Ghost Town Challenge

Competition introduction

Competition organisers

Buildner architecture competition organisers are excited to invite you to participate in architecture vision competition Ghost Town Challenge on Karosta, a former soviet military town about 10 km north from Liepaja city centre, Latvia.
Karosta translates as War Port (or Navy Harbour). It is used to be a closed secret military town for the Russian Empire, and later for the Soviet military. As Latvia regained its independence in 1990, the Soviet military had to leave Karosta. As a result the population dropped dramatically from 25 000 to 6 000, leaving many abandoned buildings behind which have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair.

Buildner architecture competition organisers in collaboration with Liepaja City Council and a number of local artists has created a design brief on Karosta´s revitalization. Before exploring the brief in depth we would suggest you to familiarize yourself with this unique urban context. There are number of impressive historic monuments as St. Nicholas Ortodox Marine Cathedral in the central part of Karosta, the Horse Arena or Manege and Karosta Prison. Specific and unique poetic value can also be found in brutalist architecture „soviet style” apartment buildings.

The Brief will more closely examine development of Karosta´s urban core by planting a building complex that will be the main attraction of the town and would help to bring back the life to this part of Liepaja city. You are asked to present your architectural vision for a multi-purpose cultural centre that would include exhibition hall, library, and conference centre with possible entertainment as retail zones and a restaurant.

This competition is the first competition in the competition series on Liepaja city. This international architecture vision competition is open to everyone. Teams must have no more than 4 people, no professional qualification is required.

This is a vision competition that should be treated as an academic exercise.