Omuli Museum
of the Horse

Competition introduction

Competition organisers

The Omuli Primary School first opened its doors on October 8th, 1936. Located in the small village of Omuli in Northern Latvia, near the Estonian border, the school was commissioned by then-president K. Ulmanis. Throughout the decades the number of students who attended slowly dwindled, with older students being transferred to other nearby schools.


[left] Ceremonial gate for the opening of Omuli School © From the collection of the Valka Local History Museum; [right] Omuli school construction © From the collection of the Valka Local History Museum
In the years that followed the structure was used as a post office, a farm office, an apartment, and a library, but has been unoccupied since 2013. In 2019, the property was sold to entrepreneur Eva Cildermane in the first-ever blockchain real estate transaction in Northern Europe.

Bee Breeders, in partnership with Omuli School, are calling for submissions to transform the structure and its surrounding property into a multipurpose complex with the primary attraction being a museum for horses. The museum will inform visitors about the nature and history of local horse breeds as well as offering hands-on workshops such as making your own horseshoe and other small crafts.

[left] Omuli School 3D model  (find link to the model here) 
[right] Omuli School site (find link to the site model here)

The Omuli Museum of the Horse will be located within the North Latvia Biosphere Reserve, one of the most beautiful and scenic locations in Northern Europe which is listed as a nature conservation area of international importance by UNESCO.


North Latvia Biosphere Reserve

The Omuli Museum of the Horse will look to become a regional example for green building practice. As competition winners will be put forward for consideration for construction, designs need to place a strong emphasis on sustainable, eco-friendly and cost-effective building techniques. Designs for the building complex in this competition need to include accommodation for visitors, an artists’ residence and, of course, the Museum of the Horse!

Download full competition brief for more information!

Competition is open to all. No professional qualification is required. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (4 team members maximum). Correspondence with organizers must be conducted in English; All information submitted by participants must be in English