May 17, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dan Panetta
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Phone 805 756 5371; dpanetta@calpoly.edu
Interdisciplinary Cal Poly Team Wins Low-Income Housing Challenge
SAN LUIS OBISPO – An interdisciplinary team of Cal Poly students took first place in Bank of America’s Low-Income Housing Challenge.
The Cal Poly team partnered with People's Self Help Housing to create a physical and financial proposal for an 80-unit farmworker housing development in unincorporated Santa Barbara County near Santa Maria. In addition to housing, the team’s concept included a community and family education center, renovation of the historic Allan Hancock house, an on-site wastewater treatment facility, and an organic community farm, all designed to meet the particular needs of the farmworker population. The development qualifies for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification.
The team was comprised of 12 students from six departments. Team members included nine students working toward bachelor degrees in architecture, business, city and regional planning, construction management, and landscape architecture, as well as three graduate students in city and regional planning and industrial technology.
This year’s competition included teams from Cal Poly, Stanford and UC Berkeley.
Bank of America will award $5,000 to People's Self Help Housing as the nonprofit partner of the winning Cal Poly team.
The full proposal and a short video on the project can be viewed at www.polyhousingcollaborative.com.
About the Bank of America Low-Income Housing Challenge:
The competition requires student teams to develop concepts, designs, community support and financing for housing projects that are affordable for low-income households. The proposals are evaluated on concept and design as well as financial feasibility. Bank of America sponsors the competition to encourage emerging leaders in the fields of architecture, business and city planning to pursue careers in affordable housing.
###