RETHINK. REDESIGN. RECYCLE.

HCAD's Student Design Competition

Center for Building Knowledge

THE GOAL

  • To promote sustainable waste-reducing practices.

  • Eliminate contamination of recyclables.

  • Encourage proper recycling habits.

  • Showcase HCAD students’ designs.

  • Turn everyday infrastructure into a memorable piece of graphic design.

YOUR DESIGN: Create an engaging, visually compelling design for the front of the waste and recycling stations inside Weston Hall.

AWARD + RECOGNITION: Students whose designs place in the top three will receive a cash prize along with a certificate of achievement. Students will be photographed receiving their award and will have the opportunity to feature their designs in our Turn Campus Waste into Cost-Savings Conference.

1. Specifications & Guidelines

  • Eligibility: Hillier College of Architecture and Design (HCAD) students across all majors.
  • Information to be included in your design: Incorporate recycle/trash info from the NJIT How to Recycle Right Guide.

2. Deliverables & Submission Requirements

  1. Design Statement
    • Short Design Statement (150 words max) explaining your concept and how it drives proper recycling behavior. 
  2. Upload Final Design
    • File Type: PDF (up to 10 MB).
    • Dimensions: 28 x 42 inches. (Landscape)
    • Resolution: 300 DPI and CMYK.
  3. Submitting the Deliverables

3. Evaluation & Judging Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated by a jury of HCAD faculty, staff, and campus sustainability representatives based on the following criteria:

  1. Clarity of Recycling Communication & Waste Reduction 
    • How effectively does the design make the distinction between recyclables vs. landfill material easy to distinguish?
    • Does this design educate the campus community and prompt plastic waste reduction and overall environmental awareness?
  2. Visual Design & Environment
    • Does this design inspire and showcase HCAD’s creative identity through graphic design, and integrate with the atmosphere and aesthetics of NJIT’s campus?
  3. Creativity & Originality
    • Does this design showcase the designer’s unique and inventive abilities?
  4. Design Presentation & Feasibility
    • Is the design submitted in the proper format and does it contain current and relevant information about recycling at NJIT?

4. Deadlines + Important Dates

  • Final Submission Deadline: November 12th.
  • Winner Announcement: December 4th.
  • Recycling Conference: December 16th, Agile Strategy Lab, NJIT
    • Winning designs will be presented at Turn Campus Waste into Cost-Savings Conference. 
  • Execution: Once the winning designs are chosen, the designs will be printed by the Center for Building Knowledge and will be applied to all dual receptacles in Weston Hall.

5. Prizes & Recognition

  • 1st Place: $250, a Certificate of Achievement, & your design will be installed on waste + recycling receptacles in Weston Hall.
  • 2nd Place: $150 + Certificate of Achievement.
  • 3rd Place: $100 + Certificate of Achievement.

Students will be photographed receiving their award and will have the opportunity to feature their designs in our Turn Campus Waste into Cost-Savings Conference.