Comptetition : RUINAS DE QUILMES (Tucumán, Argentina)

Ruinas de Quilmes invites architects and designers to rethink the experience of the Sacred City through the creation of a contemporary Open-Air Museum. 

The competition calls for the design of a new Visitor Centre, conceived as the main gateway to the site, alongside a series of small-scale architectural and landscape interventions aimed at improving accessibility and enriching the visitor journey.

The project goes beyond the design of a single building. Participants are asked to develop an integrated strategy that connects architecture, landscape and heritage, transforming the ruins into a coherent and engaging narrative. From pathways and viewpoints to informational devices and resting areas, every element should contribute to enhancing the understanding and perception of this unique cultural landscape.

Special attention should be given to the relationship between new and existing structures, as well as to the sensitive integration of the intervention within the natural and archaeological context. The scale and impact of the proposal remain open, encouraging a wide range of approaches – from discreet and minimal solutions to more expressive and iconic interventions.

Ultimately, the competition seeks visionary proposals capable of strengthening the connection between past and present, offering a renewed way to experience one of Argentina’s most significant ancestral sites.

GUIDELINES

Special attention should be given to the relationship between new and existing structures, as well as to the sensitive integration of the intervention within the natural and archaeological context. 

The scale and impact of the proposal remain open, encouraging a wide range of approaches – from discreet and minimal solutions to more expressive and iconic interventions. Ultimately, the competition seeks visionary proposals capable of strengthening the connection between past and present, offering a renewed way to experience one of Argentina’s most significant ancestral sites.

Requested material :Two A1 panels (59,4 x 84,1 cm – horizontal) and a brief text describing the proposal (250-500 words).

Download Competition Brief.

PRIZES

• 1st Prize: 4.000$
• 2nd Prize: 2.000$
• 3rd Prize: 1.000$
• 5 Golden Mentions: coupon for a free membership
• 10 Honorable Mentions: coupon for a free competition
• 30 Finalists: published on Terraviva channels

SCHEDULE

• 69 € “Early” Registrations: April 28th – July 17th
• 99 € “Standard” Registrations: July 17th – September 18th
• 139 € “Late” Registrations: September 18th – October 16th
• Submission Deadline: October 16th, 2026
• Winners Announcement: November 16th, 2026

More information on the website.