Designs revealed for new entranceway

Launched as the second in a series of architecture contests focusing on the natural splendour of the Pape Nature Park in Latvia, the Park Gateway Competition called for designers to create an entranceway that would act as an iconic landmark while providing practical spaces including a ticket booth, visitor accommodation, a playground and a terrace for campers. Now, the winners have been announced as Arthur Schoeler and Corentin Dalon from Belgium with their design, “LEARNING FROM ASCETISM - Against austerity: for a fundamentalist materialism.”

Despite its complex title, the winning project impressed the jury with its straightforward approach to the competition brief, presenting a tower made from wood, straw, and earth, with a stone foundation anchoring it to the landscape. As well as standing out for its connection to the earth and green design, the bold and elegant concept was also praised for meeting the proposed budget while incorporating a new function, an observation platform.

In second place, Jeffrey Clancy from the USA envisioned a barn-like roof structure over the untouched dirt road, framing the beauty of the destination beyond. The jury admired the careful consideration given to the construction process, with traditional barn-raising techniques eliminating the need for heavy machinery. Once in place, the structure would create an impressive shape without dramatically increasing the budget. 

The third-placed entry by the Bondarenko Group also emphasised potential for the roof to become a striking landmark, with a sharply angled structure made from planking and reeds in a nod to the folk architecture prevalent in the region. The Ukraine-based architects proposed integrating an abandoned 40 foot cargo container into the plans, repurposing it to create a largely transparent entranceway which would serve as a window into the wild.

Lucy Nordberg
TenderStream Head of Research

This competition was first published by TenderStream on 20.10.2017. See the original brief here

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