Winners of the Pape Nature Park Gateway competition

Pape Nature Park Gateway is the second of a competition series focusing on Latvia's 51,000-hectare Pape Nature Park. Competition organizer Bee Breeders invited participants worldwide to send their ideas for a new functional, landmark entrance for the park. The competition jury evaluated the entries based on feasible construction, cost effectiveness, and consideration of environmental impact. In the end, three prize winners, a BB Student Award, and six honorable mentions were selected. Have a look at them below.

1st place + BB Green Award: “LEARNING FROM ASCETISM - Against austerity: for a fundamentalist materialism” by Arthur Schoeler, Corentin Dalon | Belgium

Jury commentary: “Though a rather long-winded title, ‘LEARNING FROM ASCETISM - Against austerity: for a fundamentalist materialism’ really captured the jury’s attention with its simplicity. A simple tower built of wood, straw, and earth, with a stone foundation that anchors it to the landscape, balancing the strength of the elements in its very structure. The jury loved the straightforward design, and how the participants created such a bold and elegant statement that shared such a strong connection with the earth and green design. It managed all this while fitting in the suggested budget, accommodating the competition programme and incorporating a new function, an observation platform. For this reason it was awarded both first prize and the BB Green Award.”

2nd place: “Gateway to Pape Nature Park” by Jeffrey Clancy | United States

Jury commentary: “The ‘Gateway To Pape Nature Park’ take cues from vernacular materials and typologies without attempting to mimic. The simple barn-like roof structure hovers gently over the untouched dirt road, framing the beauty of the destination beyond and is accompanied by humble stone volumes that house programmatic elements of visitor center. What stood out to the jury was the careful consideration the entrant had given to the construction process, creating an impressive shape that was scaleable, without dramatically increasing the budget. Its high, repetitive roof structure allows access for large vehicles, with traditional barn-raising techniques proving more than adequate for its construction, eliminating the need for heavy machinery.”

3rd place: “Origami Roof” by BONDARENKO GROUP (Bogdan Bondarenko, Kostiantyn Bondarenko, Olena Kashpur, Marharyta Motylevska) | Ukraine 

Jury commentary: “The Origami Roof repurposes an abandoned 40 foot cargo container and integrates it into the core of its structure. The participants envisioned their project as less of a security point or border to the park, but rather an entrance into the world of pristine nature, with much of the structure being transparent, serving as a window into the wild. What marks this entry is its potential to become an iconic landmark in its own right, with its planking and reed roof in keeping with local folk architecture, while also being strikingly unique and eye catching and sure to appear in many Instagram posts for years to come.”

BB Student Award: "Blow, Chain - The Gateway of Wood Chain” by Mori Kahara from Waseda University | Japan

You can find the honorable mentions and more info about all the top entries here.