Winner Announced

Competition

Butrint competition hero 03

This was a two-stage international design competition comprising an open Expression of Interest period followed by a design stage for a shortlist of four competitors.

Teams

The client sought a dedicated and gifted design team that would connect with the project values and create charismatic yet practical architecture that perfectly relates to the extraordinary cultural and natural setting.

The competition encouraged participation from new and emerging studios as well as seasoned practices.

The design team will include the following disciplines:

  • Architect (and Lead Designer)
  • Landscape Architect
  • Masterplanner
  • Exhibition and Interpretation Designer
  • Archaeologist
  • Engineering Disciplines, including Sustainability
  • Cost Consultant
  • Wayfinding Consultant

The winning team was required to include an architect licensed in Albania as part of the design team for the project. 

The remains of the central city at Butrint, showing the Agora, Roman Baths and Epirot Theater

Stage One

An open international call for participation aimed at attracting the very best architect-led multidisciplinary design teams with the necessary skills and experience to register their interest in the project.

Expressions of Interest were required to include the proposed team composition, relevant experience, a pre-qualification questionnaire, and an initial reaction to the outline brief for the project. No detailed design submission was expected at stage one.

A shortlist of four design teams was announced in December 2022.

Stage Two

Shortlisted design teams were provided with detailed briefing information and invited to attend a site visit and briefing workshop at Butrint.

The final submission deadline for design concepts was in March 2023. Submissions were made anonymously and selection of the winning design was decided by the competition jury.

A contribution toward expenses of USD $10,000 will be paid to each shortlisted design team, to be put towards the costs of preparing their tender submission.

The Competition Jury met in April 2023 and selected the team led by Kengo Kuma & Associates as the winner of the competition.

The competition was generously financed by the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF). The competition was managed by Malcolm Reading Consultants (MRC).