The Site
A historyfacing the ocean
Cidade Velha, on the island of Santiago, is one of the most significant places in the history of Cape Verde. Founded in the 15th century as Ribeira Grande, it was the first urban settlement in the archipelago and soon became a strategic center along the Atlantic routes, where trade, religious power, military defense and culture converged.
Its landscape still preserves traces of this memory: the ruins, the system of forts, the stone, the relationship with the ocean and the morphology of the coast all reveal a deep and fragile identity.
Since 2009, Cidade Velha has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site: designing here means engaging with a unique context, where every new architecture must arise from respect for history, landscape, materiality and the horizon.
This is the site chosen for the first ARCH CHALLENGE architecture competition in Cape Verde: an open call for architects, designers and students worldwide to reimagine this extraordinary place.
The Challenge
Design with the land,not over it
The challenge begins with the desire to imagine a residential complex capable of belonging to the place before occupying it. The new units should engage with the natural morphology of the land, following its slopes, views and orientations, in order to build a balanced relationship between architecture, landscape and everyday life.
We are looking for proposals that can interpret the territory with respect, through sustainable materials, coherent construction solutions and integrated open spaces. The project should also consider the long-term experience of living in this place: light, shade, privacy, ventilation and the connection with the ocean.
Functional aspects, such as access, internal paths and parking areas, should be part of the design, not secondary elements, contributing to the quality and real feasibility of the intervention.
Calendar
Key dates
Downloads
Brief and
Technical Files
Competition Rules
Official document with all participation requirements, evaluation criteria and competition conditions.
Download →Site Photography
High-resolution photographs of the site, the urban context and the coastal landscape of Cidade Velha.
Download →
Awards
From Vision
to Reality
This competition is not only about collecting ideas, but about identifying proposals with the potential to become reality. Winning or selected projects may be evaluated for possible concrete development, with the ambition of transforming an architectural vision into a real intervention within the territory of Cidade Velha.
Jury
A multidisciplinary
evaluation panel
Sonia Tavares
Architect
Sonia Tavares is a Cape Verdean architect and urban planner, a graduate of UFRJ, with over 20 years of experience in architecture, urbanism, project management and sustainability. She has directed and supervised construction works in Cape Verde and Angola and held leadership roles at the Municipality of Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde (2016–2021). An expert in Local Economic Development, she is currently managing partner of Sónia Tavares Arq & Urb, dedicated to innovative and sustainable solutions.
Giuseppe Stefano Buccilli
Entrepreneur
Giuseppe Stefano Buccilli is an Italian entrepreneur based in Praia, active in Cape Verde since 1998. Through Ocean Drive Lda., he has developed real estate, tourism and commercial initiatives between Praia and Boa Vista, contributing to the enhancement of the territory. He has promoted projects such as Punto di Incontro, Palazzetto Ocean Drive and the Rotchinha tourist village. His profile is relevant for his local experience, entrepreneurial vision and knowledge of the Cape Verdean context.
Edson Rodrigues
Architect and Urban Planner
Edson Rodrigues is an architect and urban planner, a graduate of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil). He has worked as a draftsman, designer and collaborating architect at various firms, handling projects, feasibility studies and 3D simulations. Since 2018 he has been an architect and urban planner at the Municipality of Ribeira Grande de Santiago – Cidade Velha, developing architectural and urban projects, Urban Plans, technical opinions and supervising construction works.
José Serra
Banco Interatlântico Executive Director
José Afonso Serra holds a degree in Business Administration from Universidade Católica Portuguesa, complemented by executive programs in financial institution management, banking strategy and digital transformation. He began his career at the Caixa Geral de Depósitos Group, holding roles in financing, strategy, planning, marketing, digital channels and commercial innovation. Today he serves as Executive Director of Banco Interatlântico in Cape Verde.
Lorenzo Pascucci
Contract District Group Founder
Born in 1977, Lorenzo Pascucci graduated in Business Administration in 2001. Two scholarships led to experience with Unilever and Sanford, working with the Parker and Waterman brands. He later entered design distribution, launching an Ernestomeda test project in 2010. In 2016 he founded Milano Contract District, recognised as a "Lombardy Excellence" at the 2018 Compasso d'Oro Awards. Today, Contract District Group develops services and technologies for integrated interior design, sales and after-sales.
Marcello Gatto Monticone
MGM Cape Verde Founder
Marcello Gatto Monticone is a real estate developer with over 40 years of experience in the development, enhancement and commercialisation of residential, tourism and hospitality projects between Switzerland and Cape Verde. Founder of MGM Cape Verde, he works on sustainable, digital and urban-regeneration-oriented real estate models, with a focus on architectural quality, market positioning and territorial impact.
TBA
To Be Announced
Jury member to be announced.
Eligibility
Who can
participate
The competition is open to architects, designers, students, studios and multidisciplinary teams, with no age restrictions. Participants may apply individually or as part of a team.
For team applications, one person must be appointed as team leader and will be responsible for registration, official communications and final submission.
Register Now →Accessibility Fee
A Challenge
for Everyone
A reduced fee is available for participants from countries included in the official Competition Accessibility List, defined to support wider participation from lower-income and emerging contexts.
Eligibility is based on the participant's declared country of residence. The Accessibility Fee is granted on a good-faith basis. Verification may be required for shortlisted or awarded entries.
Competition Accessibility List →FAQ
Frequently
Asked Questions
The official FAQ document, containing the complete list of questions and answers related to the competition, will be published after the end of the question submission period and will be available for download in the Downloads section.
Yes. The competition welcomes international participants, both as individuals and as teams.
Yes. Students are welcome to participate individually or as part of a team.
Yes. Team applications are accepted. Each team must appoint one team leader.
Participants will be able to download the competition rules, technical files and site photographs.
Yes. A reduced fee is available for participants from countries included in the official Competition Accessibility List.
The winning or selected proposals may be considered for a possible further development phase, subject to technical, economic and contractual agreements.
Join the Challenge
Ready to design
Linha do Horizonte?
Join the challenge and take part in an international competition exploring architecture, landscape and the future of inhabiting Cidade Velha.
Register Now →