Old Lyme Architect Arelt Wins Sketch Challenge at National Architecture Conference

BOSTON/OLD LYME — Architect Christopher Arelt of Nautilus Architects in Old Lyme, CT took home the top prize in a design competition at this year’s American Institute of Architects (AIA) Conference on Architecture.

Arelt participated in Blueprints & Brews, a sketch challenge hosted on the conference floor, where architects were invited to illustrate spontaneous prompts drawn from a spinning wheel.

Using a white pencil on a blue napkin, participants responded to ideas ranging from “a building shaped like a lobster” to “Fenway Park as a floating structure.”

Arelt’s winning drawing, based on the prompt “a door at the edge of the world,” depicted a flying car exiting through a VertiStack® Clear-style door into a galaxy of stars and planets. His sketch was selected as the Grand Prize winner from six rounds of entries displayed on what organizers called the “Wall of Wicked Smart Design.”

“It was an exhilarating experience and accomplishment,” Arelt said. “It quickly became the highlight of my day at the convention.”

For his prize, Arelt received a commissioned illustration of one of his own projects from freelance artist Ron Schiding. He chose the firm’s Greystone residence on the Connecticut shoreline, a contemporary home inspired by New England architectural traditions.

The illustration will be displayed at Nautilus Architects’ headquarters in Old Lyme.

The Blueprints & Brews event, sponsored by Clopay® Corporation, was designed to engage architects in a playful way while spotlighting creative approaches to design. Organizers said it also served as a chance to connect architects with manufacturers.

Editor’s Notes: i) Christopher Arelt is the founder of Nautilus Architects in Old Lyme, CT. He brings a collaborative and site-driven approach to residential design. His work blends Modernist influences with regional craftsmanship, emphasizing natural light and material authenticity. For more information, visit this link.

ii) Founded in 1964, Clopay® Corporation (“Clopay”) is the largest manufacturer and marketer of garage doors and rolling steel doors in North America. Clopay is headquartered in Mason, Ohio, and operates four manufacturing facilities and 57 distribution centers. For more information, visit this link.