(Miami, Florida) - DawnTown, the annual architecture showcase for Downtown Miami, will take place again during this year's Art Basel Miami Beach.  DawnTown 2008: Waterworks is an architecture ideas competition for a new waterworks building in Downtown Miami's Bicentennial Park.  The competition will conclude with an awards event in Downtown Miami during Art Basel Miami Beach, the world's largest contemporary art show.

DawnTown 2008: Waterworks has been organized by a partnership of Downtown Miami stakeholders, including the University of Miami, Florida International University, and Miami Dade College schools of architecture, the Miami Mayor's Office, and the Miami Art Museum.  In addition to the presenting partners, DawnTown 2008: Waterworks sponsors include the Miami Downtown Development Authority, Akerman Senterfitt, Burt Hill, and Home Miami magazine.

The competition invites entrants to transform the existing pump station on the waterfront in Bicentennial Park into a waterworks building that expresses its function, provides information about water conservation, and brings innovative architecture to Downtown Miami.  Full competition materials are available at http://www.dawntown.org/.

Because the City has plans and funds to improve the park, "Any entry that captures the public imagination could inspire the eventual transformation of the existing pump station into a landmark waterworks building," according to Manny Diaz, Mayor of Miami.

The jury is led by Terry Riley, Director of the Miami Art Museum, and also includes Alex Wall, Professor of Urban Design at the University of Karlsruhe; Loretta Cockrum, CEO of the Foram Group; Cathy Leff, Director of The Wolfsonian-FIU; and Raymond Jungles, Landscape Architect.

The awards event will take place during Art Basel Miami Beach on Friday, December 5 at 9 AM at Miami-Dade College in the heart of Downtown Miami, and will also feature a special keynote speaker.  Prizes are $8000, $4000, and $2000.  The registration deadline is November 7, 2008, and full event details are at http://www.dawntown.org/.  Select entries may also be exhibited in Downtown Miami and published in Home Miami magazine.

DawnTown:  DawnTown is the annual architecture showcase for Downtown Miami.  DawnTown's mission is to draw the attention of visitors from around the world to Downtown Miami's cultural, demographic, and architectural transformation, and to inspire Miami residents towards better urban design.  DawnTown is presented each year by a partnership of Downtown Miami's finest institutions and stakeholder groups.