Register Now For Thriving By Design Competition, A Minnesota Sesquicentennial Kickoff Project

Saint Paul, MN (PRWEB) February 20, 2007

The Minnesota Design Team and Minnesota Rural Partners, in partnership with the Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission, invite kids and adults with lots of imagination to register by February 28, 2007 for the 2007 Thriving by Design competition, to help Minnesota get ready for its Sesquicentennial and help shape Minnesota's future. This contest is open to all Minnesotans - urban, suburban, and rural. Informaiton is available online: http://www.minnesotaruralpartners.org/2007_summit/design.htm

You must register your team by Feb 28, 2007 to compete in the contest. Completed entries are due April 16. Winning entries will be honored at the Minnesota Rural Summit, May 10 & 11, 2007 in Brainerd, and the designs will be on display at the State Capitol following the Summit. Cash prizes will also be made. Full details of the competition are available at http://www.minnesotaruralpartners.org/2007_summit/design.htm or call 651-645-9403.

The Thriving by Design competition is one component of a series of activities that aims to help Minnesota community leaders learn how design and planning can be used to address complex development issues and develop clear strategies that position their communities and regions to thrive well into the 21st century. The series -- which includes the design competition, the Minnesota Rural Summit in May, and regional design and planning charrettes in late 2007 and 2008 -- uses the upcoming Minnesota Sesquicentennial (150 years of statehood in 2008) as the impetus to engage citizen involvement and outreach from the education, design, economic development and planning sectors.

In the adult competition interdisciplinary teams will develop conceptual ideas and designs on either a statewide, regional or community scale. Designs must incorporate multiple issues/topics and show how they relate to each of four parameters: economy, natural environment, social environment and culture.

The general design question entrants will consider is: "After 150 years of statehood, knowing what we know now and the tools we have, combined with the ingenuity of our people, and facing the global pressures around us, how would you "design" Minnesota today to be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, to carry on with our high quality of life well in the 21st century?" Contest organizers are hoping designers, landscape architects and architects, planners, and others will enter alongside citizens from across the state.

The youth competition is divided into two groups, Grades 5 - 8 and Grades 9 - 12. Teams of students in the younger group will create a map of their community, showing all the places and problematic features that are special to them. Teams of older students will create a map showing the special places and also illustrate what things they would put in place (working at either a state, regional or community scale) to make Minnesota great in the future.

Again, winning entries will be unveiled and honored at the Rural Summit in Brainerd. Winning entries will be displayed at the State Capitol in St. Paul following the Summit. Cash prizes and opportunities for publicity will be awarded to top entries, as judged by a jury of Minnesota leaders in design, planning, government, community development and education.

Team registration is available at http://www.minnesotaruralpartners.org/2007_summit/design.htm along with detailed information about contest criteria. You must register by February 28 to be eligible to submit your entry by April 16. All information about the competition is being disseminated online. Printed copies are available by request at 651-645-9403.

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