State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), a leading University in Brazil, launched on January 12th an International Public Competition for an architecture project for its Exploratory Science Museum. This is probably the first international public architecture competition announced in Brazil and it is open to any architect registered in its home country. The estimated cost of the project is around US$ 5 million.

  The goal is to build a building of 5,200 square meters in a 28,000 m2 terrain. The terrain designated for its edification is a distinguished location at the edge of the Campus and in its most elevated site within the Campus, with a visible horizon of almost 360o that extends itself for more than 10 kilometers.

  The competition shall take place in two phases. During the first phase five projects shall be selected for the second phase. For the second phase the selected teams shall have the opportunity to submit a revised and more detailed project, incorporating reformulations based on the evaluation of the jury in the first phase. During this second phase, one of the members of each team should make a public defense of the project (on expenses of the competition organization), to be held on May 11th.

The Jury includes professionals from diverse fields, including distinguished architects, museographers, historians, city planners and representative from the Exploratory Science Museum.

  English version of the Edict, registration forms and pictures from the area may be found in the site http://www.mc.unicamp.br/arquivos/index/1/. Inscriptions are open until March 6th.