FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
Join Us For The 75th Anniversary Midyear Meeting Sep 7-11 ↗

Thirteenth annual NC State Sigmon Memorial Design Competition

Words: Lynn NashThe North Carolina State University team of “Enzo” Yi-Chang Liao, Nicole Peterson, Lydia Watt, and Michael Wengenroth has claimed the 2013 NCSU Sigmon Memorial Scholarship Masonry Design Award and will share a semester’s in-state tuition as their prize.

NCMCA Past President Doug Burton and Cary architect Mark Reyer served as jurors for the October 15th competition, which required the team to design and model a hypothetical masonry office building. The competition is part of Professor Patrick Rand’s “Architectural Construction Systems” class at North Carolina State University’s College of Design.

Twelve teams participated.

The Winners

Michael Wengenroth is from Cary and his degree program and year is “Master of Architecture 2015.” He plans to work as a registered architect.

Nicole Peterson is from Raleigh. Degree program and year: Environmental Design in Architecture, undergrad, 2015. Future / Career ambitions: “Work as a registered architect, gain knowledge in interior design, and own my own firm.”

Lydia Watt is from Raleigh. Degree program and year: Undergrad in Environmental Design in Architecture, 2015. Future / Career ambitions: To work as a registered architect and Disney “Imagineer.”

“Enzo” Yi-Chang Liao is from Taiwan. Degree program and year: Master of Architecture 2015. Future / Career ambitions: Work as a registered architect.

The team provided comments about their design intentions and how they were expressing masonry in the project: “Our brick cavity wall design builds on the concept of how brick used to function and its broadened versatility today. The facade’s overall organizations is inspired by a running bond pattern. Along the bottom of the facade, which is designed as a load bearing cavity wall, a pattern of extruded and subtracted bricks display the thickness of the load bearing wall. The pattern continues upward and transitions to voids; voids which demonstrate the thinness of a brick screen. As one walks through the entrance, he or she can experience the depth and texture of the surrounding brick. Once inside, an overhead series of brick vaults shows that brick is not limited to wall construction, but also has the capability of spanning.”

Finishing second was the team of Kadmiel Mutanga, Meredith Smith, Connor Flaherty, and Zhendong Ding.

The third place team was Dylan Thomson, Elizabeth Morgan, Zach Bradshaw, and Maryssa Timberlake.

Finishing in fourth place was the team of Kyle Semon, Courtney Richeson, Adam Dunn, and Brandon Porterfield.

The students in the second through fourth place teams received a selection of quality masonry tools as prizes and mementoes of their participation.

The scholarship is named in memory of David, Randy, and Dwayne Sigmon. 2013 marks the thirteenth year for the NC State/NCMCA design competition. The competition also takes place at Appalachian State University in Boone.
 0
Building Tomorrow, Digitally: How Tech is Revolutionizing Masonry
September 2025

The rhythmic tap of the trowel, the satisfying click of brick on mortar – masonry, in its essence, is a craft steeped in tradition. For centuries, it has shaped our skylines, built our homes, and stood as a testament to human ingenuity and skill. But just

Erin Koets
MAP Partner
Read More
MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Episode 28 Recap: Kendall Anderegg, President and CEO at Mutual Materials Company
September 2025

Kendall Anderg's journey in the masonry industry is a remarkable tale of legacy, innovation, and community impact. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Kendall's family business has been a staple in the industry since its founding in 1900. Now celebrating

Justin Stengel
The MASONRY STRONG Podcast
Read More
Ensuring Safety in Scaffold Access and Transference
September 2025

One of the most relevant issues currently affecting the industry is scaffold plans and safety. You are probably aware of new scaffold regulations required by general contractors and owners. IT IS VITAL THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF THESE REQUIREMENTS WHEN BIDDING

Clint Bridges
MAP Partner
Read More
Thermal Mass in Masonry
September 2025

A building’s exterior design and material selection impact all aspects of the final product, from indoor air quality to overall energy efficiency. When design-build teams aim to achieve a more energy-efficient building, material selection is the most cruc

John Cicciarelli
Technical Talks
Read More