Overview

In this contest your challenge is to imagine how you could design and build a habitat for an extreme environment. We are giving away more than $50,000 in prizes to the best entries!  

A habitat meets all the environmental conditions an organism needs to survive. Habitats that delight go beyond merely meeting the needs to survive; instead, they provide places of refuge where inhabitants can work, play, and grow. We live in a time of inevitable change and opportunity. Humans are on the cusp of a new age in which they are able to not only explore space, but also to potentially expand humanity’s habitat beyond our planet’s bounds! However, we still have many challenges here on Earth to contend with, from wildfires, to coastal flooding, to developing ways to equitably distribute resources. How do we manage these competing responsibilities while enhancing the quality of life for all? What if extreme environment habitats embraced their unique surroundings to enhance human wellbeing?

We are excited to launch a new chapter of the annual Make It Real contest with NFL starting quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who studied aerospace engineering as an undergrad and interned at NASA. In the new “Beyond Bounds” web series, Josh travels to the desert to meet with builders and see firsthand how they are executing designs for extreme environments, gleaning lessons about resilience that could be extended beyond planet Earth: 

How to get started

You may use the Aurelia Institute starter model linked below to incorporate into your design, or you may create your own. You should begin first by selecting a specific site for the habitat that you envision, and next by providing an explanation for why you chose it. Your new design should demonstrate both resilience and livability. You should consider the comfort, safety, and wellness of your design’s intended inhabitants and its impact on the surrounding environment, while also taking into account its ability to adapt to rough and changing conditions. Your habitat’s resilience might be demonstrated through including elements of climate-responsive design and the use of smart materials, renewable energy, in-situ materials for sustainability, and embedded technology like sensors. 

Get inspired

Through its TESSERAE project, Aurelia Institute is working toward unique space habitats, microgravity concert halls, space cathedrals—the next generation of space architecture that will delight, inspire, and protect humanity for our future in the near, and far, reaches of space.  

Learn more about the starter model:  

For more ways to help you get started, you can visit Autodesk Make It Real.

Criteria for success

Your Instructable needs to include both images and text. It might use words to explain how the design fits into the history, culture, nature, landscape, surroundings, and/or architectural traditions (if any) of the chosen site. Your plan should also address construction methods that would be appropriate for the chosen site. 

Your design should:  

• Include a habitat designed for an extreme environment such as a desert, rainforest, high mountains, rural areas, natural disaster site, deep ocean, outer space, another planet, areas of coastal flooding, etc… 
• 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 
• Share insight on the following questions: What if extreme environment habitats embraced their unique surroundings to enhance human well-being? What did you learn through this process that you could apply to addressing a problem of the built environment in your own community?
• Incorporate Autodesk software

Here is a model to help you get started: 

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

Judging

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.  

Judges for the contest will include representatives from the National Society of Black Engineers, Nox Innovations, The PENTA Building Group, Aurelia Institute, and Autodesk Research.

Prizes

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

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

• Best use of CAD (Computer Aided Design) or BIM (Building Information Modeling) 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:  

• $5,000 First Prizes (4) 
• $1,000 Second Prizes (10) 
• $50 gift cards for Runners-Up (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. 

Requirements

• Must include a structure designed for an extreme environment.
• Open to students ages 13-21 and currently enrolled in middle school, high school, or homeschooled in the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec).   
• All entries MUST incorporate Autodesk software in their design.  
• Submissions must be entered between January 29, 2024 and June 24, 2024 (11:59pm PT).