Eight Teams Will Compete In IBA “Benched”

Eight teams will compete in the Institute of Bermuda Architects [IBA] “Benched” design-build competition, which is aimed at students in both high school and university. The competition is also supported by co-sponsors, Construction Association of Bermuda [CAOB].

The competition pairs designers, builders and students, tasked with designing and creating a bench by July 24. Members of the public and professionals will judge the final product.

The students who are competing in “Benched” are: Gabriella Botelho, Ayo-Oluwa Salawu, Luke Pimental, Jacob Pimental, Madeleine Brash, Korie Minors, Zane Hodgson, Anthony Swan, Yanna Smith, Kiarrah Rogers, Gemma Border, Anna Terceira, Cedar Chew, Azra Smith and Chiara Lombardi.

Firms who will offer professional design support to the students include: Botelho Wood Architects, Geoff Parker Architect, Linberg & Simmons, OBMI, Utopia and iEPC. Builders who will assist the students to develop their bench designs include: Signworx, Somers Construction Ltd., James Chew, J&W Construction, ALM Construction and Bermuda Stripping & Refinishing.

Judges include: Wayne Scott, Minister of Education; Charles Gosling, Mayor of Hamilton; Henry Ming, Architect and City Councillor; Aideen Ratteray-Pryse, Director of Planning; Charles Dunstan, President, CAOB; and Sophie Cressall, Curator, Bermuda National Gallery.

Krystal Rodrigues, President, IBA, says: “We are excited to have so many teams competing in ‘Benched’. This competition will provide a unique opportunity for students to be involved in a design project and to understand how all construction projects, regardless of scale, require coordination and teamwork.

“We are incredibly grateful to the design and building firms who have agreed to participate and to our sponsors, SAL & BCM McAlpine who generously donated stipends for the teams to procure materials. We look forward to seeing the final products later this month.”

The public is invited to judge the benches on July 25 between 11am and 3pm on Dundonald Street between Court and Union Streets and will be asked to select their top three entrants. The professional judges will view the submissions at the same time and will make their decision based on design concept, creativity and use of materials. Fifty per cent of the points will come from the professional judges and 50 per cent will come from members of the public.

The benches will be on display on Front Street from Harbour Nights on July 29 until August 31.

#Construction #IBA

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