MVCDS Headlines
9th Grader a Winner in the American Institute of Architects Design Competition
9th grader David (Newt) Ziegler took Third Place in the American Institute of Architects Toledo 2016 High School Design Competition in the Freshman/Sophomore category, winning a 5 year renewable, $2,000 scholarship to University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture (total $10,000) and a book. He also won Honorable Mention in the Young Architects' Forum Material Innovation Award, for which he was awarded a $50 cash prize and a book.
The contest involved designing a new Aquatic Center at Camp Frontier in Pioneer, Ohio. Newt started the project in the winter architecture intensive at MVCDS and continued the project for another three months. Newt estimates that he had over 200 hours into the project when he submitted it for the contest and continued to work on it even after the contest.
Back
Newt created his entire program in Blender, a 3D rendering program he learned in his 3D Modeling I and II class at Maumee Valley. His Aquatic Center design featured learning pods that were durable, modern educational buildings with lots of natural light and an open floor plan for versatility. The learning pods also had a rain collection water cistern, a sustainable water source that could be accessed in the pod and throughout the area with hoses. Other sustainable features in his drawings included two residential-size wind turbines that would supply the camp with power.
"I couldn't have done it without everything that my teachers Mr. Barnes and Mr.Hanson taught me, and the guidance that Mr. Rossi [professional advisor for the program, Scott Rossi of Rossi and Associates LLC.] gave me. He was always available when I would call him with a question and he came to Maumee Valley every week to meet with me," Newt said.
Maumee Valley Country Day School is the only PreK-12th grade accredited, co-educational, and independent school in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.
