Armchair Architect's Contest (AAC) VI -2018 Winner Announced!

[Ben Hollerbach]

Alright ladies and gentlemen, It's been nearly 2 years since our last AAC and I've been chomping at the bit to get another one going.


***DISCLAIMER: WHILE BASED ON A REAL SITE LOCATION, THIS CONTEST IS FICTION AND FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY***

BACKGROUND:
Following in the footsteps of Billy Payne and the progress he made in promoting junior golf, new chairman Fred Ridley has picked up the mantle and is surging forward with plans to construct a children's golf course on ~70 acres of land used for parking during the Masters tournament. This course will be available for play the majority of the year, only closing to be used for Masters logistics. Run by the First Tee of Augusta the course should be designed for enjoyment by players of all ages and ability levels.

DESIGN PROMPT:

Augusta National Golf Club seeks design proposals for new children’s golf course

In partnership with the First Tee of Augusta and the Drive, Chip, & Putt Championship, Augusta National Golf Club will convert approximately 70 acres of land west of the tournament course into the magnolia course, a children’s specific golf course. While the land will still be used as patron parking during the Masters tournament, for the rest of the year the magnolia course will be available for play through the First Tee of Augusta. Augusta National Golf Club is seeking course design proposals for this property. Any proposals will be considered, the winning design should meet the following criteria:

   • A routing of at least, but not limited to,  nine holes.  Flexibility and non-traditional routings are encouraged.

   • Enjoyment and playability for players of all ages and ability levels.  Children and adults included.

   • A limited amount of preserved acreage.  Greens, bunkers, or other features that would be unavailable as         
     parking during the Masters tournament.

   • Preservation of ingress/egress points from Berckmans Rd. onto course property.  Routing of roads through           
     property for Masters tournament should be considered, but is considered flexible, ingress/egress is fixed.

   • The course’s opening and closing holes need to meet in near proximity to one of the two proposed clubhouse
     locations. See provided map.

A continuous and long standing supporter of junior golf and the First Tee of Augusta, Augusta National Golf Club would like to provide a course that is truly youth centric and an expanded home for the First Tee.  Future plans may additionally utilize the new course as part of an expanded Drive, Chip, & Putt Championship.

All design proposals shall be submitted by 11:59 PM on Friday, March 16th, 2018. The winning design will be revealed during the State of the Masters press conference on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2018.

Sincerely,               

The Augusta National Golf Club
Grounds Planning Committee


SITE PLAN:


The Augusta National Grounds Planning Committee have retained Mike Young, Rob Collins, Adam Lawrence, and Adrian Stiff to help evaluate the submitted designs. The contest is open to anyone who would like to participate, but all submissons must be received by 11:59PM on Friday, March 16th.

The design prompt and all site plans can be found here:
ANGC Magnolia AAC 2018




When we get nearer to the submission deadline I'll put out instructions on how to submit your designs. In the meantime please let me know if you have any questions.


Good Luck!

[Garland Bayley]

I would suggest that submissions be limited to black and white drawings on the black and white topo. Drawing should delineate fairways, greens, bunkers, tees only. I, of course may be overlooking something, so the delineation may be revised.

If it is to be a children's course, why the specification that adults enjoy it? Are you looking for hole lengths in the traditional lengths, or something more in line with perhaps 6 to 12 year olds?

[Ben Hollerbach]

Garland,


I believe its a good idea for all submission to all be on the same site plan, but I don't want to limit at what depth someone want to dive into the project and detail out their submission.


While the course is to be focused on junior golf and the usage by the First Tee, the growth of a game like golf is still going to be reliant on parent/children tutelage and a place like the Magnolia course can help to foster those bonds. Regardless, the distances that junior can hit the ball today is rather staggering. From last years Drive, Chip, & Putt competition, the boy's winner in the 12-13 age division hit the ball over 270 yards and the 14-15 winner's long drive was over 300 yards.

[Garland Bayley]

Garland,


I believe its a good idea for all submission to all be on the same site plan, but I don't want to limit at what depth someone want to dive into the project and detail out their submission.

Then don't call it an armchair architect contest. What you get when you let people go into "depth" is attractive submissions by pros and semi-pros that get all the attention. These people have great facility with computer tools that can make their submissions shine, even though their design is something that few on here would want to play. If you truly want armchair architects, let them print the black and white topo, draw a course on it in pencil, take a photograph of it or scan it, and email the image in.

While the course is to be focused on junior golf and the usage by the First Tee, the growth of a game like golf is still going to be reliant on parent/children tutelage and a place like the Magnolia course can help to foster those bonds. Regardless, the distances that junior can hit the ball today is rather staggering. From last years Drive, Chip, & Putt competition, the boy's winner in the 12-13 age division hit the ball over 270 yards and the 14-15 winner's long drive was over 300 yards.

Yes, but i didn't suggest designing for those kids.

[Steve Lang]

   Geeeeessssshhh Garland,


Go to a restaurant and get a kiddy 3 pack of crayons with red, green, and blue, that should cover you!  And send in your entry by US Postal service too!

[Garland Bayley]

  Geeeeessssshhh Garland,


Go to a restaurant and get a kiddy 3 pack of crayons with red, green, and blue, that should cover you!  And send in your entry by US Postal service too!

Well Steve, it's just that we have a history of winners like

Which most of the contestants found to be to narrow, and penal, but somehow the judges found to be the best.

Which elicited  comments like:

"With all due respect to Charlie's pat on the back to all participants, comparing my entry to yours is like comparing those old vibrating electric football sets to Madden 2011." Ed Oden (whose entry I really liked)

"I happen to think that presentation style always sub-consciously sways a judge's decision a little more than it should" Ally Mcintosh

"Looking back, I would say the routing is pretty weak tee to fairway.  The only tee shots that excite me would be 3,4,11,13,16,17,18.  I wish I had incorporated more in the way of options off the tee for the other 8 long holes." Nick Campanelli (the winner)

"Standard golf course architecture criticisms on this side include:

1. Long green to tee walks.  I see a few death marches, notably on the front.
2. The "Augusta Effect."  The course looks extremely green.
3. Fairway width.  Several fairways appear pinched in the landing zone and fairways appear to be relatively  narrow.
4. Greenside playing options.  Very little green surrounds maintained as fairway.
5. Centerline hazards.  Missing.
6. Carry bunkers.  Missing.

I submit many here have fallen victim to the greatest common criticism of the uninformed masses - falling for eye-candy." Bogey Mike

"I think Bogey hits the nail on the head.  Eye-candy and "presentation factor" may have been a player here. " Ben Sims

Etc.

[BHoover]

You don’t come across as at all bitter. As I understand it, this is meant to be a fun contest. Maybe sit this one out?

[Josh Bills]

I am excited to see what I can do.  My free trial of Sketchup is gone from the last time we did this, so I'm learning to use Paint.net.  I had fun with the last one, and the comments from real architects (Ian Andrews) on the previous one, only made me want to try more.  Will mine be professional grade, probably not, but I'm learning and enjoying.  I'm not Jim Colton level on computer drafting skills, but maybe someday!  I'm having a blast just seeing what I can come up with.  Thank you Ben for putting this out there and there is a monetary prize at the end right?   

[Garland Bayley]

Another suggestion. All topographical lines should show on the entries. I was just reviewing AAC III run by Alex Miller who allowed people who did not enter to submit judging votes. I see that I had a difficult time judging entries where the topographical lines were missing through the fairways etc. As I recall, i had to put each design next to a bare topographical map and then go back and forth trying to figure out the topography of the holes while I was judging them.

[Kalen Braley]

I am excited to see what I can do.  My free trial of Sketchup is gone from the last time we did this, so I'm learning to use Paint.net.  I had fun with the last one, and the comments from real architects (Ian Andrews) on the previous one, only made me want to try more.  Will mine be professional grade, probably not, but I'm learning and enjoying.  I'm not Jim Colton level on computer drafting skills, but maybe someday!  I'm having a blast just seeing what I can come up with.  Thank you Ben for putting this out there and there is a monetary prize at the end right?   

Josh, of course.  4 lifetime Masters Badges!!


     (Did I put enough smiley faces in there so peeps know i'm joking, heaven forbid wouldn'tthat rumor to be taken seriously)


P.S.  Is it just me or does this piece of land look relatively flatish?

[Ally Mcintosh]

Whilst Garland may be coming across as bitter to some, I have complete sympathy with him here.


But best to do his hand drawn master plan and trust the judges are better judges than many I've seen swayed by fancy rendering.

[Adrian_Stiff]

I am excited to see what I can do.  My free trial of Sketchup is gone from the last time we did this, so I'm learning to use Paint.net.  I had fun with the last one, and the comments from real architects (Ian Andrews) on the previous one, only made me want to try more.  Will mine be professional grade, probably not, but I'm learning and enjoying.  I'm not Jim Colton level on computer drafting skills, but maybe someday!  I'm having a blast just seeing what I can come up with.  Thank you Ben for putting this out there and there is a monetary prize at the end right?   

Josh, of course.  4 lifetime Masters Badges!!


     (Did I put enough smiley faces in there so peeps know i'm joking, heaven forbid wouldn'tthat rumor to be taken seriously)


P.S.  Is it just me or does this piece of land look relatively flatish?

I think it might just be you.

[Garland Bayley]

You don’t come across as at all bitter. As I understand it, this is meant to be a fun contest. Maybe sit this one out?

I've thought of running one or more of these at sometime in the future, and I am just sharing some of my ideas on how I would do it.

I wouldn't organize basketball games where one team always shot at an 8 foot goal, and the other team always shot at a 12 foot goal. Perhaps not the best analogy, but hopefully you get the idea.

[Bill Brightly]

Garland,


Are you suggesting that the design team of Brightly & Brightly had an advantage just because my brother is a civil engineer, has access to all kinds of cool graphic tools, and actually knows how to read a topo?


On a serious note, I'm someone who makes his living by the spoken and written word. My brain cannot process a topographic map (and I've tried to learn!) The ability of those who can has always fascinated me. That includes the amateurs who submit great designs in these contests, not to mention the gca's, ODG's and alive guys, who actually do a large amount of routing based upon topo maps. To me, that is an amazing skill that is often overlooked.

[Ally Mcintosh]

It’s just the cool graphic tools bit. The others relate to the architecture. The cool graphic tools bit is pure sales.

[Brian Ross]

Garland,

There is nothing graphically presented in any of the past AACs that can't be done with free software and a few how-to videos on Youtube. You may not have access to AutoCAD, but you can download and learn DraftSight or any number of alternatives. No Photoshop? Try GIMP.

While I agree that a pretty picture can often hide inadequacies in a routing, I see no reason for there to be a limit on the quality of any submission simply because some entrants choose not to take the next step. Based on my experience, it takes nearly twice as long to create a professional quality color rendering as it does to produce a basic routing in black and white and, ultimately, it's on the judges to see past the candy to the core. Given the panel that Ben has put together to judge this contest, I see no reason to think that won't happen. Plus, it's all for fun anyways, right?

I do agree that the topo should be shown on top of the rendering, if that helps! 

[Garland Bayley]

Garland,

There is nothing graphically presented in any of the past AACs that can't be done with free software and a few how-to videos on Youtube. ...

I assume you saw the example I posted. There are not enough hours in a day between now and when the finish product would be due for the novice to become facile enough with any product to produce that.

I have no interest in entering this contest. I tried following the tutorials and using Sketchup when Charlie G ran previous contests. My results were pretty ugly, and the tool frustrated me greatly. As I wrote above, I am interested in running future contests, not entering contests.

Does Tom Doak produce products like the example I posted? Does he even hire someone to produce such products to sell his work? That would be interesting to know.

[Brian Ross]

Not sure about Doak on a typical project, but I have to imagine he had quite the presentation put together for the Rio project. We produce pretty high quality color renderings for all of our clients but not typically to the level of Nick's example shown above.

[Thomas Dai]

Pen and paper seemed to work quite well for Dr Mack’s designs at ANGC.
Atb

[Brian Ross]

Thomas,


Are you implying that Dr. Mac wouldn't use every tool available to him if he were alive in 2018? How many others did he beat out to win the ANGC commission?


Not trying to be argumentative, just don't understand the disdain for someone using all available resources in a competition, be it friendly, or otherwise. I also don't necessarily disagree with Garland, and he is welcome to run the next AAC and set limitations as he chooses. There will still be entries that are more artistic than others even if limited to pen and paper.

[Brian Ross]

Further, do you believe the good doctor's entry would win the 2018 Lido competition?

[Steve Lang]

   So if I take a bull dozer and change some contours and build a cut-off ditch and route drainage to a pond, do I have to redraw the topo map for the secondary reviewers to understand the cut & fill?


just kidding...


Thank you Ben for managing this latest AAC.

[Garland Bayley]

Thomas,


Are you implying that Dr. Mac wouldn't use every tool available to him if he were alive in 2018? How many others did he beat out to win the ANGC commission?

I believe he wouldn't use any tool. He wouldn't need to. His past work got him the ANGC job.

[Garland Bayley]

  So if I take a bull dozer and change some contours and build a cut-off ditch and route drainage to a pond, do I have to redraw the topo map for the secondary reviewers to understand the cut & fill?

...

If I run the contest, yes you do.
I want to know you are planning to spend the money.

[BHoover]

  So if I take a bull dozer and change some contours and build a cut-off ditch and route drainage to a pond, do I have to redraw the topo map for the secondary reviewers to understand the cut & fill?
...

If I run the contest, yes you do.
I want to know you are planning to spend the money.

So then why not just start your own contest and stop belittling someone else’s work. By the way, I’m not participating in your contest. I’m busy that day.