In support of Madrid Architecture Week, Never Enough Architecture (NEA) is excited to present its new initiative in collaboration with the Municipality of Pelayos de la Presa. This initiative seamlessly blends a detailed course on "Adaptive Reuse" and "Placemaking" with a design contest, offering participants a comprehensive understanding of these pivotal modern design concepts.

Adaptive Reuse is a fresh way to change old buildings for new uses while keeping their special look and feel. This way saves materials and helps communities by bringing back old buildings. Placemaking is about making public spaces better for people, focusing on looks, use, and a feeling of belonging.

The Course:

From November 15th to November 29th, this online course goes deep into placemaking and adaptive reuse. Participants will learn from experts in:

- "Heritage Conservation and Contemporary Architecture" (1 hour) by Plácido González, researcher at the University of Seville.

- "National Museum for Military History of Dresden, by Libeskind Studio" (1 hour) by Jochen Klein, Principal at Libeskind when the project was built.

- "Playful Cities" (1 hour) by Sara Candiracci and Dasha Moschonas, from ARUP.

- "From Spaces to Places" (1 hour) by David Engwicht, Director at Creative Communities.

- "Hyper-Stimulating Public Spaces" (1 hour) by Marcial Jesus and Javier Gonzalez, founders of 100architects.

- "Integrating Nature into Built Structures" (1 hour) by Mingzhu Bai and Antoine Nerval, from Mingzhu Nerval studio.

- "Bridging the Old and New" (1 hour) by Kieran Gaffney, founder of Konishi Gaffney Architects.

- "Experimenting with Engaging Architecture" (1 hour) by Isabel and Ignacio from DOSIS.

- More lectures to be confirmed

The Competition:

Participants are invited to reimagine an old monastery in Pelayos de la Presa, transforming it into a vibrant community hub. This challenge requires a harmonious blend of contemporary design, historical preservation, environmental consideration, and community engagement. The program highlights include envisioning a performance area that can accommodate at least 300 people, crafting flexible exhibition spaces, designing spaces for community activities such as workshops, markets, and children's play areas, and creating pet-friendly zones. Additionally, participants should consider adding amenities like a café, lunch area, relaxation zones, reading nooks, or interactive art spots. The building is surrounded by a vast green area, offering numerous possibilities for outdoor activities and extensions of the indoor program.

Awards:

1st Prize: €6,000

2nd Prize: €2,000

3rd Prize: €1,000

2 x Special Honorable Mentions: €500 each

10 Honorable Mentions

Jury Panel:

Ma Yansong, Founder of MAD Architects

Antonio Sin Hernández, Major of Pelayos de la Presa

Marcial Jesus & Javier Gonzalez, Founders of 100architects

David Engwicht, Director at Creative Communities

Francisco Latorre Navarro, Architect at Lacaton & Vassal Architectes

Hyunje Joo, Founder of Hyunje Joo_Baukunst studio

Mingzhu Bai & Antoine Nerval, Mingzhu Nerval studio

Maya Calleja, Design Tech Lead at Gensler Shanghai

Calendar:

Early Registration: September 19 - October 18

Regular Registration: October 19 - November 15

Advanced Registration: November 16 – December 6

Late Registration: December 7 – December 20

Submission Deadline: December 20

Winners Announcement: January 23

Read more about the competition here, register to the competition here. 

Top image courtesy of Never Enough Architecture.

> via Never Enough Architecture

architecture competition