Introduction
The NERU architecture competition invites students and recent graduates to explore new paradigms of living and interpreting rurality, with a focus on fragile European landscapes. Through three paradigmatic chosen sites spanning distinct geographies—from the flatlands of the Flanders (Belgium), through the inner valleys of the Ave (Portugal), to the heights of the Alps (Italy)—this competition seeks proposals that capture the essence and potential of rurality in these diverse regions.
Participants are challenged to conceive architectural interventions that bridge local and broader contextual conditions, creating a transformative vision that reflects the evolving needs of rural territories. We envision a rural landscape capable of supporting coexistence between human and non-human inhabitants, grounded in a deep understanding of each site’s ecological, economic, and demographic dynamics. Despite differing latitudes, these areas face similar challenges in economic development and population change, offering ground for shared insights and innovative solutions.
The competition aims to generate a repository of ideas, collecting a diverse and rich portrayal of alternative rurality. This collective vision will provide a foundation for future reflection and action, inspiring projects that contribute meaningfully to the complexity of rural European landscapes.
The competition
The competition focuses on three unique sites, each integral to ongoing research by the NERU group and under the keen interest of local stakeholders eager for solutions. While each site boasts distinct characteristics, compelling parallels emerge across them, offering an opportunity for interconnected exploration.
Participants are encouraged to develop proposals that address one or more than one site, embracing the challenges presented by diverse geographical contexts. The aim is to craft design propositions that not only engage deeply with the specific territorial context but also articulate how architecture can address broader territorial issues.
In these rural areas, we're looking for new ways of thinking about how new farming methods and agricultural practices can work together with ideas of temporary living and the appeal of tourism. The challenge lies in creating unconventional architectural programs that bring these elements into a cohesive form.
We welcome proposals that cross architecture, urbanism, and landscape design, while extending beyond these fields to foster a transdisciplinary approach. The aim is, firstly, to understand the close interrelationship between its enduring rural framework (morphologies and processes) and contemporary dynamics. Secondly, we seek to explore the unique characteristics of its collective spaces and landscapes in order to ultimately promote a renewed social recognition for ordinary places and to propose innovative ways of inhabiting them.
The programs that we envision on each site have the ambition to overcome conventional solutions. Nevertheless, we encourage the participants to intervene in a conscious way and interpret the local norms and local constructive practices. As a reference, the most recent interventions in the three regions can be used for benchmarking.
The three sites were chosen for their multiscalar characteristics, serving as key nodes within more complex territorial systems. Each project is tasked with addressing both the territorial and localized scales of these sites, recognizing the interconnected nature of these dimensions. To facilitate this analysis, participants will be provided with two graphic panels for each site: one focused on the broader study area and the other dedicated to the specific sites.
