Competition introduction

Competition organisers

The Legendary 
Highway 14 Tower

In Partnership With

The Legendary 
Highway 14 Tower

The Legendary Highway 14 Tower Design Competition, set in De Smet, South Dakota, USA, invites participants to design an iconic observation tower and accompanying landscape elements.

Welcome to The Legendary Highway 14 Tower Design Competition, an architectural challenge set in the picturesque rural community of De Smet, South Dakota, USA. Participants are invited to design an iconic observation tower and accompanying landscape elements that highlight the region's rich history and natural beauty. This project aims to enhance the visitor experience and boost tourism in the Glacial Lakes Region and the state of South Dakota.



Highway 14 is a vital component of the transportation infrastructure in South Dakota. It spans the state from east to west, connecting numerous communities and serving as a major transportation route for tourists and locals alike.

The competition site, located at the north edge of the Big Slough transitioning to Silver Lake, offers an ideal vantage point for observing the area's historic natural features. 

 



Nestled in the heart of De Smet, South Dakota, the Big Slough and Silver Lake form a vital ecosystem teeming with life and natural beauty. These interconnected water systems play a crucial role in sustaining the region's biodiversity, providing habitats for various plant and animal species, and supporting the local community and tourism industry.

Participants are tasked with creating a cohesive design solution that focuses on user experience, incorporating movement, observation, and contemplation of the Silver Lake and Big Slough ecosystem. Emphasis should be placed on accessibility, safety, sustainability, and promoting local, regional, and statewide tourism.

 



The Ingalls Homestead holds great historical and cultural significance, not just for De Smet, but for the entire United States. The homestead was the childhood home of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the beloved Little House on the Prairie series, and her family. The site is now a living history museum that allows visitors to experience life as it was in the 1800s, including pioneer activities like churning butter, driving horses, and making hay.

The Legendary Highway 14 Tower Design Competition offers architects and designers a unique opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of the Legendary Highway 14 Tower Trail project. The winning design will not only enhance the visitor experience but also serve as an enduring symbol of collaboration and innovation in rural communities. As winning designs will be put forward for consideration for construction, this competition presents a remarkable chance for participants to leave a lasting impact on the landscape of South Dakota.

 

The Legendary Highway 14 Tower Trail project has the potential to boost the visibility and accessibility of the Ingalls Homestead, attracting more visitors and preserving this valuable piece of American history for future generations.

Download full competition brief for more information!

Competition is open to all. No professional qualification is required. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (4 team members maximum). Correspondence with organizers must be conducted in English; All information submitted by participants must be in English.


Full competition brief

The full competition brief can be downloaded as often as required; no additional information will be provided after registration.

  • - (!) FULL COMPETITION BRIEF
    • Règles de compétition
    • Reglas de la competencia
    • Regolamento del concorso
    - SITE CAD & PDF
    - PHOTO & VIDEO

Prizes

10,000 € + Construction
Total Prize Fund
1st PRIZE
5,000 €
Publications
Certificate of Achievement
2nd PRIZE
2,500 €
Publications
Certificate of Achievement
3rd PRIZE
1,000 €
Publications
Certificate of Achievement
BUILDNER STUDENT AWARD (more details)
1,000 €
+ 50 € ARCHHIVE BOOKS Gift Card 
+ 50 Points BUILDNER Architecture University Rankings 

Publications 
Certificate of Achievement
BUILDNER SUSTAINABILITY AWARD (more details)
500 €
+ 50 € AAPPAREL.com Gift Card 


Publications 
Certificate of Achievement
+ 6 HONOURABLE MENTIONS


CERTIFICATE:


Buildner will also acknowledge the outstanding performance of all winners and honourable mentions with Certificates of Achievement.

Publicity campaign

The Buildner’s extensive global publicity campaign for the competition winners:

  • "SEEN BY" ONE MILLION Results published on buildner.com - one of the leading websites in the industry and is visited by over one million unique visitors each year.
  • "SEEN BY" 800 000 MORE Publications on Buildner's social networks (over 600,000 followers) and newsletter campaigns (over 200,000 subscribers).
  • INTERVIEW Exclusive interview published with the results and shared on Buildner's social networks.
  • MOVIE The competition winners will be granted and opportunity to submit a movie about themselves. The video will be published on the Buildner's website and social networks.
  • MEDIA PARTNERS The competition results will get international art and design media coverage and will be featured in the world’s leading architecture media outlets.

Jury panel

All communication regarding the competition should only be carried out with Buildner staff. For any questions please contact us on [email protected]

Buildner is committed to selecting the most qualified industry professionals to comprise its jury panels. Jury panels consist of architects, in addition to professionals from other professional backgrounds that are relevant to the competition topic, to guarantee the most objective competition results.

You may find the invited jury list from previous competitions here – https://architecturecompetitions.com/guest-jury/

Key dates

Closing date for registration

03 November, 2023

Closing date for project submission

08 December, 2023 (11:59pm London time)

Announcement of the winners

16 February, 2024

Competition Q&A deadline: 09 November, 2023

In order to guarantee equal opportunities to all competition participants,
no new questions will be answered after this deadline!

Registration fees

  • Advance Registration
    10 June - 12 September
  • Architects / Enthusiasts / Companies
    110 €
    This registration provides a complete set of prizes, including certificates of achievement, monetary rewards, and potential construction benefits.
    85 €
    This registration offers a comprehensive set of prizes, including recognition through publicity, certificates of achievement, and potential construction-related benefits, without any monetary awards.
  • Students
    100 €
    This registration provides a complete set of prizes, including certificates of achievement, monetary rewards, and potential construction benefits.
    80 €
    This registration offers a comprehensive set of prizes, including recognition through publicity, certificates of achievement, and potential construction-related benefits, without any monetary awards.
+4.5% VAT
  • Last Minute Registration
    13 September - 03 November
  • Architects / Enthusiasts / Companies
    130 €
    This registration provides a complete set of prizes, including certificates of achievement, monetary rewards, and potential construction benefits.
    95 €
    This registration offers a comprehensive set of prizes, including recognition through publicity, certificates of achievement, and potential construction-related benefits, without any monetary awards.
  • Students
    120 €
    This registration provides a complete set of prizes, including certificates of achievement, monetary rewards, and potential construction benefits.
    90 €
    This registration offers a comprehensive set of prizes, including recognition through publicity, certificates of achievement, and potential construction-related benefits, without any monetary awards.
+4.5% VAT

 

STUDENT REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS


Contact us to receive special student rates for group registrations (discount applies for 3+ registrations from one university/school) and to receive further information and support for getting your students involved in architecture competitions. Send us request from your university email address along with basic information about yourself and your university/school. Please note that only recognized university staff can apply for the reduced student rate.

 

Enter the competition!

Register NOW

Competition results in media

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F.A.Q.

Competition related questions

General questions

Click on "register now", fill in all the required fields, choose your payment method and submit your information. You will be forwarded to Paypal or CPS secure payment gateway, to cover the competition fee. Once we receive your payment, we'll send you an email with your username and password to upload your submission directly to the website.
You can add/remove/edit team member information as often as you want in the upload panel, up until the submission deadline.
Only one proposal per registration is permitted. Participants are entitled to register multiple times if they wish to participate in the competition with several proposals.
Yes we are in the process of negotiating with multiple international industry-related media representatives. The list of media partners is constantly updated on our website, please check it regularly to find latest updates.
Yes. If the jury panel selects a Student award's submission for the top 3, it will automatically be awarded both prizes.
Yes. If the jury panel selects a Sustainability award's submission for the top 3, it will automatically be awarded both prizes.
No. Competition entries are evaluated anonymously. The participant registration type is only revealed upon the announcement of the results.
Please contact us – [email protected] and we will address the problem directly.
The short answer is yes, you may submit a previously published design concept as long as you are the author. Before re-submitting your project, please carefully read the following clarification points listed here - architecturecompetitions.com/resubmit-your-design
As AI-generated images may be based on pre-existing work or generated using proprietary algorithms, it is best to check the specific terms and conditions of the AI tool used to generate the image to determine its ownership status. It may also be necessary to seek legal advice to fully understand the ownership rights and any restrictions that may apply. In general, it is not recommended to consider AI-generated images as your sole work or intellectual property unless you have obtained explicit permission to do so.
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