Joshua Simoneau, 2008 Rotch Scholar

Joshua Simoneau of Koetter Kim & Associates in Boston has been named the 2008 Rotch Travelling Scholar. As winner, Simoneau received a stipend of $35,000 to spend eight months traveling throughout Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Russia, Denmark, England, Belgium, Finland, The Netherlands, Spain and Greece.

First runner-up was Eric Weyant, who works at ADD Inc. He is invited to compete in next year’s final competition without reentering the preliminary stage and is the 2008 alternate if Simoneau declines the scholarship.

This year’s finalists also included Gabriel Bergeron of Miller Boehm Architects, Ramsey Bakhoum of Payette, Robert Alexander of Patrick Quigley and Associates in Torrence, California, and Robert Genova AIA of Ann Beha Architects.

Thirty-five competitors participated in the preliminary competition, in which they were challenged to create an urban-design proposal for a Boston public market. In the second phase of the design competition, the six finalists were charged with developing a community arts center for Dudley Square.

In his winning scheme, Simoneau presented a masterplan and design that incorporated housing on Harrison Avenue, retail use on Warren Street, two theaters, an urban stage and an enclosed basketball court with an adjacent Internet café and amphitheater seating.