Architecture Competition on the Reuse of Ripafratta Castle

The associations 120g and Salviamo la Rocca promote, with the support of FAI, Italia Nostra Onlus, Municipality of San Giuliano Terme, Università di Pisa - DESTEC, Confesercenti, Chambers of the Architects of Pisa and the Castle Italian Institute, an international architecture competiton for the re-use of the Ripafratta Castle, in San Giuliano Terme, Pisa. 

The Castle of Ripafratta, one of the most important medieval fortress of Tuscany, is a ruin since the XVI century. The last renovation was designed by the famous renaissance architect Giuliano da Sangallo in 1504, probably in collaboration with Leonardo da Vinci. It currently consists in a ring of walls with a central tower in the middle. 

The competition, open to architects, engineers and students, asks the participants to transform the ruin in a place for to the climbing activity, for events and conferences, a public park connected with the hiking system of the surrounding mountains. 

The deadline is May 15th 2019. It’s requested just one A1 sheet (59cmx84cm). The total prize is 2500 euro. The submitted projects will be displayed in an exhibition in a historical villa and the winners, in addition of receiving a prize, will be invited to explain their project to the citizenry during the “Festival of the Castle”, June 8-9th 2019. 

The international Jury members are: 

Massimo Alvisi & Junko Kirimoto, Gong Dong (Vector Architects), Werner Tscholl, Mats Andersen & Trond Greve (Mir), Marco Giorgio Bevilacqua, (University of Pisa), Chris Precht (Penda), Marina Tabassum, Ted Baab (SO-IL), Alejandro Guerrero & Andrea Soto (Atelier Ars), Associazione Salviamo la Rocca, Gabriele Cei (Chamber of the Architects of Pisa).

The Castle of Ripafratta, one of the most important fortress of Tuscany, is a ruin since the XVI century. The last renovation was designed by the famous renaissance architect Giuliano da Sangallo in 1504, probably in collaboration with Leonardo da Vinci. 

Is it possible to bring life back inside this medieval walls? 

The answer to this question is in the hands of the architects, the engineers and the students who will participate to this competition. 

The submitted projects will be displayed in an exhibition in a historical villa and the winners, in addition of receiving a prize of 2000 Euro, will be invited to explain their project to the citizens during the “Festival of the Castle”, June 8-9th 2019.