Olive farming and olive oil production have been an important part of civilization since the ancient Greeks. And the liquid gold that is produced has been a staple of wealthy societies for centuries.

Portugal is one of the largest producers of olive oil in the world, providing the warm and dry climate that is necessary for olive trees to flourish. And while olive oil production has changed dramatically in the past few years, it’s been seen to date back as far as the Bronze Age.

As Portuguese olive groves have recently modernized from traditional groves into modern, efficient, and competitive ones, production has boomed and exceeded 150% of consumption. This has been due to the construction of the Alqueva dam, which allowed for more intensive groves, and the modernization of olive oil mills that allow for more production than ever before.

Furthermore, the Verde family has long had its roots in central Portugal, tracing its origins back to two families of farmers and construction workers. Through generations of hard work, the family is now successfully producing homemade olive oil that relies on traditional methods and puts their heart and passion into every drop.

The Portugal Olive Guest House competition is run in partnership with the Verde family, tasking participants with presenting designs for a guest house to be constructed on their property. The guest house would be centered around a multipurpose space that would mainly function as an olive oil tasting room.

As winning designs will be put forward for consideration for construction, the Verde family is asking participants to offer solutions that will best reflect the spirit of utilitarianism. While also being a prolific example of green building practices and sustainable design.

PRIZES

Moreover, there will be 3 winning proposals, 3 special award recipients, and 6 honorable mentions. Buildner (formerly Bee Breeders) will award a total of 10,000 € in prize money to competition winners as follows:

1st Prize – 4,000 €
2nd Prize – 2,500 €
3rd Prize – 1,000 €

+ 6 honorable mentions

VERDE FAMILY FAVORITE AWARD – 1,000 €
Buildner Student Award – 1000 € + 50 € gift card at ARCHHIVE BOOKS
Buildner Sustainability Award – 500 €

COMPETITION SCHEDULE

Early Bird Registration: November 17 – December 8
Advance Registration: December 9 – January 27
Last Minute Registration: January 28 – April 21

Final registration deadline: April 21, 2023
Closing date for submission: June 2, 2023 (11:59pm LONDON TIME)
Announcement of the winners: July 7, 2023

More: https://architecturecompetitions.com/olivehouse/