On November 4th, 2023 over 35 architecture students gathered in the AleX Garage at the E.A. Fernandez IDEA Factory to design a new canopy for the Ortanez Family Terrace. This design incorporated technologies from around the UMD campus, including the Living Canopy technology created by Professor Dave Tilley. After a 6-hour competition, the winning team was selected by a multidisciplinary panel of judges based on multiple criteria including harmony with existing architectural design, incorporating technology components, and team pitch.
In the summer of 2024, the winning team entered into a multi-month-long refinement phase with the following objectives:
In the construction phase, the team will receive funds of $28,500 and will expand to include build teams from engineering and computer science students and faculty:
The project culminates with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the Living Canopy. The event will introduce the winning team and explore the design's concept.
The Living Canopy will remain in-situ as a testament to multidisciplinary cooperation at the engineering sector of the campus for one year.
