Dezeen Competitions: entrants to this contest are challenged with the adaptive reuse of a horse barn in Portugal, creating a restaurant and accompanying guest houses.

The successful concept will prioritise slow living, and its architectural style will be one of minimalism, clarity and natural influences.

Organiser: Buildner
Competition: Portugal Long Table Restaurant
Judges: not yet announced
Registration deadline: 9 December 2026
Winner announcement: 2 March 2027
Prize: the first prize is €5,000, the second is €2,500 and the third is €1,000, with an additional €1,000 prize for the Buildner Student Award and €500 for the Buildner Sustainability Award

Click here to enter ›

Competition overview

Buildner invites architects, designers and creative thinkers to take part in the Portugal Long Table Restaurant competition, exploring how architecture can shape shared experiences around food, place and time.

Set in the rural landscape near Braga, the project centres on the transformation of an existing horse barn into a small-scale restaurant focused on communal dining, complemented by a system of lightweight guest huts that extend the experience into an overnight retreat.

Participants are challenged to create a cohesive, slow-living environment where architecture supports connection, simplicity and a strong relationship with nature.

Alongside the restaurant, participants will develop a repeatable guest hut prototype and supporting amenities, forming a low-density, landscape-integrated retreat.

Eligibility and judging criteria

The competition is open to all. It encourages proposals that balance adaptive reuse, spatial clarity and environmental sensitivity, while remaining grounded in buildability and cost-conscious design.

The aim is to rethink dining as a collective ritual – designing spaces that invite people to gather, stay longer and engage more deeply with their surroundings.

Click here for entry terms and conditions.

How to enter

Designers can learn how to enter via Buildner's website.

Submission deadlines

The final registration deadline is 9 December. The closing date for submissions is 11 January 2027.

About Buildner

Buildner specialises in creating and managing architecture contests, offering a platform for architects to showcase innovation and engage with a global community.

Its mission is to inspire creativity and professional growth in the architectural industry.

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