Foreword

The competition for an auditorium at the Riga International Convention Centre invites critical consideration of an all too often neglected urban function. The importance of this competition arises from its social and cultural circumstance: a reappraisal of the convention center, a somewhat problematic though ubiquitous paradigm in its current form, besmirching the fabric of many contemporary cities.

A product of global corporatism and commercialism from the last century, kinfolk include convention facilities, civic and convention centers worldwide. Poised as an architectural competition, the prompt optimistically recalls and aspires to the architectural heritage of this program’s archeology, conjuring perhaps in principle the Greek agora or Roman fora, and more resolutely, early manifestations of the global industrial revolution, the monumentality and polity of long span structures and exposition halls of the great world fairs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The competition demands a well considered alternative to sprawling multi-block exhibition structures of the last quarter century, precedented by car parks and urban reclusion.

While submissions to the competition varied, successful proposals demonstrated shared characteristics and vision, effectively engaging and integrating disparate elements of both program and site, reinvesting an estranged program in the urban landscape. Selected projects establish a compelling argument to redefine and reestablish the public and civic facility of the contemporary typology for an exhibition center.

COMPETITION ORGANISERS
Kip Island 
Auditorium Kip Island 
Auditorium

1st Prize Winner

Project name

The Urban Lighthouse

We enjoy participating in Architectural Competitions as we see them as a healthy, refreshing way of putting our ideas out in the open, and a constant stimulus to move forward from from what we have already accomplished within our realm.

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2nd Prize Winner +
BB STUDENT AWARD +
BB GREEN AWARD

Project name

Kip Island Auditorium

The way we see it, these competitions are a great way to try new things out. Their informal nature allows us to experiment with the way we design, work and collaborate. They also provide a platform to broadcast our ideas to a bigger audience.

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Authors Deyan Saev, Panayiotis Hadjisergis,
Country Netherlands
+192 points Buildner University Rankings

3rd Prize Winner

Project name

Agir

This kind of competitions allows us to concentrate on the new design methods and relationships that could offer new form-type buildings with new uses and promote rapid change in our society. In the case of Kip Island Auditorium, we wanted to study how plans, sections and the building-type-form of a concert hall or an auditorium from the past century have changed to a new direction. Architecture vision competitions are the right place to explore the question of how to combine urban context, program solutions and the way users will interact with the building.

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Authors Moisés Royo, Carlos Orbea, Gonzalo García-Robledo, Cristina Martín Consuegra
Country Spain

Honorable Mentions

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Project name

Kip Island Auditorium

Authors Jacques Brandt, Leonardo Ronchi, Fangyi Chang,
Country Italy
Project name

360° Kip Island Auditorium

Company Mias Architects
Country Spain
Project name

Kip Island Auditorium

Project name

Kip Island Auditorium

Authors Riccardo Renzi, Jovana Markovich, Arokiagracy Sagayam, Gabriele Marinari,
Country Italy
Project name

Kip Island Auditorium

Authors Jean Pierre Porcher, Margarida Oliveira, Iciar de las Casas, Jose María Sierra
Country Portugal
Project name

Kip Island Auditorium

Authors Matthew Coulombe, Austin Crowley,
Country United States