BIRDHOUSE

Our conceptual design objectives, some of which were beyond the contest mandate, were: to create a template for a “Purple Martin Condo” that can be easily replicated as a modular kit; to use open spaces in cites (school yards, parks, beaches) as habitats; to engage with school boards to develop a practical hands-on workshop for students to learn about the Purple Martin, thus nurturing environmental stewardship amongst youth; and to create open source software and solar powered devices to monitor occupancy, assisting in colony maintenance.

The solution, designed to be mounted on a tall post in an open area (such as a school yard), is a stack of individual optimally sized units configured to allow the condo to expand upward as the colony grows. The staggered form allows each nest to have a perch and at the top level shelter from rain is provided by a solar panel (which powers the occupancy monitors). The condo is constructed from recycled scrap wood. 

The competition was judged by a representative from the David Suzuki Foundation, and our entry was awarded First Prize.