In early February, RIBA welcomed the winners of the GREAT Architecture competition in Latin America #FromGreatUK, at 66 Portland Place, London.
Organised by the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) and funded by the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign, the competition aimed to promote cross-cultural architectural exchange by encouraging the reinterpretation of British architectural icons within a Latin American context.
The competition was part of an overarching GREAT Architecture campaign managed by the regional FCDO LATAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) office, based in Mexico City.
This work is part of the partnership work between RIBA and the FCDO, British Embassies, and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) teams based overseas, to promote British expertise in architecture.
GREAT Architecture competition in Latin America #FromGreatUK
This competition aimed to encourage emerging architects to propose an original architectural project inspired by British architects, adapting their distinctive elements to a Latin American context.
Competition entrants were asked:
- how would you imagine a building by Norman Foster, Thomas Heatherwick, or Zaha Hadid in your country?
- what would it look like?
- what would they build?
Participants had to propose an innovative architectural project that combines key features inspired by the architectural style of a British architect of their choice, with contemporary approaches applicable to their locality, in the use of materials, responding to a local need.
The competition was opened to professionals and students of architecture and design, regardless of age and gender but who were nationals and residents of the following Latin American countries:
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Costa Rica
- Chile
- Ecuador
- Mexico
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Uruguay
Over 150 entries were received from all over Latin America, over the course of six weeks, during which the contest was live on the FDCO website.
The jury included experts in the fields of architecture, urbanism, and sustainability who elected the two first winners based on their robust proposal and project.
The winners
Winning the first place were:
Andrea Lizeth Díaz Pineda, from México, with their project, CEC Cultural and Exhibition Center, which was inspired by British architecture project from Norman Foster, Stirk Harbour and Partners, and David Chipperfield.
Andrea's project looked at the museum of Cárcamo de Dolores, a hydraulic structure located on the Second Section of Chapultepec Park, in Mexico City.
The place is dedicated to commemorate the hydraulic system of Lerma and holds the works of the engineers Eduardo Molina Arévalo, Guillermo Torres, the artist Ariel Guzik and the great Mexican muralist Diego Rivera.
Despite possessing great Mexican treasures and a rich Mexican history, the place has been forgotten by many visitors and, nowadays, shows a certain degree of neglect.
The main objective of the project is to reactivate the activity of the space and its surroundings, creating a space dedicated to culture and art exhibitions, where users feel an atmosphere of inclusion, nature, and appreciation.
Read more about the project in full.
Nathália Ferreira Bussioli, from Brasil with their project Cultural Centre Monte Mor, which was inspired by Thomas Heatherwick.
Nathália's proposal is to transform the Cultural Centre in Monte Mor into a floating haven of culture and well-being.
Inspired by the UK Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo, the Cultural Centre in Monte Mor will rise as a sanctuary immersed in the waters of the Capivari River. Surrounded by a natural lake, the cultural centre will be accessible exclusively by boats, featuring a floating deck that invites visitors into a tranquil and connective space.
Constructed using sustainable and local materials, the design incorporates bamboo in its latticed structure, creating immense, intertwining sculptures that echo the façade of Thomas Heatherwick’s pavilion.
This collective space will be dedicated to learning and well-being, and will stand as an invitation to reflection, art, and community, blending seamlessly with the flow of the waters and the rhythm of life in Monte Mor.
The construction is inspired by the water reeds that the region possesses, with their fine, lofty tips daring beyond the bounds of their forms. Its lines are an ode to the wild delicacy of the place, as if the architecture emerged from the earth, reflecting the harmony between context and concept.
Read more about the full project.
GREAT Heritage and Horizons - Beyond Buildings: the art of British architecture and design.
British architecture has long been a global leader in pushing the boundaries of design, technology, and sustainability. From the neo-futuristic curves to the high-tech, environmentally friendly structures, this digital exhibition showcases how British architects have redefined the built environment. It highlights how architects have not only created buildings but transformed how we live, work, and interact with our environment, setting new standards for innovation in the 21st century and building cities for people.
This exhibition presents the evolution and impact of British architecture through four visionary architects: Thomas Heatherwick, Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, and Elsie Owusu. Each architect, in their own way, represent how British design thinking has continually adapted and innovated through the ages, breaking traditional moulds and redefining the relationship between form and function.
The exhibition explores how British architects not only construct buildings, but solves social challenges, addresses environmental issues, and conceives spaces where art, technology, and gender intersect.
Explore the virtual exhibition.
Visitors can interact with photographs, models, sketches, digital renderings, and immersive installations (360° model through a hologram), understanding how these architects transformed the way we experience architecture.
