TerraViva Competitions launches SILOS BUENOS AIRES, a new architecture competition that aims to rehabilitate the abandoned Silos from Puerto Madero in a creative and unconventional way. Prizes up to 6.000 € will be awarded to the winners selected by an international jury panel composed by, among others, Giancarlo Mazzanti (El Equipo Mazzanti), He Jianxiang (O-Office Architects), Ilse Cárdenas (Palma), Juan Lucas Young (Sauerbruch Hutton).

Brief

The old infrastructural facilities of Puerto Madero, witnesses of a time when Argentina was considered "The Granary of the World", are now part of the contemporary city and are perfectly integrated into the new urban skyline of Buenos Aires. Only a few port structures of extraordinary heritage value have remained intact, and without a doubt the most fascinating still standing ones are the "Silos de la Junta Nacional de Granos".

Out of use for more than 90 years, today this majestic ruin has remained somehow suspended in time and trapped in an urban context that has not yet been able to rehabilitate it as it deserves…

How could an obsolete structure be transformed into a mixed-use space open to the entire community? What kind of new functions could improve the neighbourhood and enhance the public space that surrounds the complex?

Silos Buenos Aires encourages participants to experiment with innovative and ingenious ideas, without fear of completely revolutionizing the current state of the building.

Prizes & Mentions

- 1st Prize: 2.500€
- 2nd Prize: 1.500€
- 3rd Prize: 1.000€
- 4 Golden Mentions: 250€ each
- 10 Honourable Mentions
- 30 Finalists

Guidelines

The reasons to promote the rehabilitation of such a building are surely not lacking: the remarkable heritage value, the uniqueness of its architectural typology and the privileged position within Puerto Madero, are just some of them.

Its condition of "Industrial Ruin" gives it a sort of special charm, completely different from that of the newest constructions around it. The state of deep degradation, which strongly clashes with a context of glass buildings, seems like a kind of desperate call for attention not to forget its existence.

The main dilemma lies in defining what kind of intervention would be able to give a new life to a structure that could no longer resume its original function. Which activities would suitably adapt to such a particular building?

Designers will have absolute freedom when defining the program of the project. From a cultural centre to a climbing complex, from a library to a museum: there are endless possibilities to explore, and certainly the combination of various activities will contribute to the success of the proposal.

Such a peculiar building will definitely lead to different and unique interpretations among all the participants. Consequently, both interventions that will contemplate radical changes and concepts that will be limited to more discreet operations will be equally valued.

Requested Material

Competitors have to submit two A1 panels (59,4 x 84,1 cm) landscape oriented + a brief text describing the proposal (up to 250 words). Panels must contain all the necessary graphic information to explain the project in the best way possible (title, diagrams, sketches, 3D visualizations, plans and sections, collages, model photos, etc.). All kinds of graphic representations will be accepted.

Jury

Giancarlo Mazzanti | El Equipo Mazzanti (Bogotá, Colombia)

He Jianxiang | O-Office Architects (Guangzhou, China)

Ilse Cárdenas | Palma (Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico)

Luciana Lembo | Adamo-Faiden (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Juan Lucas Young | Sauerbruch Hutton (Berlin, Alemania)

Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli| 2050+ (Milan, Italia)

Tomas Balparda | BBOA (Rosario, Argentina)

Maria Cecilia Stoppani | Tectoo (Milan, Italia)

Calendar

Competition Opening March 21st
59 € “Early” Registration from March 21st to May 13th
89 € “Standard” Registration from May 14th to July 1st
119 € “Late” Registration from July 2nd to July 29th
Submission Deadline July 29th
Results Announcement September 12th

Download the full competition brief from this page. 

Requirements / Eligibility

The competition is open to students, architects, designers, urbanists, engineers, artists, makers, activists and anyone interested in the fields of design and architecture. Participants can join the competition either individually or with a team.

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