(Little Rock, January 24, 2013)

In honor of the 100 year anniversary of John Nolan’s 1913 document Report on a Park System for Little Rock, THE 2013 ENVISION Competition seeks to challenge design professionals and the public to generate imaginative ideas about a new gateway into the City.

“I’m so excited about this project, I’ve been dreaming about it for 25 years,” said Keep Little Rock Beautiful Commissioner Bob Callans. “The partnership we’ve formed with the City of Little Rock and studio MAIN is making this historically significant event possible.”

The competition site lies at the eastern terminus and intersection of Capitol Avenue and I-30 in Ward 1.  Nolan’s plan envisioned Capitol Avenue as a ceremonial boulevard and this site as an iconic gateway to the City with the capitol building forming the western terminus.

“Right now Capitol Avenue ends on I-30 and it just kind of falls apart in terms of any design significance,” said studio MAIN spokesman James Meyer. “The inherent question is how do we build a structure that forms a gateway that makes it important for Little Rock residents and all the people who drive through the City on I-30.”

A jury panel will award a $1500.00 prize to the winners in the Professional, Public and Student categories.  Also, the public will vote for Best Iconic Design, Best Thorough Plan and an anything goes category called Wildcard. These winners will each receive $250.00 in prize money. ENVISION ideas competition is open to all students, design professionals, artists and anyone with a strong affinity for the future of Little Rock’s urban agenda.

“I'm excited to see what's going to happen with the ideas and having been a part of an exercise of this with the Broadway Bridge, I'm particularly pleased to see these partners coming up with some competition and money that people can win by virtue of being selected,” said Mayor Mark Stodola. “This is a great opportunity to stimulate a lot of different ideas. Participants will have a nice window of time to think about this and look at what can be created.”