Overview

We've extended this challenge until July 18th!

Imagine your community as a material bank, rich with resources to re-use. How could you improve the built environment by upcycling waste, circulating existing materials, or regenerating nature? Your challenge is to design a structure that meets a need in your community now but could also be repurposed later.

“Designing for deconstruction” involves a modular approach in which building elements could be easily reconfigured, reimagined, and repurposed over time.

We are excited to welcome back NFL football star James Develin, who is using these “circular economy” principles in his newest entrepreneurial venture:

Your design should:

  • Include an approximately 20' long x 8' wide x 9'6” high volumetric module
  • Here's a model to help you get started
  • Be relevant to one of the following uses:
  • Affordable Housing
  • Covid-era Public Space
  • Reimagined Outdoor Classroom
  • Entrepreneurial Pop-up
  • Approach the task with a real-world perspective, demonstrating skills and knowledge from one or more of the following fields: architecture, engineering, construction, and/or the skilled trades
  • Incorporate Autodesk software

Requirements:

  1. Open to students ages 13-21 and currently enrolled in high school or homeschooled in the United States.
  2. All entries MUST share the entrant’s grade level in the introductory step.
  3. All entries MUST incorporate Autodesk software in their design.
  4. Submissions must be entered between March 7, 2022, and July 18, 2022 (11:59pm PT).

If you have never posted an Instructable before, please refer to the How to Write an Instructable guide for more information.

You can head here for more ideas on how to get started and tech tutorials to help you level up your skills for the contest.

The prizes are intended as scholarship funds to support the winners’ education, such as tuition, books, room & board, transportation, or even childcare.

Entries will be judged based on the following criteria: 3D Digital Literacy and Design; Engineering Mindset; Real-world Relevance; and Presentation. Read the full contest rules for more details.

We are giving away one $10,000 grand prize in each of the two following categories:

  • Best use of CAD or BIM tools — Show us your 3D Digital Literacy and Design Skills.

  • Best physical prototype — Show us how you can take an idea and make it real through your hands-on building skills and technical knowledge. This could be in the form of a physical scale model of your whole design or a physical mockup of a building component that is integral to your design.

Additional prizes include:

  • $5K First Prizes (4)
  • $1K Second Prizes (10)
  • Runner-Up Autodesk Prize Packs, including a t-shirt (20)

You must be 13 years of age or older to participate in this contest. Participate only with your parent or legal guardian’s consent and supervision.

You are responsible for the payment of any taxes or other costs related to receiving, claiming or collecting any prize. If you are under the legal age of majority in your place of residence, you should discuss potential tax consequences with your parent or legal guardian prior to entering the contest.

The Make It Modular: Student Design Challenge is closed.

Grand Prize

Winners

Grand Prize: Best use of CAD or BIM tools

36 Prizes

Grand Prize: Best physical prototype

One Grand Prize: Best physical prototype winner will receive:

  • $10,000 Autodesk Construction Solutions Scholarship Award

Grand Prize: Best use of CAD or BIM tools

One Grand Prize: Best use of CAD or BIM tools winner will receive:

  • $10,000 Autodesk Construction Solutions Scholarship Award

First Prize

Four First Prize winners will receive:

  • $5,000 Autodesk Construction Solutions Scholarship Award

Second Prize

Ten Second Prize winners will receive:

  • $1,000 Autodesk Construction Solutions Scholarship Award

Runner Up

Twenty Runner Up Prize Winners will receive:

  • Autodesk Prize Packs, including a t-shirt
How It Works

Write an Instructable

Create a new Instructable that fits the guidelines outlined in the contest description above. To be eligible, Instructables must be published between Mar 7, 2022 and Jul 18, 2022 (11:59pm PT).

Enter

Upon publishing your Instructable you'll see checkboxes for open contests. Select Make It Modular: Student Design Challenge. If you have entries currently eligible for entry, it will also show up by clicking "Enter this Contest" on the right side of this page.

Accepting

Entries are accepted by Instructables staff within one business day Monday - Friday. What matters is the submission time, not acceptance time.

Judging

A panel of judges made up of Instructables staff and respected members of the community rate the finalists. The averages of the ratings determine the winners.

Winners

When the winners are decided they will be notified and announced here on the contest page.