Bee Breeders has announced the Pavilosta Poet Huts competition, tasking architecture enthusiasts with creating an inviting retreat within the quit fishing village on the western coast of Latvia. Already a popular European tourist destination, Pavilosta is known for its long sandy beach and idyllic Baltic Sea waters. 

In addition to designing the “Poet Huts” for the artists in residence, participants are being asked to design a multifunctional space to facilitate small exhibitions, presentations and group gatherings, as well as permanent accommodation for the host family.

The small port town of Pavilosta is located on the western coast of Latvia, at the mouth of the Saka river in Courland. Known for its long sandy beach and idyllic Baltic Sea waters, the town is a popular tourist destination, and is populated with seafaring locals from tenacious fishermen to some of the world’s toughest windsurfers.

The architecture of the town is predominantly low-rise housing, with almost all roads leading to the sea, whose crystal clear waters attract creative people to this small town to rest, rejuvenate, and be inspired.

The Pavilosta Poet Huts architecture competition is tasking participants with delivering designs for residences for visiting poets. The key function of the complex would be to offer free residence to selected poets where they could live and work for a defined period of time.

With competition winners being considered for construction, designs for the Pavilosta Poet Huts should focus on eco-friendly and cost-effective building techniques. As Latvia has a reputation as one of Europe’s greenest countries, the structure should have the potential to become a regional example of green building practice.

Eligibility

Competition is open to all. No professional qualification is required. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (4 team members maximum). Correspondence with organizers must be conducted in English; All information submitted by participants must be in English. 

Prizes

1st prize: US $3,000 / Publications Certificate of Achievement

2nd prize: US $1,500 / Publications Certificate of Achievement

3rd prize: US $500 / Publications Certificate of Achievement

BB Student Award: US $500  (more details here) / Publications Certificate of Achievement

BB Green Award: US $500 (more details here) / Publications Certificate of Achievement

The competition will select 6 Honorable Mentions.

Publication: The winners will get international art and design media coverage and will be featured on the Bee Breeders website and social pages. 

Certificate: Bee Breeders will also acknowledge the outstanding performance of all winners and honourable mentions with Certificates of Achievement.

Jury panel is composed of Audrey McKee from Renzo Piano Building Workshop in France, Carlos M Guimarães – depA, correspondent of A10 magazine in Portugal, Daniel Jacobs from SHoP Architects, New York City, USA, Gemawang Swaribathoro from OMA, Hong Kong, John Paul Rysavy from SHoP Architects, New York City, USA; And-Either-Or Austin, Texas and Brooklyn, New York, USA. See the competition's full jury panelhere. 

Key dates for the competition

Closing date for registration: 16 April, 2019

Closing date for project submission: 4 June, 2019 (11.59pm GMT)

Announcement of the winners: 25 June, 2019

Competition brief, photographs and 2D - 3D images of the site can be downloaded from the competition website. Contact Bee Breeders to receive special student rates for group registrations (discount applies for 3+ registrations from one university/school) and to receive further information and support for getting your students involved in architecture competitions. 

Top image courtesy of Bee Breeders 

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