Archinect - News

The New East is where western starchitect dreams come true (or turn into nightmares)

2016-01-07T14:00:00-05:00

The rise of international architecture competitions has given western architects an opportunity to make their mark on eastern Europe and Central Asia [...] Regardless of record-high fees, some of their projects are being cancelled half-way through or take a good decade to build. But the ones that are brought to life often become some of the most recognised works of its authors. For starchitects the miles between eastern Europe and Central Asia is the place where dreams and ambitions come true.

Winners of “Brutalist Facelift” and “Ghost Town Challenge” for Karosta, Latvia

2013-12-30T15:38:00-05:00

Results were recently revealed for Homemade Dessert and Liepaja City Council's 'Brutalist Facelift' and 'Ghost Town Challenge' — two related competitions in a series to revive the cityscape of Karosta, a former Soviet military town outside of Liepaja, Latvia. Each jury selected three winners — who won prize money and media attention — for each competition.

Hosted by Homemade Dessert Architecture Competitions, Brutalist Facelift had entrants redefine the image and future of the historically debatable brutalist-style architecture for Karosta.

For Ghost Town Challenge, participants submitted their visions for a new city cultural center.

Brutalist Facelift winners

1st prize (US$2,500): Ilana Simhon (US)

2nd prize (US$1,000): Joanna Burton (Spain)

3rd prize (US$500): Emily Kutil + Jordan Hicks (US)

Ghost Town Challenge winners

1st prize (US$6,000): Fabien Grousset + Hélène Besson + Julien Colom + Guillaume Friolet (France)

2nd prize (US$3,000) - Gilles Retsin + Isaie Bloch (UK)

3rd prize (US$1,000) - Johann Bertelli + Gustavo Deleu Nogueira + Julie Deglesne (France)

Winners of the Hotel Liesma Design Ideas Competition

2011-11-04T19:24:28-04:00

The winning entries have been published at the international Hotel Liesma Design Ideas Competition for a music-themed upscale hotel in Jurmala, an important leisure and cultural site in the Gulf of Riga, in Latvia. Winner of the First Prize is Portuguese architect João Maria de Paiva Ventura Trindade of Lisbon-based VENTURA TRINDADE architects, Ida.

Hotel Liesma Proposal by PRAUD

2011-10-26T19:47:00-04:00

Boston architects PRAUD have shared with us their entry to the international Hotel Liesma design competition for a music-themed upscale hotel in Jurmala, Latvia. The proposal did not manage to win a prize, but we are happy to publish it. PRAUD's project team included Dongwoo Yim, Rafael Luna, and Emily Ko.

Click here for PRAUD's Archinect Firm Profile.