allows both trades, the architect and the mason, to develop a greater understanding of the roles of the other in the design/construction process. Working together, architects appreciate the input from the masons regarding the correct design of the masonry units; the masons enjoy working side-by-side with their design team, showing each architect that it simply is not as easy as it looks!
The camaraderie of the teams is evident and, at times, it is difficult to determine which is the architect and which is the mason. This event is unique to the masonry industry. Teams of architects and masons, working together, to both design AND build a structure which can be found in a "village." The mason works behind the scenes to help the architect design their structure, each team utilizing the same amount of bricks, CMU, glass block, and stone. Once the final design is determined, the teams then move to the floor of the competition arena, where the architects pick up trowels, levels, and follow leads to create their three-dimensional project.
The rules of the competition are few but very specific: 1) each team is given the same amount of materials (one pallet - 732 - bricks; 30 CMU blocks; an assortment of glass blocks; and an assortment of cultured stone.) They are supplied with a 12' x 16' building pad and enough mortar to complete their project. 2) There is a two-day construction time, during which each structure must be completed, cleaned, and ready for judging on the third day. 3) Teams must consist of a minimum of two architects and two masons. 4) A story board showing the architectural blueprint and/or project information must accompany each project.
A team of judges view each project on the third day of the competition, using such criteria as "creative use of materials", "variety of materials used and showcased," "workmanship," and "incorporating a variety of masonry elements, including corbelling, herringbone, running bond, stack bond. Other criteria included the incorporation of all the available materials into the structure.
Prizes are awarded to the top projects, as well as the "Peoples' Choice Award".
