After 3 months running, Cities of Tomorrow competition came to an end with very interesting proposals and outputs, organized by Project Earth 2. More than 130 teams from 33 different countries participated, receiving support from ARUP and being assess by jury members such as Lígia Paula Simões (Founder of Architects Without Borders Portugal), Michelle Provoost (Director of the International New Town Institute), Daniel Wiens (Founder of Journeyman International) and Monica Noro (Coordinator Syria Regional Refugee Response for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), among others.

Project Earth 2 wanted to propose a different approach towards refugees and refugee camps. Rather than conceiving refugee camps as storage facilities to fulfill basic human needs and refugees as temporary inhabitants, Project Earth 2 encouraged all participants to zoom out and consider the refugee camps as an instrument and an opportunity to activate deserted areas of Europe. 

See the winning projects with their short info below:

1st prize: Weaving Communities: Transitioning an Existing Refugee Camp into an Integrated Community by Samantha Ong, Emir Abdul-Emir, Juan Vallejo, Daniella Vega-Ortiz

"Situated on the outskirts of two larger cities, Athens an Piraeus, the existing Schisto Refugee Camp is nestled in the middle of an industrial park close to nowhere. Every week, there is currently a market that sets up on the periphery of the camp. By integrating a marketplace as the main program of the site, which basically already exists on the exterior, the camp potentially attracts vendors from neighboring communities of Attica. Following the narrative of the weekly bazaar as a source of income and a way of life, the relationship between the vendors and the refugees can become linked and mutually beneficial."

"By recognizing that refugees are arriving with their own set of skills and sense of livelihood, we are empowering them by providing resources and restoring their sense of dignity by allowing them to help themselves rather than have them solely relying on outside aid. Both the refugees and the locals can participate in a beneficial cultural exchange to deepen mutual understanding."

2nd prize: Weaving Lost Identities by StudioPOD

"The project aims to explore the reclamation of post-industrial landscapes into resettlement colonies by grafting them within environmental concerns, and developing new forms of urban centers. It re-frames refugee settlements as a beneficial model for host communities by combining refugee resettlement funds, subsidies and research funds for redevelopment of former mining landscapes. 

"[...] On arrival refugees would be resettled into plots allotted to each family, allowing them to construct their own abodes within the given framework, as opposed to imposed camp structures. The building units are self-constructed Lego models built of fly-ash bricks derived from mining waste. The production of which consumes 81% less energy and produces 84% less CO2." 

3rd prize: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, REGENERATE, REFORMAT by Juana Canet Rosselló

"To allocate the compromise to comply with the Spanish refugee quote, a win - win strategy has to be established to respond to the refugees and the host community’s needs. REDUCING time and costs of the emergency by REUSING existing and abandoned infrastructures & structures. RECYCLING the emergency temporary housing construction as the final solution for the sustainable integral neighbourhood."

"These areas will be REGENERATED in new mixed use urban fabrics, where multiple actors may develop them in prosperous places. Refugees are the potential. When needed, the Government will have to invest to REFORMATrefugee’s skills to increase their self-reliance and work opportunities. The investment will revert in the whole society."

3rd prize: Reminiscing The Borderless by Ahmad Fauzan Ibrahim, Amirul Hakeem Ma'az, Muhammad Syazwan Amidun, Salihin Hilmi Mustapa, Wan Amirul Ashraf Zakaria, Puteri Mayang Bahjah Zaharin

"[...] To counter the tension issues between the locals and the refugees, the new city is designed with the injection of the 'Sense of Nostalgia'. It is a concept where it could give the Syrians the sense of belonging and at the same time provides a medium for integration between the Turkish and the Syrians. The city development is divided into 4 major phases with point 'X' as indicated in the site plan as the first development phase where administration and basic facilities will be constructed for the new refugees." 

"Following this, souks will be built along the main path and the modules will be developed in parallel to the souk’s construction. Souk will act as a major anchor point for the city. Apart from promoting a sense of belonging among the Syrians, souk will also help to enhance the process of integration with the Turkish by inviting them to trade in this market place. In addition, all of the city components are being laid in an organic shape with reference to a grid. The uneven layout position can enhance the social interaction and help to create a borderless feeling among the refugees."

Honorable Mention: Synergy Dwelling by Anna Otlik, Karol Mądrecki, Artur Nitribitt

Honorable Mentions: 

- Synergy Dwelling: Anna Otlik | Karol Mądrecki | Artur Nitribitt

- Reviviscence: Bouvier Baptiste | Beuvelet Eliott | Jacques-Sermet Thibaut

- S.E.E.E.D Cities: Jason Olsen

- Public Space Toolkit: Isabel Bravo | Lidia Fernández | Belen Gesto | Julia Otaño | Adela Salas | Daniel Tobalina

- Permanent Temporality: Alejandro Rubio Cebrián | Adrian Andrés Belmonte

- The Intermediate Network: Sebastian Trujillo | Kruti Shah

- Rhizome City: Fiamma Ficcadenti | Federico Caserta | Francesco Casini | Gianmarco Lucarini

- Resettlement Plan for European Refugees: Li Jiajia | Ai Huiying | Chen Jingkai | Zhang Yifei | Yang Fei | Ma Yaobao

- The Squatter Settlement: Alexandre Zein

- Stargate Melilla: Megat Khairur Rasyad Zulkhairi | Hairil Ridzwan Harmain | Akmal Husaini Azman | Izzati Rafhana Abitalhah | Haziqah Fatini Mohd Zulkafli | Puteri Mayang Bahjah Zaharin 

All images courtesy of Project Earth 2

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