RUSTON, La. — Louisiana Tech University’s School of Design students placed second in the 2025 Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) Steel Design Competition, marking the third consecutive year the program has earned a top national honor.
The team of Blayne Springer, Leyton Spencer and Matthew Wright received second place for their project Nor-Cal 101 Fire Station, extending a winning streak that includes first-place finishes in 2023 and 2024. The national competition, sponsored by ACSA and the American Institute of Steel Construction, recognizes excellence and innovation in steel design.
Guided by faculty sponsors Dr. Pasquale De Paola and Professor Kevin Singh, the students designed a wildfire response station on Lake Shasta in Northern California. The project responds to the growing frequency and scale of wildfires across the western United States by integrating water conservation systems and firefighter training facilities.
Jurors commended Nor-Cal 101 Fire Station for its “thorough and futuristic vision,” highlighting its expressive exterior, inventive modular “kit-of-parts” approach, and overall sense of creativity.
“I think what made this project so memorable was just how much fun we had working together,” said Spencer. “To be able to collaborate on a project at this scale really made us lean into each other’s strengths. That made the process not just efficient, but actually super fun.”
Each year, fourth-year architecture students at Louisiana Tech compete in the ACSA Steel Design Competition, producing projects that explore new applications of steel in architectural design. Faculty said the university’s continued success reflects a strong studio culture centered on collaboration and innovation.
A full list of 2025 competition winners is available on the ACSA website.