can we address the climate crisis using solutions from space architecture?

metamorphosis transforming italian architecture-EN

• Promoting a new vision of architecture and contemporary and future life environments in Italy, integrating innovation, space and sustainability concepts.
• Stimulating the making of eco-responsible manufacts, capable of regenerating urban spaces and integrating with the environment.
• Looking to the future while thinking at the life on Earth or another planet as a consequence of the devastation due to the effects of climate change.

• Young architecture graduates (under 40), qualified or not, coming from Italian universities.
• Students enrolled in degree courses in Architecture at Italian universities and foreign schools of architecture.

The objective is to develop projects that integrate the above-mentioned concepts and investigate the renewal of urban and territorial fabrics on Italian territory, which may be forgotten, neglected, degraded, suffering in particular from the effects of climate change, making possible new conditions suitable for human life; in addition, the object of the proposal may also be a design developed for space or another planet. They may also test the new frontiers of generative or parametric design, AI or other innovative technologies.

• Individual participation or in a team of a maximum of 3 members (for students of Italian and foreign degree courses in Architecture) and/or interdisciplinary (for italian graduates in architecture only).
• Submission of an original proposal that meets the criteria and topic of the call for proposals.
• Italian graduates and students are allowed to submit projects both on Italian territory (taking care to choose the appropriate location according to the criteria of the call) and in space or other planetary space.
• Foreign students are allowed to submit projects exclusively on Italian territory (choosing from locations proposed by the organising committee). The materials – information, maps, links to geoportals – downloadable for each chosen location can be downloaded from the following link.
• Participation is permitted with only one project per individual or group; participation both as an individual and as a member of a group is not allowed.
• In the case of a team of graduates, the group leader must be an architect (in the case of a team of students, all members must be enrolled exclusively on degree courses in Architecture).

Proposals must be submitted within February 15, 2025, using the platform available at the link http://call.metamorphosisarchfest.com/login , following the instructions for formats and documents to be uploaded after registering.

• Registration and profile creation on the platform.
• Project description (max. 2,500 characters including spaces and without images.
• Drawings (maximum 3 horizontal board 4409×2480 pixel – .jpg – max 10 MB), including sketches, plan, elevation and section drawings as well as set renderings.
• A representative render as project cover (vertical format 2480×4409 pixels – .jpg – max. 10MB)
• In the case of selected projects, a digital model and a 3D printed physical model may be requested.
• All drawings and render must be anonymous without any reference to the participants.

Originality and innovation.

Integration into the environment and sustainability.

Aesthetic and functional quality.

The projects will be evaluated by a qualified jury of national and international experts, which will be published on the METAMORPHOSIS: TRANSFORMING ITALIAN ARCHITECTURE website and social media

The evaluation criteria will be the following:

• Creativity (from 1 to 25 points).
• Innovativeness (1 to 25 points).
• Functionality (1 to 25 points).
• Feasibility (1 to 10 points).
• Quality of presentation (1 to 15 points).

Projects involving the use of natural and zero-km materials as well as recycled and near-zero-emission materials will be positively evaluated.

• Single prize for young graduates in Architecture under 40, individually or in groups: 3.000 euros.
• Students of Italian Departments of Architecture: 3.500 euros and international workshop opportunity.
• Students from international Schools of Architecture: 3.500 euros and international workshop opportunities.
• Special mentions and acknowledgements for deserving projects, both for young graduates and students.

• The selected projects will be exhibited at Milan Design Week from 8 to 13 April 2025 and in other physical or digital exhibitions at venues still to be defined in Italy in April 2025 and abroad in October 2025.
• The selected projects will be collected in a scientific publication published by Springer as well as several publications that will be presented in public events.