Helix Spire was a temporary sculptural play toy, a climbing tower, a lookout 25 feet above the ground. Mundane materials were used in a clever way to build a modest climbing toy which provided a good view and a point of reference for gathering and play.

Helix Spire, image courtesy Erich Remash + Chris Thomas

The Helix was designed to be easy to climb, light weight (half ton) relatively inexpensive ($1500), flammable and easy to see from a distance day or night.

Helix Spire, image courtesy Erich Remash + Chris Thomas

The Helix was built twice in 2010. First at LARC near Conway Washington for Critical Massive then in the heart of Nevada’s Black Rock Desert for Burning Man .

+ Design: Erich Remash + Chris Thomas

+ All images courtesy Erich Remash + Chris Thomas

The new architecture competition for students ‘Vienna House of Music (VHOM)‘ organized by ArchMedium.com is now open for registration.

Convenor: ArchMedium
Contest: Viena House of Music (VHOM)

The House of Music is a new type of music school for Vienna that should be an important link between past and present of the city.  The building will have to resolve two separate programs, a music school / conservatory and a new public space that is related to the park and the city.

The project seeks to link the music and nature through the architecture. The Stadtpark is the chosen site, because it's importance and because it's located in Vienna’s famous Ringstrasse. The project has the difficulty of being close to the old town and in the middle of a park, at a time that is located along a small canal and two major avenues.

The call is public and open to all undergraduate students, both from Architecture as from related careers like Engineering, Urban Planning, Design, etc. Students must be able to prove, by any official document (enrolment papers, student card, etc.) that, when the registration period opens, they are studying.  All postgraduate students, whose undergraduate degree is not older than 3 years, can also participate.

Participation can be individual or in group, with a maximum of six members per team allowed. Teams can have members of different nationalities and they don't necessarily have to study in the same centre.

The registration fee corresponds to the amount of money to be paid by each participating team, regardless of how many members the team has.

+ Jury

The jury will be formed by the following members:
Jury´s president | Josep M. Montaner
Architect | Jordi Badía
Architect and urbanist | Adolf Sotoca
Landscape architect | Miguel Vidal Pla
Choir and orchestra director | Lluís Carné Architect Laura Spinadel (guest from Viena)

+ Prizes

1st Prize: 2000€.
-        Project publication on TC Cuadernos magazine.
-        One year subscription to Arquitectura Viva Proyectos magazine.
-        Exposition at the Architecture School of Barcelona ETSAB.

2nd Prize: 600€
-        Project publication on TC Cuadernos magazine
-        One year subscription to Arquitectura Viva Proyectos magazine
-        Exposition at the Architecture School of Barcelona ETSAB

3rd Prize: 400€
-        Project publication on TC Cuadernos magazine
-        One year subscription to Arquitectura Viva Proyectos magazine
-        Exposition at the Architecture School of Barcelona ETSAB

10 honorable mentions
-        Exposition at the Architecture School of Barcelona ETSAB
-        Publication in architecture websites/blogs

+ Calendar

September 15, 2010 – Registration period begins
January 15, 2011 – Registration period ends
January 31, 2011 – Deadline for proposals
February 27, 2010 – Publication of the winners on ArchMedium´s website

+ Please click here for further information about the competition.