Buildner is delighted to announce the results of the Portugal Vez River SPA Competition!
This international competition invited architects to design a boutique wellness retreat along the serene banks of the Vez River in northern Portugal. The project challenged participants to propose a space of tranquility and renewal that would harmonize with its extraordinary natural setting and complement a restored historic watermill already on site.
Designers were asked to develop an intimate SPA complex that thoughtfully integrates amenities such as a sauna, jacuzzi, Turkish bath, massage rooms, gym, and a pool—while preserving the quiet charm and ecological sensitivity of the site. The competition emphasized architecture rooted in sustainability, material honesty, and a deep respect for place.
The brief called for a design that balances modern comfort with a strong connection to landscape and heritage. Entrants were required to incorporate a pre-purchased wellness module into their schemes, ensuring a functional integration without compromising architectural integrity.
Proposals were evaluated for their ability to blend into the environment, enhance the guest experience, and embody the spirit of the Vez River—timeless, calm, and restorative. The results reflect an inspiring range of responses, from poetic interpretations of the landscape to finely crafted spatial sequences designed for relaxation and introspection.
First Prize was awarded to Juan Pablo Lopez Isabella (Mexico) for a bathhouse designed as a sequence of atmospheric experiences rooted in local tradition. Second Prize went to Vitor Rafael Dias Da Silva (Switzerland) for a refined, barn-like intervention that mediates between human activity and the forested riverbank. Third Prize was awarded to Mariia Sviderskaia (Georgia) for Boatifull Spa, inspired by the form of an upturned wooden boat. The Student Award went to Chloe Lynne Choi, Sean Ow Jou Chern, and Wei Yi Keane Chua (Harvard GSD, USA), while the Sustainability Award was given to Aris Angelo Marsanich and Giacomo Botteon (Switzerland).
The jury commended the winners for their sensitive integration of architecture and nature, poetic use of materiality, and thoughtful designs for tranquility and renewal. Buildner congratulates the winners and honorable mentions, and thanks all participants for their inspiring contributions to this international design dialogue.
Buildner extends sincere thanks to all participants for their thoughtful contributions. We congratulate the winners and honorable mentions for their outstanding work and are excited by the client’s intention to bring this vision to life.
1st Place
Aqua Temenos
Juan Pablo Lopez Isabella
Mexico
“Architecture competitions serve as a powerful tool to enhance the creative process. I also believe that they provide a virtual journey to different places, allowing us to immerse ourselves in their customs, aromas, landscapes, and diverse architectures. This experience serves as a prelude to the project and enriches the design exploration.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
This project presents a bathhouse designed as a sequence of atmospheric, elemental experiences deeply rooted in place. Organized around a linear axis that runs parallel to a river, the architecture draws from vernacular cues — pitched roofs, stone walls, and terracotta tiles — to form a quiet yet immersive world. The use of water as a spatial and sensory driver is central: pools, saunas, and gathering spaces unfold in carefully articulated volumes, with textural transitions between exterior stone courtyards and dark timber-lined interiors. The architectural language is restrained and mature, allowing light, shadow, and material texture to lead. Drawings are precise and poetic, ranging from hand-rendered site maps to highly detailed construction sections. The renderings emphasize stillness and ritual, reinforcing the spatial rhythm and thermal logic of the design.
2nd Place
The Nest by The River
Vitor Rafael Dias Da Silva
Switzerland
“Through architecture competitions, I strive to challenge my vision on a global stage, shaping ideas that honor each site’s spirit and respond with sensitivity to its environment.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
This project presents a refined intervention on the banks of a forested lake, where architecture emerges as a discreet mediator between human activity and natural context. Composed of three parallel, barn-like volumes, the scheme draws from vernacular rural forms while embracing contemporary sensibilities in materiality and spatial planning. The central volume accommodates public and wellness functions, flanked by two wings with more private programming. Carefully placed windows and skylights frame views outward while admitting gentle light, and a restrained timber and metal palette reinforces the building’s quiet integration into its wooded surroundings. The project foregrounds notions of stillness, reflection, and embodied wellness—both through its sustainable strategies and spatial sequencing. Passive design techniques, such as cross ventilation, solar orientation, and low-impact materials, are integrated into a calm and cohesive whole. Presentation-wise, the proposal is comprehensive, combining atmospheric renders, annotated diagrams, and construction details with an elegant layout and clear narrative rhythm.
3rd Place
Boatiful SPA
Mariia Sviderskaia
Georgia
“Competitions let me test ideas with fewer limits. The brief gives direction, but there is room to build my own vision. My main goal is to sharpen my design voice and grow a diverse portfolio. This process helps me engage with design more deeply and learn faster.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
Boatifull Spa is structured around a central pool, with associated functions such as locker rooms, a gym, massage rooms, and sauna modules arranged symmetrically along its length. The architectural concept is derived from the image of an upturned wooden boat, influencing both the form of the scissor truss roof and the material expression of timber interiors. The structure features modular timber window units, reinforced concrete walls, and an underfloor technical space for pool maintenance. Natural light enters via a linear roof light, while panoramic windows connect the interior spaces to the river landscape.
Buildner Student Award
Choreographing Vez
Chloe Lynne Choi, Sean Ow Jou Chern, Wei Yi Keane Chua
United States
“We participate in architecture competitions to gain exposure to new projects, environments, and collaborators that we wouldn’t normally encounter. Competitions provide firsthand experience with real clients and briefs rather than purely speculative work, offering valuable insights into practice while challenging us to think beyond our typical design approaches.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
The project proposes a low-lying wellness facility set beside an existing stone mill, drawing inspiration from vernacular forms while introducing a contemporary spa program along the river’s edge. The layout centers on a carefully choreographed transition from dry to wet zones, beginning with functional programs like massage and gym, and leading toward immersive spaces such as the pool, jacuzzi, and Turkish bath. A modular construction system underpins the project, combining prefabricated technical units with a structural frame and fully glazed facades to minimize disruption to the landscape. The architecture emphasizes rhythmic transparency and environmental responsiveness, orienting views toward the river and optimizing daylight through narrow, calibrated openings.
Buildner Sustainability Award
Vez River Spa
Aris Angelo Marsanich, Giacomo Botteon
Switzerland
“We participate in architecture competitions to complement our academic education, with more structured and practical experience. Competitions allow us to develop projects in greater depth, helping us bridge the gap between school and practice.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
The project comprises three primary volumes: two solid stone blocks and a lighter timber structure that serves as the transitional dressing space. These elements frame a courtyard and are carefully positioned in response to a sensitive site analysis, emphasizing material tactility and landscape integration. The main spaces—a pool and relaxation zone, gym, sauna, and massage rooms—are arranged along a progression from communal to intimate experiences. The architecture draws heavily on local construction methods and materials such as split river stones and chestnut timber, with an exposed post-and-beam structure visible in diagrams and section details. Openings are selectively scaled and placed to filter light and maintain privacy, while mechanical systems are concealed to preserve spatial serenity.
HONORABLE MENTION
Balnea
João Rui Dos Santos Pereira Da Mota, Diogo Miguel Menezes Alves
Portugal
HONORABLE MENTION
In the moment of AWE
Joanna Maria Szybejko, Anna Aleksandra Korytkowska-hatala
Poland
“This is the first competition we have decided to participate in for years. It was a great opportunity to experience more design freedom and explore unconventional ideas. While competitions are subject to certain regulations, the design process still allows for greater creative freedom, which is not always the case in the industry. It is possible to choose a subject that truly resonates with you and then challenge yourself by designing something you are passionate about. Competitions offer a valuable opportunity to enhance creativity and further develop design skills.”
HONORABLE MENTION
Soundscapes
Emre Özcan, Onur İlgöz
Turkey
HONORABLE MENTION
On Continuity
Sandrino Jan Deiana, Francesco Crocchini
Italy
“We see architecture competitions as the most democratic tool to ensure meritocracy in the profession, allowing quality to prevail over individual interests. They represent one of the best ways to guarantee higher standards in the built environment, which is why we continue to participate.”
HONORABLE MENTION
Chroma Of Stillness
Anass Hammeni, Amine Froukh
Morocco
“Architecture competitions are a rare opportunity to explore ideas freely, to test concepts without the constraints of a typical commission. They allow us to challenge norms, push our creative boundaries, and engage with urgent questions through design. Beyond that, competitions are a way to connect with a global architectural dialogue, share our voice, and grow both professionally and intellectually.”
HONORABLE MENTION
Atemporal Pavillon
María Paula Albrieu, Juan Ignacio Barrionuevo
Argentina
SHORTLISTED PROJECTS
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