2026 Concrete Masonry Competition

Linked Assembly is a welcome center in Sandpoint, Idaho, a small town that draws visitors year-round thanks to the outdoor recreation offered by the surrounding mountains and Lake Pend Oreille. The building sits directly on Sandpoint City Beach, with immediate access to the water and to Idaho’s only Amtrak station. It serves a dual purpose — a destination for tourists and a gathering place for residents, who can make use of community resources such as a local café and a shared garden.

The design takes its cue from the logic of masonry. The building emerges from the assembly of units that share a single structural theme: a central double-wythe CMU wall ringed by program spaces. These units are joined by shifting each one against the next, so that in plan the arrangement recalls the staggered stacking of masonry units within a wall. The economy of this idea yields a series of courtyards that multiply the range of inside/outside interactions and maximize the building’s connection to the surrounding landscape.

The profiled exterior wall expresses structural robustness in keeping with the logic of masonry construction. Full-height pilasters framing tall openings capped by lintels recur across every unit of the assembly, which distinguish themselves only through changes in height that register their program. The result is a coherent reading of the whole, enriched by the shifting play of light and shadow that helps settle the building into its context

The River Futures Museum is an interactive educational-recreational center for water filtration. Featuring a “science aquarium” showcasing natural H2O filtration processes, this welcome center aims to be a stepping stone in Downtown Orange’s masterplan, which emphasizes river cleanup and water-based recreation. Through a series of choreographed spaces, visitors follow the flow of the river as it goes through physical, chemical, & biological filtration. Rewarding the visitor, the fruits of science come to life in the water recreation area, hosting seaside resting spaces, and watersport rentals with direct dock-access.

Puerta de Pilsen is a civic landmark shaped by the principles of weave, flare, and coda—interweaving the neighborhood’s rich cultural identity, opening outward to welcome residents and visitors, and creating spaces that encourage reflection, celebration, and cultural continuity. Rather than serving as a traditional welcome center, the project reimagines the gateway to Pilsen as a dynamic, community-centered destination that supports gathering, learning, and meaningful social interaction.

The design celebrates the neighborhood’s history while embracing its future, fostering a strong sense of belonging through flexible public spaces that accommodate cultural events, local organizations, and everyday community life. By strengthening connections between people, place, and culture, Puerta de Pilsen becomes more than an architectural landmark; it is a living civic space that promotes exchange, inclusivity, and an evolving neighborhood identity rooted in the values and voices of the Pilsen community.

The Orbit Welcome Center is inspired by movement, water, and connection. Its curved form is based on railway tracks, creating smooth pathways that guide visitors through the building. The name “Orbit” reflects the idea of people coming together around a central place.

The building’s shape and facade are influenced by the river next to the site. A nautical design theme gives the building the appearance of a modern ship, using rounded edges, porthole windows, and layered forms.

The design also responds to the environment. The roof collects rainwater and directs it to the outdoor garden. The children’s play area is protected by the surrounding landscape, creating a safe outdoor space. To reduce flood risk, the second floor is elevated on pilotis, allowing water to pass beneath the building during heavy storms.

Overall, The Orbit creates a welcoming space that connects visitors to the site’s history, waterfront setting, and natural environment.

This project, situated in front of the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya on Montjuïc, serves as a welcome center that choreographs a visitor’s ascent while celebrating Barcelona’s identity and vibrant community life. Unlike the site’s perfectly symmetrical axis and the formal boulevard leading to it, the project deliberately offsets from rigid alignment. This move can be equated as a call back to the tensions between the planned Cerda Block grid of Barcelona, and the organically historic fabric of Barcelona’s neighborhoods, a true homage between monumental order, and improvised plazas, markets, and festivals. In addition, by falling away from the rigid axis, the design offers moments of gathering and reflection that feel authentic to the city’s culture of spontaneity, resilience, and diversity.

Along the way, plazas, gardens, and play areas encourage social interaction, culminating at the top terrace: a symbolic crown where symmetry is realized. Reflected in the skin of the buildings themselves is a call back to Catalonian culture. The brickwork design creates a sense of playful, artistic nature that is found within the likes of Catalonian architects such as Josep Puig, Antoni Gaudi, Manuel Sayrach, and other great architects of their beautiful city. The brickwork designed respects the rigid nature of the concrete masonry units, and in turn grants it a sense of fluidity, dynamism, and even softness through a series of push/pull methods and the use of algae based concrete/cement mix. Ultimately, the Welcome Center is more than a gateway to Montjuïc, it is a civic gesture embodying Barcelona’s collective spirit, balancing order and play, history, and community life.

The Marfa Welcome Center is a place where travelers can stop, rest, and learn about Marfa and the surrounding region. Located along the highway, just five minutes from Marfa, this project transforms the traditional roadside rest stop into a destination that connects visitors with the landscape, culture, art, and night sky of West Texas. The goal is not only to offer a place to rest but also to create a destination that invites visitors to discover what makes Marfa unique.

The project is organized as a monolithic cubic form that emerges from the desert as a recognizable landmark. Visible from a distance, the building signals arrival and encourages visitors to pause, explore, and engage with Marfa. Inside, the project combines rest area amenities with gathering spaces, a cafe and restaurant, and areas dedicated to art. These spaces are intended to be used by both travelers and local residents, creating opportunities for people to meet, spend time together, and experience the community.

The cafe and restaurant level is located below the main floor. Rather than feeling enclosed, it opens directly to the exterior through a sloped landscape that was designed as part of the project. This creates access to daylight, outdoor seating areas, and views of the desert while maintaining a strong connection to the site.

CMU breeze block walls are used along the side facades to create shaded walkways around the building. These walls systems help filter sunlight, improve comfort, and create changing shadow patterns throughout the day. Additionally, from the program, the rooftop also includes an observatory where visitors can experience Marfa’s dark skies and learn more about the region’s relationship with the night sky.

Together, these elements create a place that welcomes visitors while connecting them to the landscape, culture, and atmosphere of Marfa.