NERU (New Ruralities) design competition , Belgien

 

The NERU (New Ruralities) design competition encourages students and recent graduates to reimagine rural living within fragile European landscapes. Supported by Erasmus+, the competition spotlights rural areas evolving under pressures of urban interconnectivity, population aging, and economic change.

 

Participants will propose architectural interventions in three distinct regions - the flatlands of Flanders, Iberian valleys and Italian Alps - capturing the dynamic nature of rurality. Designs should reflect a balance between human and ecological needs, respecting each site’s unique context. The competition seeks transformative ideas that reframe rural-urban ties, reflecting on hybrid typologies for living and producing, creating a lasting vision of sustainable rural futures across Europe.

 

Participants can be students currently enrolled in a university, or recent graduates since a maximum of 2 years even when they belong to a team. The graduate participant or team member should have obtained a master degree not earlier than 01.01.2022.

 

Submission deadline: April 1st 2025

Results announcement: mid May 2025

Exhibition opening: early July 2025

 

Momoyo Kaijima, Atelier Bow Wow and ETH Zurich

Niklas Fanelsa, Atelier Fanelsa and TUM Munich

Juan Chacón, Zuloark and UDK Berlin

Benoît Burquel, Agwa Architecture and ULB Brussels

Roberto Dini, Politecnico di Torino

Cidália Ferreira Silva, Universidade do Minho