Ministry for Education, Culture and Sport collaborates in organising Richard H. Driehaus International Architecture Competition

This is an international competition primarily aimed at young architects that seeks to promote the practice of architecture and town planning based on traditional values that contribute to producing an urban structure that is more attractive, more coherent, sustainable and socially integrating.

The competition is designed in two successive stages: in the first stage sites will be chosen for the location of the projects, and in the second stage, appropriate projects will be selected for each of the locations previously selected.

In the first stage, Spanish municipalities interested in taking part can propose sites for the location of the projects to be selected, together with the physical or thematic structures to be developed there, in accordance with the terms and conditions established.

The sites selected to carry out the projects will be, at any event, architectural spaces or locations that are culturally important from an architectural perspective for the community.

The second stage will be an international project competition, open to architects and town planners from around the world, in which the best restoration proposals or urban improvements will be selected to be implemented at the three locations selected in the first stage.

In particular, the projects and proposals for action that are most committed to the conservation of the local cultural heritage will be selected. The proposals must respect, at any event, the regulations on the protection of Spanish historical heritage.

Collaborating institutions

In order to carry out the "Richard H. Driehaus Architecture Competition", the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust has donated an amount of at least 199,350 euros to finance the organisation and implementation of this competition.

The Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust is a North American philanthropic institution backed by Richard H. Driehaus that is engaged in financing, among other things, projects relating to the conservation of heritage, architecture and town planning.

The Directorate-General of Fine Arts and Cultural Assets, Archives and Libraries collaborates in the project as the holder, within the Ministry for Education, Culture and Sport, of the powers to draw up and implement the plans for the conservation and restoration of historic heritage properties, as well as cooperation with other public authorities and public and private institutions to develop these plans and to oversee them.

The Ministry for Public Works collaborates in the project as the body responsible for the functions and powers of the General State Administration on the issue of housing, architecture, town planning and regional organisation.

The International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism (INTBAU) is an international charitable organisation engaged in the promotion of traditional construction, the conservation of local identity and the creation of best locations for living.

The Higher Council of Schools of Architecture in Spain, as the body that groups together professional architects in Spain, will focus its collaboration on the national and international dissemination of the competition and the presentation of projects, particularly by young architects.

Noteworthy of mention is the collaboration of Spanish institutions that cooperate with the "Richard H. Driehaus Architecture Competition" architecture competition without any economic funding.