The Water Tower – A Cultural Hub for Milanino
Dezeen Competitions: a historic water tower in Milanino, a suburb in the northern outskirts of Milan, Italy, is the focus of this adaptive reuse competition.
Entrants will be judged by a panel of industry professionals based on their concept's originality, historical sensitivity, use of materials and social impact.
This competition is now closed
Organiser: TerraViva
Competition: The Water Tower – A Cultural Hub for Milanino
Judges:
- Lidia Arduino, councillor for public works and culture at Cusano Milanino Municipality
- Luciano Crespi, associate professor at Politecnico di Milano
- Lula Ferrari, founder of Lula Ferrari Studio
- Paolo Cesaretti, founder of Paolo Cesaretti Arch
- Matteo Scaltritti, co-founder of Semarchitettura
- Luana La Martina, senior visualizer at MVRDV
- Michele Cassino, co-founder of Studio 3Mark
- Letizia Melzi, senior architect at Tectoo
Registration deadline: 30 April 2026
Winner announcement: 1 June 2026
Prizes: the total prize pool is €16,000. The first prize is €8,000, the second prize is €4,000, while the third prize is €2,000. Five golden mentions will receive a coupon for a free membership. Ten honourable mentions will receive a coupon for a free competition. 30 finalists will be published on TerraViva channels
Competition overview
Nestled in the heart of Milanino's Garden City, the historic Water Tower stands as one of the district's most recognisable landmarks: currently marked by decades of decay, yet rich with architectural and cultural potential.
The Water Tower competition invites participants to reimagine this structure as a contemporary cultural hub, transforming it into a place that is alive, accessible and used daily by people of all generations.
The challenge calls for a complete renovation of the tower's interior and exterior spaces. This includes flexible cultural rooms, co-working areas and exhibition zones to terraces, micro-plazas and outdoor gathering spaces that complement the building's new functions.
The aim is not merely to restore an abandoned building, but to give it a new identity – one that respects its historical value while embracing experimentation, innovation and contemporary living.
Participants are invited to propose original concepts capable of turning Milanino's Water Tower into an architectural catalyst for culture, creativity and social connection.
Eligibility and judging criteria
The competition is open to architects, designers, students, urbanists, engineers, artists, enthusiasts and anyone interested in the fields of design and architecture.
The jury will evaluate all the proposals according to the following principles:
- originality of the concept
- creative interpretation of the program
- effectiveness in the adaptive reuse
- sensitive use of materials and textures
- social impact of the proposal
- graphic representation
Projects that express a special sensitivity towards the integration of historical heritage and contemporary interventions will be highly valued.
How to enter
Participants are required to submit three A1 panels and a brief text describing the project via the portal.
Early submissions will incur a fee of €89, standard submissions €109 and late submissions €139.
Submission deadlines
Early registration is open until 27 February, while standard registrations are open until 10 April.
Late registrations are open to 30 April, with the submission deadline also being on 30 April.
Winners will be announced on 1 June.
About TerraViva
TerraViva is a leading platform dedicated to the organisation of international architecture and design competitions.
The platform connects talented designers around the world with partners and stakeholders looking for high-quality projects to rehabilitate a building, redesign an urban plot or even transform an entire district.
In addition to our focus on architecture, TerraViva also works on graphic design contests, providing a platform for international creatives to showcase their visual communication skills and contribute to innovative projects.
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