Spanish students win ideas competition for a rest space in Vietnam

After receiving 105 proposals from 32 different countries, the Rural Tourism Accommodation (RuTA) international ideas competition in Vietnam, organized by arquideas, has announced its winning projects.

This call for ideas sought designs for a tourist lodging space in Vietnam, catering to visitors drawn by the beauty of its landscape. It envisioned a place of rest where nature—enhanced by terraced rice fields—and the rural environment play a central role.

The jury comprised Huang Wenjing, Ingrid van der Heijden, Adrian Welch, Alejandro Beautell, Martín Dulanto, Juan Verdaguer, Ismael Preti, and Carlos Brizuela. Following an initial evaluation phase that shortlisted 12 finalist proposals, the jury selected 5 honorable mentions and 3 winning proposals.

These are the winning projects of the competition:

Honorable Mention: RuTA 1011

Author: Lucas Sanio Juárez
Institution: Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Honorable Mention: RuTA 1045

Authors: Cristina Vivar Romero, Beatriz González Yagüe, Beatriz Fernández Concepción, Carmen Espinosa Bruque
Institution: Universidad de Sevilla/Universidad de Valladolid, Spain

Honorable Mention: RuTA 1114

Authors: Gonzalo López, María Diez Revilla
Institution: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain

Honorable Mention: RuTA 1120

Author: Mohamed Hesham
Institution: American University in Cairo, Egypt

Honorable Mention: RuTA 1232

Author: Do Le Tuyen
Institution: Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, Vietnam

Third Place: RuTA 1043

Authors: Álvaro Núñez Mora, Carlos Martín Beltrán, Guillem García Manzana, Miguel López
Institution: Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Spain

Jury Decision [Excerpt]: A bold and ambitious proposal, radically different from the others. It generates particularly dramatic and theatrical spaces. These highly interesting cinematic spaces offer imposing and moving views, making them especially appealing to tourists with artistic sensibilities, such as photographers. The only, yet significant, questionable aspect is that it confines all visitors to the same framing of the landscape. Everyone ends up with the same views.

Second Place: RuTA 1086

Authors: Mario Vera, María Angosto
Institution: Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain

Jury Decision [Excerpt]: This is a surprisingly bold proposal that is, at the same time, particularly sensitive and respectful of the site and its surroundings. It is a brave and subtle new architectural element that, far from overshadowing the imposing nature in which it is set, complements and enhances it. A surprising and sensational proposal.

First Place: RuTA 1154

Authors: Francisco Javier Polaina Luna, Carlos Castaño Gil
Institution: Universidad de Málaga, Spain

Jury Decision [Excerpt]: While this is a more localized and contemplative proposal, and much less experiential than others, we place special value on the atmosphere created by these artificial terraces. The proposal shows that it is the result of a careful study of the site's characteristics. The resulting organic architecture adapts well, in a sensitive and respectful manner, to the human-modified natural environment.

Learn more details about this competition at this link.