Will a Vacant Stare Inspire? AFH/Chicago's Activate!; Chicago Women in Architecture's Scholarship deadline

When you look at a vacant lot, do you see beyond the emptiness?  Architecture For Humanity/Chicago is posing that challenge in its Activate! Temporary Public Space Design Competition.

The American city is rooted in its neighborhoods, public spaces, and infrastructure.  Transforming the interstitial open spaces that characterize our cities can be a fundamental catalyst for community connectivity and socialization . . . Through small acts we can repurpose public space to be more universally accessible, inclusive, age friendly, and a builder of community.

The guidelines are pretty simple: "design one or more objects that activate a vacant site, is universally accessible, and fosters multi-generational community interactions."  Submit in PDF form two 11 x 17 boards including a plan/section/elevation and design detail.  The budget is $1,000, so put back that travertine.  The deadline is March 15th.  Check out the full details here.

On another note, aspiring designers have only until January 31st to submit for Chicago Women in Architecture's Student Scholarship 2013-14.  

Each  year [CWA] awards a scholarship to a female sutdent in the last year of studies, with an outstanding Design Studio Project.  The $2,000 Scholarship is awarded at the CWA Scholarship Brunch, where her author presents the winning entry.

Appliccants must be female architecture students scheduled to graduate in the 2013/2014 Academic Year (December 2013 or May 2014) with a M. Arch or a five year B. Arch Degree from a NAAB Accredited Architectural Program in the State of Illinois.  There is no limit of student submissions per school.

More information here. Registration form here.