THE JBC Masonry Innovation Competition

Competition Overview

IMI’s JBC Masonry Innovation Competition wants your ideas for transformative masonry design. We’re challenging practicing and aspiring architects and engineers to advance the future of masonry design and construction.

Together with innovative architects and engineers, we can create a better built world for everyone. 
Registration opens in the summer of 2023, in the interim, join us in celebrating the 2022 JBC Masonry Innovation Competition winners and the impacts of their work.

WHO CAN ENTER

The competition is open to:

  • University students enrolled in a design, architecture, or engineering program
  • Architects
  • Engineers
  • Architectural and Engineering Firms

Entry Categories

There are 3 entry categories:

  • Students: Undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in an accredited design, architecture, or engineering school.
  • Young Architects/Engineers: Any architects or engineers under the age of 40.
  • A/E Firms, Individual Architects/Engineers, & Cross-Category: Architecture/engineering firms, architects and engineers age 40 and over, and cross-category teams.
 

Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged in all categories to help facilitate a well-conceived solution, but individual entries are also permitted. There are no restrictions on team size.

Each team or individual may only submit one entry.

PRIZES

Monetary awards will be provided to 1st place winners in each of the 3 entry categories.

In addition to monetary prizes, winners will receive special publicity opportunities, including the opportunity to present their designs on IMI’s popular webinar series, which regularly draws hundreds of attendees across the country. Winners will also be highlighted in digital publications and honored during an awards ceremony.

Untitled design (1)

University
STUDENTS

$10,000

Untitled design (1)

YOUNG ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS

$10,000

Untitled design (1)

Firms AND Individual Architects / Engineers

$10,000

JURY

Entries will be evaluated by a prestigious panel of renowned architects and leaders in the masonry design and construction industry.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The following criteria will be used to judge submissions:

  • Innovation (45%): The idea provides a groundbreaking proposal for positioning masonry. The idea generates added value or usefulness, improvement, or increases masonry’s relevance.
  • Execution of idea (30%): The idea is clearly communicated and understood.
  • Creativity (25%): The solution shows original thinking.

Registration

Registration is currently closed. Please check back in 2023.

Submission

HOW TO SUBMIT

The online entry and submission system is currently closed.

DELIVERABLES

During the online entry submission period, participants are required to submit the following deliverables as a part of their entry:

  • Two digital presentation boards depicting your project. Include plans, sections, details, BIM images, 3D images, and any other information needed to explain your design solution. Digital boards should be landscape-oriented at 24″(h) X 36″(w) and saved as JPEGs at 150 dpi resolution in RGB mode.
  • A project statement (1200 words max.) that explains how your concept rethinks the innovative potential of masonry and addresses program requirements outlined in the competition brief. 
  • Contact information, as requested during registration and on the entry form.
  • For Student Category Entrants Only: Proof of current enrollment in a design, architecture, or engineering program.

Participants are encouraged to submit all information they consider necessary to explain their solution above and beyond the required deliverables, including, but not limited to, video, images, written, or multimedia content.

PAST WINNERS

2022

2020

2018

Joan B. Calambokidis served as President of the International Masonry Institute (IMI) from 1995-2017.

The JBC Masonry Innovation Competition was founded in 2018 to honor Joan’s legacy of masonry innovation, including groundbreaking advancements in training, education, research, and technical development.

Joan’s leadership was instrumental in creating IMI’s renowned training programs for craftworkers, contractors, and design professionals. Her vision for training has helped to bring an unprecedented level of skill, quality, and craftsmanship to masonry construction projects across the U.S. and Canada. Joan also led the development of IMI’s International Training Center, a multi-building, state-of-the-art facility in Maryland that has educated thousands of craftworkers and design professionals since its opening in 2007.

During Joan’s tenure, IMI helped curate Masonry Variations in 2003, a National Building Museum exhibit co-sponsored by the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) and IMI. The exhibit featured innovative works by four architects, demonstrating the versatility of stone, terrazzo, brick, and autoclaved aerated concrete. The installations explored the relationship between material, technology, and collaboration.

Joan was also responsible for the creation of Masonry Camp, a nationally-recognized IMI program dedicated to building collaboration between designers and craftworkers.

Through the JBC Masonry Innovation Competition, IMI honors and carries on the tradition of innovation that Joan established in the masonry industry.

QUESTIONS

Questions should be submitted via email to jbcaward@imiweb.org.

This site uses cookies

Small text files that are placed on your machine to help the site provide a better user experience. In general, cookies are used to retain user preferences, store information for things like shopping carts, and provide anonymised tracking data to third party applications like Google Analytics. As a rule, cookies will make your browsing experience better. However, you may prefer to disable cookies on this site and on others. The most effective way to do this is to disable cookies in your browser. We suggest consulting the Help section of your browser or if you decline you will be redirected to the About Cookies website which offers guidance for all modern browsers.