QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Responses to general questions will be posted here. Additional questions and answers are available to registered entrants.
Registration Information
Is there any reason that I can't team up with an engineer for the project?
Teaming up with an engineer is allowed and encouraged.
Does one get a more detailed competition brief once one has paid the registration fee? What is included in the registration package?
The competition brief includes all of the information needed for the competition. Once you register, you will gain access to the brief, the registration form, and detailed images, maps, and drawings.
When someone registers, how will they receive competition material? How are drawings and historic photos of the existing structure and adjacent site to be made available?
You will receive an e-mail confirming your registration with details regarding how to access competition material. All information will be available electronically through the website. Material includes drawings and historic photos.
We are concerned about the security of online registration. Is there an alternative means to pay the registration fee?
You may now pay for your registration with a check. Acteva will process the check and your registration will be pending until the check clears.
If we register to the competition as a professional association, are we a team or an individual tender?
Entries that include more than one individual person are considered teams. There is no limit on the size of team, but like other entrants, teams may only submit one proposal per registration.
Will there be an orientation session with those who maintain the bridge?
There will not be an orientation session for Stage I of the competition. We will conduct a site visit for Stage II participants. The site visit will include an extensive orientation session with stakeholders (including those who own and maintain the bridge).
I would like more information on the submittal requirements, e.g. how many boards, types of drawing, etc. required for this competition.
Submittal requirements are listed on the website in the Registration section.
We would like to register as a team of 2 students. Does this mean we should register at the (student) $25 fee or the (team) $100?
Students teaming up in groups of two or three may pay a $25 per student rate in lieu of the stated $100 rate. Student groups of 4 or more, should pay the full, $100 team rate.
Could you please tell me if it is an international competition?
Yes, the competition is open to international entrants.
Is this competition open to (non-American) students from outside of the US?
Yes, the competition is open to international entrants and therefore non-American students from outside the US qualify to enter.
We are hoping to run this competition as the first project in our Architecture Studio class. We will select the best of the submitted entries and do not currently know the names of the students. Can we use the professors' names when registering?
You may use the name of the professor when registering. When you submit an entry, please include the name of the student on the registration form as well as the professorÕs name. If registering for a student, the student fee will apply.
Resources
Is there any way to find existing West-End bridge drawings or cad files? And site plan in cad format?
CAD files are not provided in Stage I. Detail drawings, maps, and images are available to registered entrants. Stage II participants will receive additional drawings and resources.
On the resource image page, there is a great view of the West End Bridge from the West End Overlook. Are there any other locations where you can view the bridge from a distance?
There are several places to view the West End Bridge. Another impressive view is from Mount Washington near the Duquesne Incline. There you can see the proposed pedestrian bridge site. As you mentioned, the West End Overlook has a great view of the bridge and skyline. However, the easiest way to get to the overlook is by driving where as, you can take the incline to Mt. Washington. Also, the sight from Point State Park is great from ground level.
Could you explain the current trail system near the West End Bridge? For example, where are the trails located? Is there pedestrian access on both sides of the Bridge?
Detailed trail information is available on the Friends of the Riverfront website (see Selected Bibliography). There are trails completed and under development on both the North and South shores. You will find additional trail information in the Riverlife Loop Plan.
There is pedestrian access on both sides of the bridge. Detailed images are provided for registered entrants.
Are digital CAD drawings of the bridge available?
CAD files are not provided in Stage I. Detail drawings, maps, and images are available to registered entrants.
Entrants advancing to Stage II will receive additional drawings and resources at that time.
Awards
Could you clarify the total fees awards one would receive if one is short-listed into the second stage, coming from the open competition stream: $1000+$15000+ $2500 to $7500= $18500 for third place, going up to $23500 for first place. Is this correct?
Stage I Open Competition winners will receive $1,000 each and move on to Stage II. All participants in Stage II will receive $15,000 for each team. First, second and third placeholders at the end of Stage II will receive awards in the amounts of $7,500, $5,000, and $2,500 respectively.
RFQ process
I was reading through the "Overview" page on your website and have a question: How will you choose the firms which will receive the RFQ?
The goal of this two-stage competition process it to identify a design for a pedestrian bridge that will be a new iconic landmark in the city of Pittsburgh. For this reason, firms invited to participate in the RFQ process will be selected based on the quality of their past design work not on the quantity of bridges they may have produced.
As a bridge engineering firm, we are wondering if it is better for us to enter in the design competition or wait to be invited in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process.
Because the open design competition and the RFQ processes run parallel to one another, winners from both processes will be announced at the same time. Firms hoping to be selected though the RFQs process will not know if they have been chosen before competition submissions are due. Entering both would increase the firmÕs chances of being selected either through one process or the other.
I have a question about the stage I relationships; i.e.: an architect who submits Stage I vs. an architect that is "qualified" halfway thru stage I. I assume what you are trying to do is marry non-professionals with professionals? Since I already have teamed with an engineer and have enough experience, so I would submit for the RFQ as well?
Professionals who believe they are qualified should submit for the RFQ process. They may also elect to enter the design competition.
The purpose of the open design competition is to provide a forum for designers who might not normally be considered through the RFQ process, due to a lack of built work or limited experience in bridge design. These individuals may or may not be design professionals.
Regardless of their past experience, designers selected through the open competition process must assemble a full professional team in order to participate in Stage II, which requires more technically resolved design solutions. During Stage II, the selected participants from the competition process will continue to develop their proposals. Teams selected through the RFQ process will not be teamed with competition designers, but rather will develop their own proposals and compete with them in Stage II. The best scheme at the end of Stage II will be identified as the winner.
What is the schedule for the RFQ process?
The RFQ will be available December 1st. The deadline for RFQ queries and requests is December 19th. The deadline for RFQ submission is January 16th.
We are interested in entering the Bridge Project competition, but are confused to whether it is a competition or an RFQ submission? If we can apply as an RFQ could you also attach the details for that?
The RFQ process is detailed in this section. Teams interested in the RFQ should have demonstrated experience in bridge building or similarly complex project. RFQ winners will be announced at the same time as open competition winners. There will be two to three winners of the RFQ process. The open competition is available to anyone - regardless of experience - with the understanding that at Stage II all participants will be required to have assembled qualified teams to complete the program. Competition entrants are welcome to participate in the RFQ process by e-mailing us at bridge@riverlifetaskforce.org. We can't emphasize enough the importance of having the necessary qualifications to participate in the RFQ process.
Our firm has already been selected for a term service contract. When will we be notified about the RFQ process?
Firms should not assume that they will be contacted about the RFQ. Interested offices with significant demonstrated experience in bridge building or similarly complex projects should email bridge@riverlifetaskforce.org. , and request to be notified.
Jurors
Selected jurors
Carol Brown, founding president, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh, PA pgharts.org
Kathleen M. Buechel, president and treasurer, Alcoa Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA alcoa.com
Winka Dubbeldam, architect, Archi-Tectonics, New York, NY archi-tectonics.com
Alex Krieger, urban designer and architect, Chan Krieger Associates, Cambridge, MA chankrieger.com
Les Robertson, structural engineer, Leslie E. Robertson Associates, R.L.L.P, New York, NY lera.com
Ken Smith, landscape architect, Ken Smith Landscape Architect, New York, NY
Bill Strickland, president and CEO, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, Pittsburgh, PA manchesterguild.org