The Boston Society for Architecture (BSA), MakeTank and MKR|MGR are excited to announce a new community design opportunity associated with the BSA's annual Design Awards Program. Throughout the month of December, we are running an open competition for the design of the physical award trophy, known as the Hobson Award. The winner of the competition will have their design fabricated and shipped to each Design Award recipient ahead of the annual BSA Awards Gala.

Hobson Award Background:
The Hobson, named in honor of H.H. Richardson, the father of American architecture, was originally conceived in 2011. The proposal for the first Hobson design, also the result of a design competition, calls upon the möbius strip, "a mathematically-based surface which synthesizes geometry and algorithms with an aesthetically pleasing form. Like great architecture, the möbius strip changes shape and composition relative to the angle it is viewed."

The BSA, MakeTank, and MKR|MGR look forward to seeing your creative ideas. Please review the below specifications and guidelines, and reach out with any questions.

Design Prompt:
Develop a new design for the award trophies to be fabricated by BSA MakeTank and MKR|MGR Knowledge Communities, using the original Hobson Award and its möbius strip as inspiration, as you interpret it. (See image for previous Hobson example.)

Submission Requirements: Email proposed design images and files to [email protected].

Submission Deadline: December 23, 2020

Approximate scale: 6" and 12" tall; approx. 6" wide (sized to be easily held in hand)

Award Base: Designs must include a base to which a 1" (h) x 3" (w) engraved plaque can adhere

Number of Trophies: 20

Material Budget: Approx. $100 each

Fabrication Options: 3-Axis CNC, Laser Cutter, 3D Printer, Standard Woodshop Options.

Proposed Labor/Fabrication Hours: 40 hours Total (approx. 2 hours per trophy)

Happy designing!