Rural Housing II

Overview

Rural Housing II is an international architecture competition organized by Terraviva, inviting participants to creatively transform a former Lombard stable. The competition focuses on adaptive reuse, challenging designers to reimagine the historic Stable of Cascina Maestà, an active farmhouse in the countryside of Pavia, Italy, into two modern duplex dwellings. Participants are tasked with developing a sensitive intervention that establishes a meaningful dialogue between tradition and contemporary living. This involves organizing spaces across two floors while considering the building's orientation, its relationship with the historic 'aia' (courtyard), and the surrounding agricultural landscape. The aim is to preserve the identity of this characteristic rural typology while giving it new purpose. Beyond the required residential program, designers are encouraged to enrich their proposals with additional functions that create unique living environments tailored to modern lifestyles. Emphasis will be placed on interior design, material selections, and the reinterpretation of the Stable’s original architectural features to define the character of each home. The competition seeks proposals that provide a new purpose to Italian rural heritage, demonstrating how thoughtful architecture can create an inspiring example of contemporary countryside living. The competition offers prizes up to 10,000 €, with winning entries selected by an international jury. The jury includes notable architects and designers such as Pedro Campos Costa, Francesca Bulgarelli, Melis Mısırlıoğlu G., and Davide Casaletto. The project is located in Pavia and submissions must be in English.

What to build

Transform a former Lombard stable (Stable of Cascina Maestà) into two contemporary duplex dwellings through a sensitive adaptive reuse intervention. The design should organize spaces across both floors, respond to the building's orientation, its relationship with the historic 'aia', and the agricultural landscape. Proposals should include residential functions and can be enriched with additional functions tailored to modern lifestyles. Interior design, material choices, and reinterpretation of original architectural features are key.

Prizes

Key dates

• Competition OpeningJuly 15th, 2026
• Early RegistrationsJuly 15th - September 25th, 2026
• Standard RegistrationsSeptember 25th - November 13th, 2026
• Late RegistrationsNovember 13th - December 11th, 2026
• Submission DeadlineDecember 11th, 2026
• Winners AnnouncementJanuary 25th, 2027

Submission requirements

• Two A1 panels (59,4 x 84,1 cm horizontal)
• A brief text describing the proposal (250-500 words)

Resources

• Full Brief Download
• Terraviva Competitions Website