There are three categories in the competition. Contestants may use one, several, or all of these Typologies in their submission, and submit original content, illustrations, drawings, watercolors, or create collages of existing elements.

1. Streetscape: Imagining a Complete Street and Placemaking to create a sense of community and a “sticky street” — things like wide sidewalks, a tree canopy, al fresco dining, parklets, safe bike lanes, access to existing or new transit, local shops and retail on the ground floor, covered walkways (colonnades/arcades), and human-scale housing above retail (3-5 stories). The existing street parking can stay but is not necessary. The submission can just be a view of the street, or (ideally) include housing.

2. Building Typology: The LCI is about building human-scale, gentle-density housing that’s beautiful and affordable. Designs ideally are naturally sustainable — Passivhaus, and elements like covered walkways (colonnades/arcades) to lower AC, and balconies and loggias that give residents an indoor/outdoor feel. Typologies can also illustrate building community – like side arterials can have more residential feel — with row houses with front stoops and porches that connect the community and residents to the street and to each other. Height: 3-4 stories. Segments of the street that back into Single Family Homes (R1) should be a maximum height of 3 stories at the back of the lot and 4 stories in front -- with foliage for privacy and aesthetics. Buildings that back into commercial or apartments should be the height of the surrounding buildings (5-6 stories).

Design: Building designs shall be of a style selected by contestants. However, LCI encourages designs that are:

• Appropriate to the local climate (Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate).

• Known for a high level of appreciation and acceptance by the general public. We are looking for designs people find appealing and want to advocate for.

• Commercial and retail on the ground floor is ideal, but optional.

• Original architectural designs are welcome; and existing architectural styles and buildings are equally welcome.

• Minimal parking or no parking and space for bikes/cargo bikes/golf carts etc.

3. Off-Street Typology - Courtyards and Shared Green Space: Living in a compact apartment is more affordable, communal, and convenient — and when combined with shared green space, it can be magical. This category is about imagining inner courtyards or pocket parks that create space for children to play, quiet gardens and park benches for reading and hanging out, or shared spaces to build community with neighbors and friends (picnic tables, seating areas, fire pits). Large surface parking lots along arterials can also be reimagined as neighborhood parks or courtyard buildings.

NOTE: You don’t need to be an architect to submit, we welcome artists, graphic designers, writers, filmmakers, and any other creative professionals to submit. Submissions should focus on appealing to citizens on a practical, emotional, and social level. Furthermore, submissions should show how future citizens of a transit, pedestrian-enabled and car-lite Los Angeles will experience and enjoy their typical day. We are looking for an urban planning vision for high-performance, flexible buildings and streetscapes that will offer a vibrant, high quality of life with a social and economic mix for working and living in the future.

Entrants may choose any commercial corridor in LA County that has existing small retail and access to fast transit (like the Metro) or can add fast transit.

An ideal corridor is Washington Boulevard in Culver City – from La Cienega to Duquesne (with a small section of Culver).

Streets identified by elected leaders and community members as good candidates for an LCI include: Westwood Blvd., Market St. in Inglewood, Vermont, Hollywood, Beverly Blvd., Figueroa, Van Nuys, Ventura, Robertson, Pico, Main St. (Santa Monica/LA), Crenshaw Blvd.

• How can the proposed design serve as a model prototype of car-lite living, 15 Minute Cities, and the re-compaction of urban areas for the region and the U.S.?

• What can we learn from other cities around the world–cities that have already integrated intermodal transportation systems and a high degree of walkability?

• How can the city be as accessible as possible for all types of mobility needs?

Grand Prize: $2,000.00

Three Runner-Ups in each submission category will receive $1,000.00 each.

Honorable Mentions for each category.

Livable Streets is open to many types of creatives– architects, urbanists, planners, landscape architects, transit engineers, developers, builders, visual artists, and graphic designers. Participation is encouraged from professionals, students and amateurs alike.

To be eligible for consideration, all contest entries must comply with the following guidelines:

Age: 18 years or older, or parental/guardian permission if under 18

Type: Individual or with a team of no more than three members

Language: English

NOTE: Any submissions deemed offensive will be ruled ineligible. Participants who plagiarize or submit drawings or designs that are not entirely their own (with the exception of images that are publicly available and/or the rights have been retained or the author owns the copyright to) will be disqualified at any point during the competition. The submission should not contain any information which discloses identity. By submitting to this design challenge, you are greenlighting the use of your submission by the Livable Communities Initiative on all external platforms. While every participant who submits will retain the right to their architecture, the Livable Communities Initiative has worldwide publications rights in all media. If you would like to be considered for Phase II, there will be an “opt-in “option on the application.

Submission Opens: August 23, 2022

Deadline to Submit Project: March 15, 2023

Winners announcement: May/June 2023

Phase II of the Livable Streets Design Challenge is to choose Standard Plans for identified LCIs in the Los Angeles region. A jury, including members of the community, will select which submissions will be invited to Phase II – where the projects will be commissioned to become fully realized architectural plans. These plans will become “Standard Plans'' offered free of charge to property owners, builders and developers.

Each entry must include:

• Completed entry form as well as a signed release form

• Short description or your submission of no more than 400 characters

• Image or video file should be uploaded as pdf, jpg, png, or mp4

OFFICIAL RULES

The Contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law.

All federal, state, local, municipal, income and other taxes (if any) are the sole responsibility of the winner(s). Cash prizes won by teams are normally distributed to the primary entrant designated on the entry form. However, Sponsor reserves the right to distribute prizes to any team member in its sole discretion.

By entering, Entrant(s) warrant that: (1) their entry is the original work of the entrant(s) and does not include, is not based on, or derived from any pre-existing or third-party designs, trademarks, or copyrighted images. (2) they are authorized by the owner of the design to enter the design in the Contest; and (3) the design does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party. No team may consist of more than three persons. All persons who contributed to the design (no more than 3 total) must be clearly identified on the application.

Except where prohibited by law, entry into this Contest constitutes permission to use the winner’s name, likeness, prize information, and information provided on the entry form for publicity purposes, without further permission or compensation. The decision by Sponsor as to winner(s) of the Contest are absolute and final.

Entrants retain ownership of all design ideas submitted in the Contest. However, by submitting designs and materials in the Contest, entrants irrevocably grant to Sponsor a fully paid-up, worldwide, assignable license to use and reproduce the submitted materials and derivations thereof in all media for all purposes whatsoever (including future versions of the Contest) or advertising or promotion of Sponsor or its brands, including but not limited to in print ads and on Sponsor’s website.

Sponsor is not responsible for any expenses incurred by entrants in connection with their participation in the Contest and will not return any materials submitted in the Contest.

The Contest may be terminated by the Sponsor at any time in its sole discretion. Contest rules may be changed, modified or updated without notice.

Each entrant shall indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor, its affiliates, assigns, and their agents and employees, against liability should any third-party claim that the use by the Sponsor, its affiliates, assigns, and/or their agents or employees of materials submitted by such entrant violates any right of such third party with respect to the materials.

Participation in the Contest constitutes an agreement by each entrant, including all members of a team in the case of a team entry, to be bound by these Official Contest Rules. In the event of a conflict between these Official Rules and any other statement by Sponsor in connection with the Contest, these Official Rules govern.

By entering the Contest, each entrant agrees that (a) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Contest, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action and shall be filed only in the state or federal courts with jurisdiction in Los Angeles, California and entrant(s) hereby consents and submits to the personal jurisdiction of such courts for the purposes of litigating any such action; (b) any claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred in entering the Contest, but shall in no event include attorneys’ fees or costs; and (c) EXCEPT WHERE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ANY ENTRANT BE PERMITTED TO OBTAIN ANY AWARD FOR, AND EACH ENTRANT HEREBY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO CLAIM, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL AND/OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES AND ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO HAVE DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR OTHERWISE INCREASED, AND ANY OTHER DAMAGES, OTHER THAN DAMAGES FOR ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES INCURRED IN ENTERING THE CONTEST.

The invalidity or unenforceability of any provisions of these Official Contest Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of these Rules, which shall remain in full force and effect.