Ames’ aging power plant may become a local icon with help from an ISU student.

Arpan Bakshi, senior in architecture, was named one of five finalists Friday in the Landmark Challenge — an international competition designed to transform the power plant into a landmark using design plans from architects. The five finalists were chosen from a list of 115 initial entrants.

Though Bakshi said he was confident about his design for the power plant, he was surprised to be named a finalist.

“Originally, I entered [the Landmark Challenge] for work experience,” he said. “But when I saw my finished design, I was confident and felt it could really go far.”

Bakshi’s design calls for covering the plant with ceramic tile, the same kind used on Main Street, which will homogenize the color of the plant, he said. However, the design’s most notable features are large holographic murals.

“The shape of the power plant resembles a pictorial canvas, making it appropriate to add holographic murals, which will show the history of Ames and Iowa State,” according to the design description.

Another feature of Bakshi’s design is nighttime lighting, which will illuminate the plant, making it visible from U.S. Highway 30 and Interstate 35.

Bakshi said his design will utilize long-lasting lights that conserve energy and won’t cause light pollution.

The finalists were chosen by a panel of nine judges who represented the City of Ames, Iowa State, local businesses and architects.

Dave Percival, judge for the Landmark Challenge, said analyzing the submissions took “hundreds of hours.”

“It was extremely hard to narrow it down to five submissions,” he said.

Five additional designs were named “Honorable Mention” for creativity and originality, Percival said.

A design by Mary Ann Pellerano and Michael McDonald, of Stow, Ohio, wanted to transform the plant into a giant kitchen. Their plans included turning the smokestacks into pots, complete with artificial handles and transforming the main building into an open refrigerator, fully stocked with giant artificial heads of lettuce and cans of Pepsi.

“What is more comforting than the feeling one has when one walks into their kitchen and something good is cooking?” the design description said.

“That’s exactly the feeling the power plant will convey when it’s converted into the World’s Largest Kitchen.”

While some thought the kitchen design was unique, Bakshi said he thought the designers missed the point of the competition.

“A lot of designers submitted extreme designs to create a landmark, but [the designs] had nothing to do with the city itself, which was the most important part of the competition,” he said.