Architecture at Zero 2020 Winners

The 9th 2020 Architecture at Zero competition was conceived as a response to the zero net energy targets set out by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) in the 2008 report, California’s Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan. In this report, the CPUC set out four “Big Bold Energy Efficiency Strategies” for California that include the goals that all new residential construction in California be ZNE by 2020 and that all new commercial construction be ZNE by 2030.

The 2020 Architecture at Zero competition challenge was to create a zero net energy library for the San Benito County Free Library in Hollister, California. Entrants were encouraged to highlight energy efficiency strategies or systems. The competition was open to students, architects, landscape architects, urban planners, engineers and designers anywhere in the world. Congratulations to all the recent winners.

Professional Winner – Honor Award: The Book Garden, A Place for Community Building by Jensen Architects, San Francisco, U.S.

Architecture at Zero 2020 Professional Winner: The Book Garden by Jensen Architects – Interior perspective of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Architecture at Zero 2020 Professional Winner: The Book Garden by Jensen Architects – Section of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Professional Winner – Merit Award: Community Currents by Murphy Burnham & Buttrick Architects, New York, U.S.

Architecture at Zero 2020 Professional Winner: Community Currents by Murphy Burnham & Buttrick Architects – Aerial perspective of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Architecture at Zero 2020 Professional Winner: Community Currents by Murphy Burnham & Buttrick Architects – MEP building systems diagram for the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Professional Winner – Citation Award: The Branch by Dialog, Vancouver, Canada/San Francisco, U.S. and Byrens Kim Design Works, Oakland, U.S.

Architecture at Zero 2020 Professional Winner: The Branch by Dialog and Byrens Kim Design Works – Overview of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Architecture at Zero 2020 Professional Winner: The Branch by Dialog and Byrens Kim Design Works – Section of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Student Winner – Merit Award: To Gather by Cankaya University, Ankara, Turkey

Architecture at Zero 2020 Student Winner: To Gather by Cankaya University, Turkey – Perspectives of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Architecture at Zero 2020 Student Winner: To Gather by Cankaya University, Turkey – Sections of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Student Winner – Merit Award: Atrial Creep by Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland

Architecture at Zero 2020 Student Winner: Atrial Creep by Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland – Floor Plans of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Architecture at Zero 2020 Student Winner: Atrial Creep by Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland – Section of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Student Winner – Merit Award: Meraki by Cept University, Ahmedabad, India

Architecture at Zero 2020 Student Winner: Meraki by Cept University, India – Perspective of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Architecture at Zero 2020 Student Winner: Meraki by Cept University, India – Section of the zero net energy San Benito County Free Library (Image courtesy of Architecture at Zero 2020)

Student Winner – Citation Award: Illumination by Academy of Art University, San Francisco, U.S. and Chung Yuan Christian University, Taoyuan, Taiwan