The Venetian Villa
Dezeen Competitions: The Venetian Villa competition by TerraViva invites participants to rethink a historic Venetian villa in the Italian countryside.
The competition calls for submissions that reimagine the villa into a “slow-tourism experience” whilst preserving its architectural heritage.
This competition has now closed
Organiser: TerraViva
Competition: The Venetian Villa
Judges:
- Paolo Cesaretti, architect and founder of pc-|< paolo cesaretti Arch
- Jiafeng Li, architect at Allied Works
- Charles Tashima, architect and founder of Studio Tashima
- Jaime Font, creative director at Mesura
- Emma Lindblom, architect and founder of LIND Studio
- Andrea Cippitelli, architect and co-founder of CIMA
- Ilaria Vettoretti, collaborator of Agnese Design
- Teodoro Mastrantonio, architect at Studio Moren
Submission deadline: 25 July 2025
Winner announcement: 15 September 2025
Prizes: the first prize is €4,000, the second prize is €2,000 and the third prize is €1,000. There are also two ‘golden mentions’ at €500 each. Ten honourable mentions will each receive a coupon for a free competition and 30 finalists will be published on TerraViva channels
Competition overview
TerraViva invites architects, designers, artists and creatives from all around the world to rethink a historic Venetian villa into an immersive slow tourism experience.
The Venetian Villa competition invites designers to breathe new life into Villa Meneghetti, an abandoned yet historically significant complex in northern Italy.
The goal is to reinterpret it as an agriturismo, a contemporary programme capable of transforming spaces once dedicated to education or production, into a fully immersive experience.
Participants will have creative freedom to propose interventions that respect the villa’s architectural heritage while enhancing its functionality.
By reimagining it as a rural retreat, the competition aims to promote sustainable tourism and cultural preservation, emphasising the connection between architecture, nature and local traditions.
Eligibility and judging criteria
The competition is open to students, architects, designers, urbanists, engineers, artists, makers, activists and anyone interested in this unique place branding project.
The jury will judge according to the following criteria:
- Originality of the concept
- Integration with the rural context
- Effectiveness in the adaptive reuse
- Innovative interior design solutions
- Landscape design
- Graphic representation
Projects that express a special sensitivity towards the integration of ancient and contemporary through quality architectural solutions will be highly valued.
How to enter
Participants are required to submit two A1 panels and a brief text describing the project.
Submission deadlines
The deadline for registrations is 25 July 2025 and the winners announcement is on 15 September 2025.
About TerraViva
TerraViva is a platform dedicated to the organisation of international architecture and design competitions.
The organisation connects talented designers around the world with partners and stakeholders looking for high-quality projects to rehabilitate a building, redesign an urban plot, or transform an entire district.
In addition to the organisation’s focus on architecture, it also works on graphic design contests, providing the ideal platform for international creatives to showcase their visual communication skills and contribute to innovative projects.
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