Living Ruins II – Rediscovering the Ghost Village of Dereiçi
Dezeen Competitions: TerraViva seeks proposals for an open-air museum and visitor centre, located in the remote village of Dereiçi in Turkey.
The competition asks participants to consider the village's heritage in their plans, while boosting tourism in the area.
This competition is now closed
Organiser: TerraViva
Competition: Living Ruins II – Rediscovering the Ghost Village of Dereiçi
Judges:
- Ayhan Gök, provincial director at Mardin Culture and Tourism Department
- Foteini Kanellopoulou, architect at Arup
- Murat Çağlayan, professor at Mardin Artuklu University
- Selim Atak, architect and founder of Atölyemekan
- Francesca Porro, landscape designer at Stefano Boeri Architetti
- Serdar Aydın, professor at Mardin Artuklu University
- Nehali Doshi, landscape designer at Scape
- Xuanyu (Alfred) Wei, architect at Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Submission deadline: 30 January 2026
Winner announcement: 2 March 2026
Prizes: the first prize is $5,000, the second prize is $2,000 and the third prize is $1,000. There are also five golden mentions that will receive a coupon for free a TerraViva membership and ten honourable mentions that will receive a coupon for a free competition. Thirty finalists will be published on TerraViva's channels
Competition overview
Designers are challenged to imagine a new concept for an open-air museum, located in the remote village of Dereiçi, Turkey. Proposals should seamlessly blend historical elements with contemporary interventions.
The programme also includes the design of a visitor centre, which should be the main reference point for tourists and a support space for cultural activities.
With the open-air museum competition, Living Ruins II aims to collect projects capable of guaranteeing the conservation and revaluation of Turkey's unique heritage.
This competition attempts to counteract the village's current status of being a "ghost town" by inviting visitors to spend more time exploring and appreciating the area. It fosters slow tourism and a deeper connection to the site, promoting virtuous practices and supporting the local economy.
Eligibility and judging criteria
Projects that express sensitivity towards heritage preservation and quality architectural solutions will be appreciated.
The jury will evaluate all the proposals according to the following principles:
- Originality of the concept
- Integration with the context
- Creative interpretation of the programme
- Sensitive use of materials and textures
- Structural and spatial innovation
- Climate resilience strategies
- Graphic representation
How to enter
Participants are required to submit two A1 panels and a brief text describing the project.
For more information visit the competition's website.
Submission deadlines
The submission deadline is 30 January 2026 and winners will be announced on 2 March 2026.
About Terraviva
TerraViva is a platform dedicated to the organisation of international architecture and design competitions.
The organisation connects talented designers around the world with partners and stakeholders looking for high-quality projects to rehabilitate a building, redesign an urban plot, or transform an entire district.
In addition to the organisation's focus on architecture, it also works on graphic design contests, providing the ideal platform for international creatives to showcase their visual communication skills and contribute to innovative projects.
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