Two teams made up of Georgia Tech students from the Schools of Architecture, Building Construction, and City and Regional Planning have been announced as finalists in the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Hines Student Competition. Of 130 entries, only four teams are chosen to proceed to the final round.

Each year, Georgia Tech submits several teams to the competition. This year eight teams and 40 students participated. The finalist projects are called “Absorption” and “The EArL,” standing for the Eastern Arts Link.

The Absorption team included Coston Dickinson (MSUD), Justina Everhart (MCRP), Tara Garland (MRED) Trent Miller (M.Arch), and Carley Rickles (MSUD), advised by Lecturer David Haddow and Greg Catoe of Selig Enterprises.

“In December when we were forming teams, I had no idea what to expect,” said Justina Everhart, MCRP student on the Absorption team. “As I reflect on the whirlwind of the two-week competition period, I am so proud of my team for persisting through the challenge. The competition is structured in a way that demands innovation, collaboration, and enthusiasm. It revived my creative interests and gave me the privilege of learning from four exceptionally talented, interdisciplinary teammates who have since inspired me to pursue more creative, unconventional projects.”

The EArL team included Miram Alzaabi (MSUD), Jonathan Franklin (M.Arch), Clare Healy (MCRP), Zach Lancaster (MCRP), and Paul Steidl (M.Arch/MCRP), advised by Associate Professor Sabir Kahn and Tim Perry of North American Properties.

“We are thrilled to learn that we have been selected as one of four finalists in this year’s competition,” said Zachary Lancaster, MCRP student, on behalf of the EArL team. “We want to thank the faculty, staff and volunteers from the College of Design for all their support and feedback in the process of developing our submission, in particular we want to thank our advisors Sabir Khan and Ellen Dunham-Jones. We are excited to represent Georgia Tech in the finals and look forward to taking our vision of a diverse, high density cultural district in Toronto's emerging east side further.”

The ULI Hines Student Competition brings together students from different disciplines to envision a better built environment. Each team of five students has to have at least three disciplines represented. Teams are tasked with creating a development program for a real site in a North American city, with this year focused on an area near the mouth of Don River in Toronto. The teams have two weeks to compile designs, market-based financial data, and related narratives in a final proposal.

The final round will be held in Toronto on April 5. Students are invited to present to a jury panel and the final winner will be announced. In the weeks to come each team is given the opportunity to expand on their initial proposals, adding more detail. Each finalist team will receive $10,000 and the winner will receive $50,000. To see the official announcement from the ULI, click here. For more information on the ULI Hines Student Competition, click here.