It was a night to remember – after 15 weeks of diligence, teamwork and just plain ol’ fun, the ACE Mentorship Team 3 (2012 Program) ended with a bang on May 15!

HOK has been a leader for one of the three Bay Area ACE groups for over 4 years now. This year, 8 students from 3 high schools, and 16 mentors representing 6 different Architecture, Construction and Engineering firms worked together in three teams to pursue mock redevelopment projects for existing buildings at San Francisco’s Pier 70. Each team selected a different reuse project type, including a restaurant, a bicycle retail and manufacturing shop, and an artists’ lofts and gallery building.

Over 8 weeks, students (assisted by mentors) developed flow diagrams, architecture/sustainability strategies, floor plans, electrical and mechanical plans, cost estimates, and 3D models of their projects. We were lucky to have experts from each field guide us along the way, and as many reported back, this was a learning experience for students and mentors! Here are images from each team’s presentation:

Bike Shop and Manufacturing Facility (Teammates: Andy and Justin)

Artists' Lofts and Gallery (Teammates: Fanny, Franky and Nick)

Restaurant (Teammates: Jian, Terry and Victoria)

What stood out through the process was the enthusiasm, dedication and collaborative spirit that each participant brought with them. The final quality of work was truly exceptional, and having been a mentor in the group myself, I can attest to how much hard work was put into each project by everyone involved. A huge thanks and kudos to the students and mentors for another successful ACE year.

Viewing Final Presentations

And, finally, a shoutout to our amazing judges Alma, Carlos, and John, who selected one team out of the three for a final Bay Area-level presentation at UC Berkeley. The three judges were extremely thoughtful in their judgment, and carefully considered the different aspects of each team’s work before selecting the winning team. Congrats to Justin and Andy from the Bike Shop team for their win!

As I look over the last few months, I’m reminded of this quote that hung in my school library – it seems most apt for our mentorship experience:

A child is not a vase to be filled, but a fire to be lit.

- Francois Rabelais