The North Bay Society of Architects (NBSA) has unveiled the winners of the 2024 Climate Change Challenge. This year's submissions showcased exceptional creativity, innovation, and an understanding of the environmental challenges affecting architectural design.

The Climate Change Challenge tasked students with developing three-dimensional architectural shelters that integrate research on climate change and biomimicry. Teams applied planning, drafting, and communication skills to create models using biodegradable materials into tangible forms that responded to their specific climate challenge. The critical and creative processes involved mirrored the daily challenges faced by professional architects.

 Eight NBSA judges evaluated entries based on the completeness and quality of the narrative, the drawings illustrating the concepts and technical aspects of the design, and the 3D models.

Elementary School Level

First place in the Fire Category at St. Luke Catholic Elementary School went to Emmett and Olivia for their Phoenix-inspired shelter. Their design showcased remarkable creativity with a bird-shaped shelter nestled in a moat.

Second place in the Fire category at St. Luke Catholic Elementary School was awarded to Frankie, Jethro, and Daniel of the Red Brigade. Their fire shelter included references to the Ontario Building Code and an evacuation plan as part of the project narrative.

Third place in the Wind category at St. Luke Catholic Elementary School was secured by Darcy, Hayden, and Alyss for their double-envelope shelter, designed with angled walls and a non-rectangular shape. Their multi-layered facade served as an effective windbreak, reflecting how people layer clothing in harsher weather.

Third place in the Water category at Mother St. Bride Catholic Elementary School went to Danielle, Beulah, Shimona, and Daimon for their elevated, pier-based structure, enhanced by a computer-generated 3D rendering of the shelter as a guiding template for the model.

Secondary School Level

First place in the Water category at Northern Secondary School went to Nick, Troy, Bryce, and Lizzy. Their project featured well-executed drawings, a strong narrative, and a meticulously crafted model that reflected initial concept sketches.

Second place in the Water category at Ecole Secondaire Catholique Algonquin was awarded to Emma, Dominique, and Andrea for their mangrove-inspired design which offers protection for the three little pigs with a sturdy root system and elevated shelter during rising river levels.

Third place in the Fire category at Ecole Secondaire Catholique Algonquin, meanwhile, was presented to Lauren and Kayley for their earth-integrated underground bunker with skylight portals and air purifying filters, which created a secure living environment for their three little pigs.

The jury was impressed by the design's simplicity and ingenuity, featuring skylight portals with air filters in an earth-integrated shelter. The students effectively conveyed their narrative of providing a secure living environment for their three little pigs.

For more information and to see the complete list of finalists, visit the NBSA website.