Winners of INNATUR 3 propose fresh ideas of blending architecture and nature

Architects are always searching for new ways to integrate buildings into a natural environment in the most seamless way possible, as seen in the results of the third edition of OPENGAP's INNATUR: Nature Interpretation Center.

Participants in the open ideas competition had to come up with new, minimally disruptive strategies to implement architecture into a natural environment.

From 133 submitted proposals all the way down to nine finalists, the jury selected three prize winners and six honorable mentions.

This year's jury featured: Javier Sánchez (Architect), Alexander Von Agerer (Architect, proxy to Sánchez), Juan Carral O ́Gorman (Architect), and Ulises Omar Zuñiga (Archtect)

Have a look at all the winning proposals and some jury comments below.

First prize winners: Quang Le, Lien Hoang Phuong (Switzerland/Vietnam)

Highlights of the jury: "A proposal with a very clear and strong concept. The project goes beyond romantic visions of nature as something independent of human beings. It is a reflection on the role of man in transforming their environment and nature as a concept that originates in specific cultural contexts. Being located above one of the largest human intervention in nature, the project focuses on showing not only the beauty of nature but also about the human desire for power and control and intervene to nature. The concept becomes stronger with the selection of a basic material like concrete and the use of the existing structure avoiding new damage to nature."

Second prize winners: Frida Boström, Marika Lundberg (Sweden)

Highlights of the jury: "A project with a distinct, fine and interesting proposal. The project is itself an interpretation of nature, not a site for your interpretation. It is a proposal that successfully invites to think of architecture as an exercise of spatialization of human experience in a broad sense. Rather than setting a large building in the middle of nature the project is based in a set of several small interventions. From a building that provides information on the city center and connects the city to the nature reserve. The project only helps and promotes the experience and interpretation of nature without forcing the visitors to anything."

Third prize winners: José Manuel Rodríguez Dávila, Carolina Turmo Olivie (Spain)

Highlights of the jury: "The formal proposal takes literally the invitation to interpret the nature: The building form of the building imitates the environment. Thus, the building is a mimetic exercise that reduces the scale and complexity of the landscape to allow better understanding. This is a sensible proposal that is well integrated to the site. Adopting a buried vernacular design and working with patios, the project achieves interesting spaces that promise a functional interpretation center of nature. With the selection of materials and shapes, the building achieves a good dialogue with the site."

Images courtesy of INNATUR 3 competition

For the honorable mentions, click through the thumbnails below.