It’s about time you learn who brought the most innovative urbanization concept to Liberland! Right off, we want to thank you for your patience, as the process took quite a while.
Here’s final selection of winners after months of work of both our own key members and the jury of recognized architectural experts. We cherish all the teams and individuals who shared their artistic visions of how to turn the 7 km2 of land into a welcoming home and a rising global hub for all Liberlanders. All design projects require top determination and much intellect, as every piece completes the whole, and that’s why we value your contribution so much and sincerely thank you for it.
Let’s quickly review the challenge our best players had to face:
Design a full visual plan for the urbanization of Liberland’s grounds of mild, LA-like climate exposed to flooding. The project’s focus should be on a green environment joining private and industrial areas suitable for living potential of some 340,000 residents, with basic in and out infrastructure. It should be also flexible in terms of economy and settlement facilities, so that it can be possibly readapted to changing market conditions. This plan should also embody nature and freedom as in line with Liberland’s ideals.
The results come as a combination of the jury’s votes after they considered the popular vote. The winners of Liberland’s Architectural Competition are:
1st place
Studio: RAW-NYC Architects, USA and UAE
Team leader: Raya Ani, Director
Award: 10,000 Merits
Files: link
Highlights: This concept features vertically stacked city layers that can be leveled up with the rising number of inhabitants. Each of the layer’s underside is adjusted for algae urban farming for food and power production without the need for sunlight and for CO2 emission control. The designers went a mile ahead by introducing many energy-saving and waste processing features to keep this futuristic metropolis very self-powered and low on pollution. The project also minimizes the needs for car use, with everything in a maximum of 20 min. walking distance. Overall, the jury found it as stunning and ahead of time – a prime example of socially-friendly sustainable living all could enjoy.
2nd place
Krzysztof Juroszek, Architect, Poland
Independent submission
Award: 9,000 Merits
Files: link
Highlights: Mr. Juroszek prepared an exceptional, in-depth state-city plan founded on landmasses elevated 3m above the Danube river to reduce flooding risks. It includes an ambitious grid-based land development simulation based on potential lot value calculations that also consider wind ventilation conditions to keep residential areas non-polluted. He was able to stand out by presenting an exceptional sociological insight into Liberland’s future.
3rd place:
Stelios Andreou, Architectural student, Greece
Independent submission
Award: 8,000 Merits
Files: link
Highlights: After carefully studying the area’s topography, this contestant imagined organic building structures based on a hexagon, of size and height related to the spot they’re situated in. All buildings of different purposes are styled in one fashion placed in linear blocks matching the land’s elevation. This design is a very organic approach that expands on the natural beauty of Gornja Siga.
4th place:
Studio: Lab.Id, Argentina
Award: 5,000 Merits
Files: link
Highlights: Designers here encourage nature preservation by lifting the city above possible flooding levels, leaving the wildlife below to be. Furthermore, building foundations are also elevated to minimize forestry removal and let the sunlight feed the lower levels. The project also includes calculations on possible means of air and sea transportation that can reach the country. Check out the second picture to see what planes will fit in our airport lot.
5th place:
Studio: Sergio Bianchi Architettura, Italy
Team leader: Sergio Bianchi, Director
Award: 4,000 Merits
Files: link
Highlights: This plan includes a massive, hexagonal tube-shaped geometrical structure resembling a spaceship, with an airport on the highest level. All of the areas are kept car-free – outside visitors can leave their cars underground and use rapid transit system to move within. The internal skeletal structures are also powered by more than 5 different sources of eco-energy. This would simply be Mothership Liberland if it could fly.
Special jury awards
For “The most futuristic design”
Studio: MIX Design studio, Canada
Team leader: Stanley Lung
Award: 5,000 Merits
Files: link
For “The most structured proposal”
Adam Jaskulski, Architect, Poland
Independent submission
Award: 5,000 Merits
Files: link
Our representatives will contact all winners in the upcoming days. Once again, we thank you for your involvement on behalf of Mr. President and Liberland’s government. Here’s what he says:
“We are blessed to have such great minds involved in creating Liberland. The winning design concepts show that the country can become a prosperous habitable area using latest innovations in green technology to remain mostly self-sufficient. We will further study upon the 1st place project to see if and how exactly it could be introduced in reality. When that’s possible, we want to launch a virtual 3D landscape with building models to help people choose a place to live or to invest in. I congratulate all selected participants for their clever ideas representing the freedom Liberland stands for.”
The competition’s jury included:
- Patrik Schumacher, Partner at Zaha Hadid
- Vedran Mimica, Professor at IIT College of Architecture in Chicago
- Alisa Andrasek, Founder of Biothing and Partner at Bloom Games
- Bruno Juricic, Architect, Curator and Scholar
- Shady A. Michael, Founder of S+ Studio
- Martin Hruska, Owner of S.A.L.D Studio
- Jan Petrs, Founding Partner of Studio Archistroj
- Daniela Ghertovici, Founder and Director of Archagenda LLC
What’s next
We want to stay realistic and will not share unreasonable future predictions. The next step for our nation will be introducing first settlements… on the Danube, actually. It’s called Seasteading. Designers are now giving us solutions for boathouses that could appear near Liberland even this summer. Stay updated with us – we’ll spread the word on Facebook as this moves on. Fingers crossed!
All image files are downloadable in a kit from here. Media inquires are welcome. Please contact press@liberland.org with your story – we’ll do everything to help.