2025 Lyceum Fellowship - A Community for the Future of Food

The 2025 Lyceum Competition explores sustainable building design in the Caribbean through the lens of its indigenous culinary arts and culture. Students will reimagine two reclaimed buildings situated on the beachfront in Bridgetown, Barbados, transforming them into vibrant hubs for culinary innovation and community gathering. For years, the Caribbean’s reliance on imported goods due to colonial ties has highlighted the disparities within its food system. As the youngest nation in the world, Barbados is ripe for innovation, calling for greater interdisciplinary collaboration and a sense of urgency to cultivate a food culture grounded in ecological farming, local consumption, and community engagement.

Bridgetown, Barbados is home to the stunning Carlisle Bay, a pristine stretch of coastline that showcases the vibrant beach scene of the island. This area is renowned for its lush landscape, diverse marine life and historic-colonial architecture. With over a mile of expansive whitesand beach gently lapped by shallow, azure waters, Carlisle Bay is a haven for both locals and tourists.

On our site, the beach is filled with the lively activity of people enjoying sea baths, sunbathing, and the warm Caribbean waters. As the sun sets, the bay transforms with the pulsating music from longstanding beach bars and restaurants, creating a vibrant nightlife.

This site presents two reclaimed existing buildings that are ideal canvases for a Caribbean hub for international culinary exchanges and activities, redefining perceptions of “Barbadian food” and positioning Bridgetown as a key player in global culinary trends.

Participants will re-imagine these two reclaimed existing buildings along the beachfront of Bay Street, transforming them into vibrant hubs for culinary innovation and community gathering. How can we redesign these spaces to create dynamic environments where people celebrate and share the rich culinary traditions of the region? Consider how we can turn underutilized structures into centers of gastronomic excellence and cultural pride, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.

PRIZES 

Prize winners earn the opportunity to make life-changing journeys abroad. See how our recent travelers have taken on this challenge. Experiences...

First Prize — $15,000 for three months of travel abroad

Second Prize — $10,000 for two months of travel abroad

Third Prize — $5,000 for one month of travel abroad

Merit — Certificate of Recognition

Jon McKee Prize — Awarded at the discretion of the Lyceum Board, the Jon McKee Prize recognizes an outstanding travel statement, a design project that was not awarded, or Merit winner, enabling the student to travel. The award amount will be determined by the Lyceum Board.

Visit Lyceum-Fellowship.org to download the brief today...

2025 JURY

Pierre Serrao, Program Author

Black Star Barbados, Ghetto Gastro, Co-Founder/Chef

Michelle Patterson

Koi Design Studio, Founder, Interior Designer

Craig Dykers

Snøhetta, Co-Founder

Leslie Finnie

Snøhetta, Architectural / Graphic Designer/ Lyceum Fellowship 2018 First Prize Winner

Mzwakhe Ndlovu

Subject Bureaux, Founder, Architectural Designer

Additional/alternative jurors to be announce

ABOUT THE LYCEUM FELLOWSHIP

Lyceum Fellowship was established in 1985 by Jon McKee, AIA (1927-2013). Through its annual design competition, the Lyceum seeks to build a community around design and advance the profession of architecture by engaging students in design and travel. 

The American Institute of Architects has recognized the Lyceum nationally for the effective pursuit of this mission with the prestigious AIA Collaborative Achievement Award. For more than 37 years, the Lyceum has engaged highly noted architects from all areas of the field to develop programs for the annual competition. The Lyceum has awarded more than half a million dollars in travel prizes to date, enriching the education of highly talented students through travel to more than 100 different countries.

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