Bee Breeders has announced winners for the Iceland Thermal Springs Guest House competition, which was part of a series of design competitions based on sites around northern Iceland. 

Participants were tasked with creating an additional guest house for the traditional Vogafjós Farm Resort. The use of earthwork, wood, and water, were common themes in the submitted proposals, and the jury favoured those that showed the most respect for the site and explored the capacity to offer visitors a truly special, local experience.

First prize was awarded to Eric Conzales from the United States, whose Converse Guest House offered two primary structures. One structure services as the ‘private’ house with the second functioning as the ‘public’ house with common areas for guests to gather. The two square-plan buildings are a yin and yang, balancing one another across a common boardwalk leading to a heated pool and fireplace.

Second prize went to Nuttapol Techopitch of Looklen Architects Co., Ltd., Thailand. Their 'Sailing Seasons' project featured a series of guesthouses set on a raised foundation of rails to preserve the nature of the existing site. 

Marwan Hamama from France took third prize for the project 'Singleton', which is a linear trifecta of programs made of stone gabion external walls, steel framing, and wood interiors.

BB Student Award was given to Shuting Zhang and Jiakun He from Leibniz Universität Hannover with "Outpost" and BB Green Award was given to Sergi Viñals Musquera and Anna Mirapeix Gresa from Spain with "Under The Northern Lights". 

See the winning projects with jury comments below:

Site plan

Floor plans

Images courtesy of the artist

Sections and elevations

1st prize winner: Converse Guest House by Eric Conzales from the United States

Jury comment:

"This winning project offers two primary structures which are in many ways inverses of one another, both formally in plan and functionally in use. One structure serves as the 'private' house with guest rooms and an interior court space. A second structure serves as the 'public' house with common areas for the gathering of guests. Using photographic imagery of models and clearly-represented plans, the two square-plan buildings are a yin and yang, balancing one another across a common boardwalk leading to a heated pool and fireplace. The wood-filled interiors hint at warm and welcoming spaces in a harsh, albeit beautiful landscape. The jury was impressed by the submission's conceptual clarity."

All images courtesy of the artist

2nd prize winner: Sailing Seasons Guest House by Nuttapol Techopitch of Looklen Architects Co., Ltd. from Thailand

Jury comment:

"Sailing Seasons' is an especially forward-thinking project. A series of guesthouses are set on a raised foundation of rails to preserve the nature of the existing site. Hinting at total flexibility, the houses are mobile and can be relocated as necessary along the linear rails, for a closer and more communal group of guests, or more scattered and private setting. The organization can also be suited to open up the site for outdoor activities and sunlight. The jury would have liked to review the details of this system; it believes, however, in the possibility of this idea being realized successfully, with the correct materials and engineering."

Images courtesy of the artist

3rd prize winner: Singleton by Marwan Hamama from France

Jury comment:

"Singleton' is a linear trifecta of programs made of stone gabion external walls, steel framing, and wood interiors. This use of locally-sourced volcanic stone strongly links the site with the building. Two perimeter enclosures contain guestrooms on one side; on the other, an interior thermal bath, communal spaces, a reception zone, and technical areas. The form of the building slopes toward the perimeter to offer large, angled exterior walls for ample views of the site and skies. The central strip houses an exterior thermal bath and garden. The jury was attracted by the strong balance of verticality and horizontality in this project. It wonders, how would the enclosed exterior gardens function in Iceland's long, cold, and dark, winter?."

Images courtesy of the artists

BB Student Award winners: OUTPOST by Shuting Zhang and Jiakun He (China) from Leibniz Universität Hannover 

All images courtesy of the artists

BB Green Award winners: Sergi Viñals Musquera and Anna Mirapeix Gresa from Spain

See 6 Honorable Mentions on the competition's website. You can see other architecture competitions on WAC's Competitions page.

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