Tomorrow’s Workplace Design Competition
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) (1 of 3 pages)
Q: Who is Staples Business Advantage℠ and why are they sponsoring this contest?
A: Staples Business Advantage is the contract furniture and design arm of the
business-to-business division of Staples, Inc. With more than 25 years of providing
quality furniture solutions, it helps organizations of all types and sizes—from small,
local companies to large Fortune 1,000 companies—create more productive, healthy
and sustainable workspaces. It is one of the largest contract furniture dealers in the
world and one of the only companies with direct relationships with more than 250
manufacturers.
As a leader in the contract furniture industry, Staples Business Advantage has a
unique relationship with its customers and understands how the needs of businesses
are rapidly changing. In light of this, Staples Business Advantage is seeking out the
best ideas and inspiration from the architecture and design community at the
forefront of envisioning how and where work gets done in 2021.
Eligibility
Q: Who is eligible?
A: Tomorrow’s workplace design competition is open to any individual or team of
architects, interior architects and/or industrial designers at the professional and/or
student level. Collaboration between disciplines and/or levels is encouraged.
Q: I do not live in the United States. Am I eligible to enter this competition?
A: Yes, international submissions are welcome. Void where prohibited. Check your
local laws for any restrictions, limitations or exclusions.
Proposal Development
Q: What type of proposals are you looking for?
A: Submissions must be original, buildable, and consider the four themes of:
collaboration in the workplace, wellness and productivity, office culture, and
sustainability and how they are integrated into work environments.
Q: I am not sure if my proposal qualifies. How can I find out?
A: If your proposal includes the qualities above and in the Specific Design Guidelines
in the Design Brief, it may be entered. If you are unsure, email a brief explanation of
your idea to tomorrowsworkplace@gmail.com and we will provide feedback.
Registration and Submission
Q: What information will I need to register and submit my proposal?
A: The Registration form will require contact info for you and your collaborators
(Entrant Information), an explanation of the project in answers to short essay
questions (Proposal Summary) and supporting images (uploaded as PDF) and/or
video (Proposal Visualization). Your Proposal Summary and Proposal Visualization
will be utilized by the Jury in evaluating submissions.
Q: How do I register and submit my project?
A: Visit the Registration page of metropolismag.com/tomorrowsworkplace/ and
complete all three sections, including uploading your Proposal Visualization PDF,
before submitting the Registration form in one session. The submission process is
entirely electronic.
Q: Should my entry be anonymous?
A: For the judging to be impartial, we ask that the Proposal Summary and Proposal
Visualization PDFs and videos not include names, images, CV/résumé, or any
personal information that could identify the individual or team. The entrant
information is removed from your Registration form and only looked at after judges
have decided on the winner and runners-up.
Q: How many images can I submit, and how big should they be?
A: Your Proposal Visualization should include up to fifteen (15) images in a multipage PDF to specifically support your proposal, such as diagrams or renderings. The
PDF will be considered on-screen by the judges and should be formatted at 11” x
17” (ledger/A3) size. If you win or are selected as a runner-up, you will need to
provide high-resolution, publication-quality images.
Q: What should my video be like? Is it required?
A: It is not required, but often the videos give a better overall idea of the project
being submitted. The video should be between 3-8 minutes long, and can combine
voice-overs and images to give us a better sense of your vision. Please refrain from
including any names, photos, or personal information that could identify the
individual or team. The file should be submitted as an MP4, at most 100 MB in size.
Please ensure that you have the rights to use the material contained in your
submission including images, music, video, etc. You are encouraged to use Creative
Commons content if necessary. Videos may show work that has been published or
released previously. Please make clear in your submission any prior exposure your
video has received. If you no longer hold the copyright, you must secure permission
from the copyright holder as described above prior to submission.
Judging
Q: What are the judging criteria?
A: The jury will be looking for evidence of serious consideration of the Design Brief,
especially the five themes of (1) Collaboration in the Workplace, (2) Wellness &
Productivity, (3) Office Culture, (4) Sustainability, and (5) your own vision for what
the 5th pillar of workspace design in 2021 will be. Additionally, they will keep in mind
the overall workplace strategy when designing the office. The workspace should be
accommodating enough to change with the workforce and workers’ needs. The
submission should address the question: how can a workplace design integrate the
perspectives of facility managers who keep the office space functional and
procurement officers who make buying decisions on behalf of the organization.
Jurors will also be seeking key elements of all innovative design in the 21st century:
excellence of aesthetic expression, technological innovation and integration, buildability potential of proposals, and sustainability.
Q: When will you announce the winner, and how will the winner be notified?
A: The winner and runners-up will be notified in November 2016. Their submissions
will be announced publicly by November 10, 2016.
Q: Are there any consolation prizes?
A: The winner will receive a prize of $7,500. One (1) runner-up will receive $2,500.
They will be acknowledged with publicity through the print and/or digital media
channels of Metropolis and Staples Business Advantage.
Q: Will any portion of my entry be made public?
A: Yes, the names, ideas and images of the winner, runner-up and sometimes other
projects of interest may be published in Metropolis, metropolismag.com and/or
exhibited. By entering the competition, you are agreeing that Metropolis and Staples
Business Advantage can publish your materials. You will always be credited.
Q: The Official Rules state that Metropolis and Staples Business Advantage will
have full rights to publish the work as they see fit without any prior approval from the
designer. Does this mean they assume the right of ownership to the submitted
design or product idea?
A: No, it does not mean that Metropolis or Staples Business Advantage assumes the
right of ownership to the idea. It means that you are granting us physical and
electronic rights to the images and information submitted. We have the right to
publish them freely without notifying you or further obtaining your permission.
Q: My question was not addressed in the FAQ. Whom can I contact?
A: Email tomorrowsworkplace@metropolismag.com or call (212) 886-2541 to
address any unanswered questions.