The call for proposals invites participants to envision a new civic destination within the future High Falls State Park in Rochester, New York.
The site is located in Smokestack Portal, one of the future entry points to the park, next to the Genesee River Gorge. The proposal must integrate architecture, landscape, and public space in a setting defined by its topography, infrastructure, and industrial heritage.
Market and Public Space
The competition calls for the design of a contemporary riverside market and the public space necessary for its operation. The complex should serve as a civic destination and, at the same time, as a gateway to the future High Falls park system.
The brief frames the project as an extension of Rochester’s tradition of public markets, linked not only to commerce but also to social gatherings and activities. The proposal should accommodate everyday uses, seasonal events, and year-round operation.
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Programme
The program includes approximately 16 indoor retail spaces, each measuring about 19 m², including six and eight covered outdoor stalls of similar size, and between two and three spaces for food trucks, each measuring about 37 m². It also includes circulation and gathering areas, as well as support infrastructure for the market’s operations.
In addition, approximately between 279 and 465 m² must be set aside for a plaza or landscaped gathering space, with flexible areas for markets, performances, festivals, and civic events. One of the main constraints is the existing industrial chimney, which must be preserved as a permanent feature of the site and may not be directly altered. Proposals must also preserve significant visual connections to High Falls and the Genesee River Gorge.
Among the guiding principles, the guidelines include sustainability, universal accessibility, adaptability, and durability, as well as the integration of architecture, landscape, and public space. The document clarifies that these recommendations serve as design guidelines rather than strict limitations.
Awards and Participation
The contest offers a total prize pool of $10,000, distributed as follows:
- 1st prize: $5,000.
- 2nd prize: $2,500.
- 3rd prize: $1,000.
- Buildner Student Award: $1,000.
- Buildner Sustainability Award: $500.
- Six honorable mentions.
In addition, the winners will automatically qualify for the annual final of the 2027 Buildner Medal, which has an independent prize fund of €50,000.
The contest is open to the general public and does not require any professional qualifications. Entries may be submitted individually or by teams of up to four members. Individuals who have direct personal or professional relationships with members of the jury or with the organizers are not eligible to participate.
The brief defines the call for entries as a ideas competition and clarifies that it is not intended as a project for immediate construction. The selected proposals may contribute to future discussions on public space, civic identity, and the development of Rochester’s riverfront.
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Delivery and Dissemination
Each participant must submit four horizontal A2 panels, with a maximum size of 10 MB per panel, via the competition’s official platform. Entries may include sketches, renderings, plans, sections, elevations, diagrams, and other resources necessary to explain the proposal. All written information must be in English, dimensions must be expressed in imperial units, and the panels may not contain any information that would identify the participant or team.
The brief also suggests floor plans, cross-sections, details, diagrams, and perspectives as possible presentation resources, but clarifies that this set is merely a suggestion and that alternatives may be used that explain the project more effectively.
The results will be published by Buildner and, as part of its collaboration with ArchDaily, the winning projects will be featured on that platform. There is a registration fee. The brief can be found on the official contest website for current fees.
Key Dates
The official schedule lists the following dates: New York High Falls Riverfront …
- December 10, 2026: Registration deadline.
- December 16, 2026: Deadline for questions.
- January 18, 2027: Deadline for project submissions: 11:59 p.m. London time.
- March 9, 2027: Announcement of winners.