The mountain tent represents one of the most primal forms of architecture: a light, temporary shelter capable of creating space even in extreme conditions. It is not merely a technical object, but a micro-architecture that enters into a direct relationship with the natural landscape. 

Clothed Spaces invites participants to rethink the tent as an architectural and aesthetic element: a temporary presence that, once pitched, becomes an integral part of nature and the space surrounding it. The tent “clothesˮ the landscape without altering it, establishing a balanced dialogue between the artificial and the natural.

Competition

The aim of CLOTHED SPACES is to design an innovative mountain tent, conceived as a lightweight, temporary micro-architecture. The competition is conceptual and experimental in nature: bold solutions are encouraged—even if not immediately feasible—provided they are supported by a clear design vision. The tent must go beyond its basic function as a shelter and become a true element of micro-architecture, capable of defining space through design: an aesthetic presence in dialogue with a generic natural context, and a reversible structure of extreme lightness and minimal bulk. The focus of the competition is the study of the tent as an expressive form of lightweight architecture. Participants are invited to explore the relationship between form and function, and how materials and geome - tries can embody an innovative concept. In line with the CLOTHED SPACES theme, material research plays a central role. Fabric and surface are understood as an “architectural skinˮ mediating between interior and exterior. Experimentation is encouraged with new materials, innovative textiles, and unconventional construction solutions capable of redefining the tentʼs performance, transformability, and aesthetic identity. The tent-as-micro-architecture must be designed as a habitable space for 2 people, expandable up to a maximum of 4. The proposal should emphasize maximum reversibility, ease of assembly, disassembly, and transport, as well as minimal structural impact on the surrounding context.

Competition site

As a reference for the competition, the Julian Alps massif (Italy and Slovenia) is suggested—an iconic and unique natural landscape, ideal for exploring lightweight micro-architecture within an alpine context of strong visual impact and geological complexity. Indicative coordinates of the massif: 46°20′ N, 13°45′ E (latitude–longitude). As the tent is conceived as a portable and temporary element, participants are free to select any other natural location for their project, provided that the environment is characterized by open nature and an authentic landscape context. The fundamental requirement is that the chosen site allows for an exploration of the relationship between the designed tent and the surrounding natural landscape, emphasizing principles of lightness, reversibility, and design.

Registration fees

Early Registration (20 December - 21 January): 40 Euro

Advance Registration (22 January - 22 March): 60 Euro

Last Minute Registration (23 March - 27 April): 90 Euro

Prizes (Total Prize Pool: €3,000)

First Prize: €1,500

Second Prize: €1,000

Third Prize: €500

Jury member

Sara  Dello Scarparo - Archea Associati

Han Kuo - Founder, Supra-Simplicities

Luciano  Letteriello  - Zaha Hadid Architects

Jose  Sibi  - UNStudio

Inano Mushkudiani - Director at Vincenzo de Cotiis studio 

Francesco Zonca - Sou Fujimoto Architects 

Ivane  Katamashvili - Architecture Photographer & Filmmaker

Deadlines & Timeline

Registration deadline: April 27, 2026

Project submission deadline: 30 April 2026

Announcement of Winners: June 2, 2026

The top image courtesy of Archcontest.

> via Archcontest

architecture competition