2012 MNPG Arch Competition

Please refer to http://mnpgarch.com for the full competition details

• Design a Cultural Center for La Semilla de los Ingenios (Mexico)
• Building: 13 x 13 sq. meters
• 100 sq. meters in surrounding landscape space
• Mathematically natural, in organic form (i.e. sea shells)
• Powered by PV, wind and passive solar

Prize : Parcel of undeveloped land near the eco village of La Semilla de los Ingenios' river (valued at $10,000 USD) and the opportunity to build your own ecological dream home on the steppes of Pacific Mexico!

La Semilla de los Ingenios is a 7 year old development located 20 minutes from La Manzanilla, Mexico and within the Los Ingenios community. An international airport is a hour away and close to the ocean shores, a thriving eco village is ready for the progression of construction to start within the next year.

Access to a sleepy, yet growing fishing town, La Semilla de los Ingenios combined with local sustainability allows for great minds from around the globe to come together for the purpose of the fusion of art, science, architecture and beyond.

Additional requirements for structure: Should be circular, ecological, contain a basement and a first floor, based on a stone foundation, houses living quarters (3 singles or 2 couples) and a main space for cultural events (20 person max occupancy) and uses other natural resources for the majority of the remainder of the structure. Must be economical and use local labor and materials. Things like solar panels can be from outside of Mexico.

The Cultural Center: The space will primarily used to showcase art (music performances, art showings), science (paper presentations, research meetings), and tech innovation (investor meetings, small conferences) while offering a place where a “meeting of the minds” can take place. It’s important that there be a space in the cultural center that facilitates light hardware and computers that integrate with a small sound system.

Landscape: The outside landscape of the site of the cultural center, should not detract from the lower gardens, housing, and other eco buildings that are found in the steppes of the mountain that La Semilla de Los Ingenios rests on – it is up to the competing architect to decide how to use this outside space.