What meanings do buildings and places convey to the people who use and visit them? Too often, design competitions and signature architecture result in costly eyesores that do not work. How can sponsors and clients get more meaningful results? In answer to these questions, Dr Nasar, supported by riveting studies of competitions and Peter Eisenman's competition-winning design for the Wexner Center at the Ohio State University, suggests the use of pre-jury evaluation (PJE). He shows the potential value of this approach as well as visual quality programming for many kinds of environmental design for which the client wants to convey certain desirable meanings. The studies, from those specific to the Wexner Center to those covering the scope of history, point to an alternative method for shaping the visual form of buildings, places and cities.

Much valued by design professionals, controversially discussed in the media, regularly misunderstood by the public and systematically regulated by public procurement; in recent years, architecture competitions have become projection screens for various and often incommensurable desires and hopes. Almost all texts on architectural competition engage it for particular reasons, whether these be for celebration of the procedure, or dismissal. Moving on from such polarised views, Architecture Competition is a revelatory study on what really happens when competitions take place. But the story is not just about architecture and design; it is about the whole construction process, from the definition of the spatial programme, to judgement and selection of projects and the realization of the building. This book explores the competition in the building process as it takes place, but also before and after its execution. It demonstrates that competitions are not just one step of many to be taken, but that competitive design procedures shape the entire process. Along the way the book exposes, among others, one of the key evolutions of design competitions – that competition procedures need to be regulated in order to respond to public awarding rules and need to integrate an increasing amount of given standards regarding, for example, efficiency, fire safety and thermal comfort. These notions force competing architects to respond to inflexible and overloaded competition programmes instead of focusing on genuinely crafting an architectural project. If the architecture competition wants to be more highly valued as a design tool, it should pay attention to the iterative nature of design and to the fact that perspectives on the problem often change in process.

"Broad in its appeal, the book surveys design competitions for architectural, landscape architecture, and city planning projects. It is a working manual for sponsors, designers, and architects, and an invaluable source of information and know-how on design competitions. The book explains how competitions work and focuses on the ground rules that govern most competitions. Photo-essays are included on some famous international competitions that produced memorable architectural designs ... "--From front jacket flap.

Until now, the literature on innovation has focused either on radical innovation pushed by technology or incremental innovation pulled by the market. In Design-Driven Innovation: How to Compete by Radically Innovating the Meaning of Products, Roberto Verganti introduces a third strategy, a radical shift in perspective that introduces a bold new way of competing. Design-driven innovations do not come from the market; they create new markets. They don't push new technologies; they push new meanings. It's about having a vision, and taking that vision to your customers. Think of game-changers like Nintendo's Wii or Apple's iPod. They overturned our understanding of what a video game means and how we listen to music. Customers had not asked for these new meanings, but once they experienced them, it was love at first sight. But where does the vision come from? With fascinating examples from leading European and American companies, Verganti shows that for truly breakthrough products and services, we must look beyond customers and users to those he calls "interpreters" - the experts who deeply understand and shape the markets they work in. Design-Driven Innovation offers a provocative new view of innovation thinking and practice.

"Kaira Looro Competition - Sacred Architecture" is an international architectural competition which has as project theme the architectural celebration of the cult in a remote place on earth, where the shortage of materials and high-performing technology pushes the architecture to the branch of sustainability and integration with landscape and culture. Kaira Looro, that in Mandingo language means "Architecture for Peace", is not just architecture, but it also represents the link to a culture, a spirituality and research of interiority.Introspection, spirituality and divinity are the elements around which the sacred architecture revolves. The light and the lightness of the materials join sacred and profane, creating an architecture that, through spaces and forms, try to invite humans to an introspective research . This book collects and describes the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes and also 5 mentions and 10 finalists of the competition, nominated by the jury. The competition is organized by the Nonprofit Organization "Balouo Salo" with the collaboration of the University of Tokyo, Kengo Kuma & Associates, CNAPPC, Embassy and Consulate of Senegal, Sedhiou Government, the City of Tanaf and others. The sponsor Four Points by Sheraton Catania provided cash prizes for the winning projects. The winning project and the finalists are named by an internationally renowned jury made up of: Kengo Kuma, Ko Nakamura (University of Tokyo), A. Ghirardelli (SBGA ), A. Muzzonigro (Stefano Boeri Architects), R. Bouman (Mohn + Bouman Architects) C. Chiarelli (Arcò), A. Ferrara (Juri Troy Architects), Pilar Diez Rodriguez, R. Kasik (X Architekten), S. D'Urso (University of Catania), I. Gomis (Tanaf Mayor), I. Lutri (InArch), W. Baricchi (CNAPPC). The goal of the contest is to create a symbolic sacred architecture for the whole nation which can improve the precarious conditions of the project area. All proceeds, derived from membership contributions of the participants, are donated to the humanitarian project "A Bridge for Life" in Senegal, to save 80,000 people now at risk of survival. The book also collects 11 projects developed during the Kaira Looro workshop. These projects are focused on the traditional economies of the Casamance region and specifically the Valley of Tanaf. Each proposal, seen in the general master plan, will have to consider the guidelines based on local socio-cultural peculiarities. All of the proceeds of this book will be donated to the non-profit Balouo Salo.

The book reveals a new understanding of the ways that design shapes our lives and gives professionals and interested citizens the tools to seek out and demand designs that dignify.