The Philadelphia Center for Architecture and The Ed Bacon Foundation announce the fifth annual Student Design Competition to be held this fall. This year's competition titled "Designing the Fair of the Future" is open to college and university level students internationally. The challenge culminates with an awards ceremony at the Philadelphia Center for Architecture (1218 Arch St., Philadelphia) on Tues. Dec. 7.

The competition will award $6,000 to students for their urban design ideas. With the 250th birthday of America in 2026, university-level students from all disciplines are asked to imagine an international World's Fair style celebration in Philadelphia. The 2010 Student Design Competition focuses on imagining innovative visions for the Fair of the Future.

"The southern tip of Philadelphia already includes stadiums, waterfront, parks, residential neighborhoods, oil refineries, and corporate headquarters but it is an under-planned section of the city that would benefit from infrastructure and other investments", said Gregory Heller, Chairman of the Competition Committee. "The students who enter the competition will focus on how a grand international celebration of America's birth could help spark better use of this land."

Philadelphia has a long tradition of hosting national and international expositions to celebrate America's birthday. Ed Bacon himself proposed a 1976 World's Fair in Philadelphia as a way to lay infrastructure for future urban development. While that project did not live up to expectations for financial and political reasons, it may be possible to successfully pursue this model for urban development.

For more information about the competition, please visit www.edbacon.org.

About The Ed Bacon Foundation:
The Ed Bacon Foundation is a Philadelphia-based, non-profit organization, founded in 2004. The Ed Bacon Foundation is dedicated to preserving and strengthening the vision and legacy of Philadelphia's renowned city planner, Edmund N. Bacon. The Foundation supports organizations and individuals that embody the spirit of Bacon's life, work, and dedication to Philadelphia, with the goal of advancing Philadelphia's quality of life and international stature. The Foundation also seeks to commemorate Bacon's legacy and to promote increased exposure to his work. For more information about the Ed Bacon Foundation, please visit www.edbacon.org.

About The Philadelphia Center for Architecture:
The Philadelphia Center for Architecture performs the charitable and educational work of the Philadelphia chapter of the American Institute of Architects and serves as the physical home for the Chapter in Center City Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Center for Architecture was envisioned with three core principles in mind: Public Engagement, Collaboration and Design Excellence. The Center is an exhibition gallery, studio, museum, interpretive laboratory, tourist destination, reception hall, and classroom. The Center is also home to the AIA Bookstore & Design Center and the Community Design Collaborative.