Results: The Field Station

Terraviva has officially released the complete list of awarded projects of the architecture contest entitled “The Field Station”.

The Competition invited designers to envision a multidisciplinary research campus within the Shenk Property, a secluded nature reserve along Virginia’s Severn River (USA). Immersed in wetlands and woodlands, the competition encouraged participants to explore the delicate relationship between architecture and one of the East Coast’s most sensitive ecosystems. The challenge called for a project that could foster innovation, research and collaboration across diverse disciplines, from science and art to technology and beyond. More than a functional facility, The Field Station was conceived as a model for resilient design: a place where built form and natural landscape coexist in harmony, adapting gracefully to the terrain and climate challenges of the site.

The winning proposals were celebrated for their poetic restraint, ecological awareness, and sensitivity to place. The jury commended designs that achieved a serene balance between material richness and structural lightness, creating contemplative spaces that felt timeless and deeply rooted in the landscape. Some proposals stood out for their modular flexibility and inventive use of materials, translating environmental consciousness into both aesthetic and technical precision. Others drew inspiration from nature’s principles, transforming biomimicry into architectural form, structures that embodied adaptability, resilience and harmony with the wetlands. Together, these visions reflected a shared commitment to sustainability, innovation and the quiet power of architecture in dialogue with nature.

Terraviva congratulates all participants for their creativity and dedication, whose inspiring proposals have contributed to a meaningful exploration of sustainable and context-driven design.

The winners were selected by an international jury panel composed by:

- Robert V. Reis (Norfolk, United States) | Hanbury
- Olga Aleksakova (Tallin, Estonia) | Cloud Architects
- Daniel Perez (San Francisco, United States) | Studio Perez
- Irem Sezer (Richmond, United States) | AIA Virginia
- Isabella Bhoan (London, United Kingdom) | Weston Williamson + Partners
- Jun Deng (New York, United States) | KPF
- Sandra Baggerman (New York, United States) | Trahan Architects
- Rafael Bonet (Paris, France) | Bonet + Partners

1st Prize

Shadows of the Severn
Matias Fidel Moyano, Julieta Derdoy
Argentina

S H A D O W S O F T H E S E V E R N 8 6 3 8 1

From the river, a dark silhouette appears, suspended above the wetlands. Its blackened skin absorbs the light, dissolving into shadow, so that the water, the trees, and the sky speak louder than the architecture itself. The building does not claim the landscape: it frames it.

A slender, steady pier extends toward us, inviting me to arrive. As I step onto it, I feel the pulse of the tide beneath, the openness of the horizon ahead. The pier carries me gently toward the reception, the threshold where the journey begins.

Four wings unfold from a single heart. At the center there is no enclosure, but an open clearing: a fragment of the place held within. Here is where all paths and experiences converge. The sound of the river blends with voices, ideas, and the silent pulse of exchange.

To one side, the wing of encounter, vibrant with movement and conversation. To another, the wing of experimentation, where clarity guides research and daylight floods the laboratories. Deeper still, the wing of retreat stretches into the forest: small rooms for rest, where silence and solitude invite thought to settle and take root.

Suspended above the wetlands, the building never weighs upon the ground. It barely touches, allowing water and vegetation to pass, allowing the ecosystem to breathe. Its blackened timber is not only a material, but a gesture: of renewal, of humility, of listening.

From river to forest, from darkness to light, from collective energy to introspective calm, the architecture unfolds as a continuous dialogue.

PROGRAM _ Four elongated wings extend across the site remaining immersed within the landscape.
ASSEMBLE _ A modular system allows for flexible construction, minimizing impact and enabling adaptability over time.
PLACEMENT _ Raised on slender piles to protect the wetlands and preserve natural flows.
CENTRALITY _ All wings converge at a shared heart, fostering exchange, collaboration and dialogue.
MATERIALITY _ Sustainably sourced blackened wood frames the landscape and creates a contemplative atmosphere.
ATMOSPHERE _ Black invites contemplation, framing nature and fostering a deeper exchange of knowledge.

_________________________________________

About the First Prize – Sandra Baggerman – Trahan Architects

“A clear and ordered proposal that creates contemplative spaces and a calm environment. Rich in materiality and beautifully refined in its simplicity, the project balances presence and restraint. Confident, poetic, and quietly powerful.”

About the First Prize – Robert V. Reis – Hanbury

“Almost like a ruin, Shadows of the Severn looks like it’s always been there. Elegantly understated it floats with minimalized structure – like fingers in the water. Strong rational organization shapes space on the water where one may be aware of all that may be going on with the option to engage. Understated, it’s confidently appropriate to place and purpose.”

2nd Prize

The Lumbricus
Gergely Horváth, Gábor Horváth
Hungary

The Field Station

The building rises lightly above the ground, supported by slender legs that protect it from flash floods while preserving the swamp ecosystem beneath. This elevation allows sunlight and air to continue nourishing the vegetation, ensuring minimal ecological disruption and a sense of breathing space under the structure.
Its form is intentionally long and narrow, reducing its footprint and maximizing environmental permeability. This geometry is both ecological and practical: the building can be modularly assembled off-site, transported by barge, and installed with efficiency. Its linearity also supports future extensions, reinforcing the project’s adaptability over time.
Externally, the building is wrapped in a taut white fabric stretched over a fine steel frame. This continuous skin softens the volume, allowing it to blend with the pale tones of the surrounding forest and swamp, while the elevated stance strengthens its impression as a hovering, elongated form. Against this subtle camouflage, a bold counterpoint emerges: a staircase combined with a pier that links the building to the water below. Its solid red railing introduces a striking contrast — both functional and symbolic — as a marker of arrival and a vivid accent within the natural setting.
Inside, the architecture is defined by openness and transformation. Mobile partition walls allow the designated zones of the long, linear plan to shift between a number of possible arrangements. This adaptability enables the building to host a wide spectrum of uses besides its main function, sometimes simultaneously, sometimes sequentially, mandated by demand. Over the course of the year, the space can evolve to meet changing needs, ensuring the building’s long-term relevance and vitality.
In essence, the design achieves a balance between lightness and resilience, camouflage and expression, permanence and change. It hovers above its environment as a fabric-wrapped framework, at once discreet and iconic, offering a sustainable and versatile model for inhabiting fragile landscapes.

_________________________________________

About the 2nd Prize – Irem Sezer – AIA Virginia

“The modular flexibility and ecological sensibility of the project stand out both aesthetically and tectonically. The white fabric wrapping over the slender structure is exquisitely executed by softening the mass and the red stair-pier is a bold-defining gesture.”

3rd Prize

Butterfly Effect
Taulant Haxhiu, Flor Haxhiu, Blina Rabi
Kosovo

Our proposal, titled Butterfly Effect, envisions a multidisciplinary hub floating above the waters of Virginia’s Severn River, designed as a place for learning, gathering, and cultural exchange. Rooted in the competition’s call for resilient, site-sensitive architecture, the project integrates research, education, and community functions while celebrating the delicate relationship between people and nature.

The design takes inspiration from the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, a species native to Virginia. Its symmetrical wings and central spine became the muse for the roof’s geometry and spatial organization. Each wing of the butterfly translates into a roof plane extending outward, generating dynamic sheltered areas for indoor and outdoor activities. This biomimetic approach ensures the architecture appears both delicate and strong, echoing the natural balance of the site.

Constructed primarily from sustainably sourced wood, the hub emphasizes warmth, lightness, and ecological responsibility. Wood’s layered textures and rhythmic patterns create a tactile connection with the natural environment while supporting ventilation, shading, and rainwater collection. The open structural layout allows for flexibility, enabling the hub to host research workshops, cultural programs, and community events. Spaces can expand or contract through adaptable partitions, ensuring a versatile setting responsive to different users.

Floating above the tidal wetlands, the hub is designed to coexist with the shifting conditions of the Chesapeake Bay. Its elevation and light footprint minimize ecological disruption, while its connection to water routes and a modest land path ensures accessibility. The project anticipates the future effects of climate change by adopting strategies that embrace transformation rather than resist it.

The hub functions as a mediator between disciplines and ecosystems. Researchers, artists, and community members can interact in shared spaces that blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors. Framed views of the water, forest, and marshland turn the surrounding landscape into an active collaborator in the learning process.

Ultimately, Butterfly Effect embodies transformation, resilience, and harmony. More than a building, it is a platform for collaboration, environmental stewardship, and cultural dialogue. By drawing from the butterfly’s symbolism of change and balance, the proposal creates a living architecture that adapts with its context, offering a poetic yet practical vision for the Field Station.

_________________________________________

About the 3rd Prize – Daniel Perez – Studio Perez

“Butterfly Effect translates biomimicry into a graceful architectural language. The timber structure’s lightness and adaptability mirror the delicate balance of the wetlands while accommodating diverse programs with fluid spatial organization. The design’s symbolism and technical sensitivity evoke transformation, resilience, and harmony with the site.”

Golden Mention

The Research Nest
Sascha Roehren
Germany

THE RESEARCH NEST
The Research Nest is conceived as a resilient and adaptive hub that harmonizes with its fragile setting of forest and wetlands. Elevated on screw foundations, the structure avoids heavy ground disturbance, allows reversibility, and ensures safety against rising water levels and storm surges. Its compact footprint and lifted position minimize ecological impact while ensuring long term adaptability.

Arrival is designed as part of the spatial narrative. Visitors approach along an elevated walkway, floating above the forest floor and river edge. This path protects the fragile undergrowth and offers new perspectives, turning the journey itself into an experience of discovery. Access is possible both by foot and by boat, with a small dock providing a modest entry point and a logistical service.

The circular form organizes the program into a continuous loop while allowing functional diversity. Research studios, laboratories, and testing spaces are intentionally distributed rather than concentrated, creating zones of focus across the building. Co-working areas, a library, and a lecture space act as connectors between disciplines, encouraging collaboration and exchange. Administrative offices and modest accommodation units support daily operations and temporary stays, while shared common areas form the social heart of the station. Flexibility is built into each zone through open frameworks and mobile partitions, ensuring that spaces can adapt to shifting needs over time.

Materiality underlines the project’s identity. The primary structure is made of timber, connecting directly to the surrounding forest and emphasizing renewable construction. Metal elements are expressed in a warm red tone—chosen both for orientation and as a subtle echo of the seasonal colors of the marshland, giving the architecture a distinct yet contextual presence. The façade is envisioned as a nest-like assembly of timber poles, wrapping the building in a protective yet porous skin. This organic structure filters light, casts dynamic shadows, and dissolves the boundary between inside and outside, visually embedding the station within its natural environment.

The Research Nest is more than a building: it is a framework for collaboration and observation, rooted in resilience and ecological care. Elevated above risk zones, constructed with low-impact methods, and shaped by natural analogies, it embodies a long-term vision for coexisting with the living landscapes of Virginia’s coast.

Golden Mention

Serendipity
Seheon Kim, Geunah Kwon, Taehee Mun
Republic of Korea

Just as Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by accident, ‘Serendipity’ refers to creative discoveries arising from chance and error. The proposal aspires to create a campus that harnesses the randomness of tidal fluctuations as a spatial transformation factor, fostering unexpected encounters, interactions, and events. Concave ‘ponds’ located at specific points on the platform, where diverse programs are scattered, dynamically adjust relationships and circulation patterns between programs by submerging or surfacing throughout the day according to changes in river water levels.

The independent circulation paths and program configurations typical of universal R&D campuses eliminate the possibility of serendipitous encounters, causing a disconnect in interdisciplinary communication and convergence. The core idea for creating serendipitous encounters materializes as a concave ‘Pond’. Proposed between campus programs, the pond fills with water according to the daily tidal range or functions as a concave multipurpose space, constantly redefining circulation paths, spatial character, and relationships between programs.

The floating campus, connected to the land via a bridge that metaphorically represents the riverfront docks near the site, is accessible to both pedestrians and boats. Its composite structure of pontoons and cable mooring systems responds to river flooding and future shoreline retreat due to sea level rise. The undulating cross-section of the campus, resembling the site’s riverbed topography, reveals ‘ponds’. The ponds along the riverfront also serve as docks connecting the interior and exterior of the buildings. The curved forms of these pools were meticulously adjusted based on tidal range data for the site.

Programs are scattered across a square floating platform, with those hierarchically zoned along the land-river axis arranged to maximize the effect of the pond. Quieter programs like offices and accommodation, including a pedestrian reception area, are placed toward the land. Nearer to the river, dynamic programs such as R&D studios, restaurants, research labs, and testing areas are juxtaposed, increasing entropy. These programs were designed to be flexible in accommodating diverse situations within a limited area, and the layout was proposed considering the accommodation of other programs and the occurrence of events through unexpected expansion over the course of a day.

The modules are designed to have unique permeability for each module by adjusting and mixing the ratio of oyster shells, sand, and natural binders. Gabion walls made from oyster shells function as breakwaters and are anchored along the building’s edges.

Golden Mention

Aqua Folium
Jing Chen, Yanci Chen
USA

AQUA FOLIUM

The Field Station: Architecture in Symbiosis with Wetlands

The proposed Field Station at the Shenk Property is conceived as a Living Threshold—a minimal, adaptive architecture that coexists with the ecological rhythms of the Severn River wetlands. Inspired by the Hytrocotyle spp., a species known for its ability to thrive in symbiosis with surrounding flora, the building embodies a philosophy of co-living with nature rather than imposing upon it.

Set within a delicate landscape where forest meets marsh and fresh water yields to salt, the Field Station emerges as a mediator between land and water, human and non-human, permanence and change. Rather than dominate the site, the architecture withdraws, establishing a series of light-footed elevated structures that hover above the shifting ground plane. This strategy not only anticipates rising tides and flooding but also preserves the existing soil ecology, allowing water and vegetation to continue their natural cycles beneath the building.

The form of the building is deliberately modest, broken into a network of pavilions and platforms connected by open-air walkways. This fragmented approach reduces the impact on the site while mirroring the patchwork character of the wetlands. Each pavilion houses a flexible program—research labs, R&D studios, lecture spaces, and temporary accommodations—designed with mobile partitions and modular systems to adapt as needs evolve. Transparency and porosity define the architecture, ensuring that light, air, and views flow uninterrupted between interior spaces and the surrounding forest canopy.

Materially, the design emphasizes local, renewable, and weathering-friendly resources. Timber structures rise on piloti foundations, recalling the vernacular stilt houses of coastal regions. Facades incorporate a gradient of solid to permeable panels, echoing the marshland’s visual rhythm of density and openness. Rooflines slope gently, collecting rainwater for reuse while creating habitats for pollinators through integrated green roofs. Every construction element is intended to age gracefully, embedding the passage of time into the architectural narrative.

Central to the design is the idea of symbiosis—the Field Station as both host and habitat. Outdoor classrooms spill into the marsh, where students can observe tidal pools and wildlife firsthand. The conference space doubles as a communal amphitheater, opening onto a clearing for public gatherings or quiet reflection. Arrival by water is celebrated through a small pier and landing deck, reinforcing the site’s primary connection to the river.

The architecture is not merely a shelter for research; it is a prototype for coexistence. By embracing resilience and adaptability, it models how human environments might evolve alongside ecological change rather than resist it. The Field Station’s fragmented organization, responsive materiality, and elevated structure demonstrate that architecture can be a collaborator with nature—participating in the cycles of wetland, forest, and tide.

Ultimately, the project positions itself as both sanctuary and laboratory: a space where knowledge is cultivated, where diverse disciplines intersect, and where human presence becomes part of a larger ecological continuum. The Living Threshold is not an end in itself, but an invitation—an architectural framework through which future generations may imagine new forms of living in harmony with the shifting landscapes of our time.

Golden Mention

Field Station
Architecture as an Instrument of Observation – Navid Hajialiakbarghomi, Mehdi Akrami
Germany – Iran

The Field Station is envisioned as an architectural instrument for the study of nature — a structure designed not to merely observe its environment, but to immerse within it. It transforms observation into a spatial condition, allowing architecture itself to become an act of research. The project redefines the relationship between built form and landscape, proposing a model where adaptation replaces resistance, and dialogue replaces separation.

Located within the tidal wetlands of Virginia’s eastern shore, the project occupies a fragile ecological threshold where sea, marsh, and forest converge. This dynamic landscape is continuously reshaped by tidal rhythms, vegetative shifts, and the gradual rise of global sea levels driven by climate change — a process that perpetually redraws the boundary between land and water.

Rather than elevating itself above these forces, the Field Station embraces them, situating architecture within a living environmental system.

The building’s site strategy responds to three natural strata: water, marsh, and forest. It is placed precisely where these layers intersect, ensuring simultaneous engagement with each while avoiding disruption to existing vegetation.
Access is established primarily by water, through a small dock that anchors the project to its tidal context. A secondary pedestrian path extends across the marsh, creating a gradual experiential transition between terrestrial and aquatic realms.

Spatially, the project is organized around a circular spine, which maximizes exposure to the surrounding landscape and fosters a sense of collective activity within. The circular geometry generates both an outward expansion toward the environment and an inward-facing courtyard — an open void that captures a living fragment of the natural ground. This duality transforms the Field Station into a vessel for both observation and reflection.
Functionally, the architecture is conceived as a hybrid open-plan system that allows continuous reconfiguration. Enclosed functions such as laboratories and testing rooms are concentrated within a central solid core, while surrounding spaces — including research studios, co-working halls, library, and auditorium — remain open, defined only by furniture and service elements.

This coarse-grained spatial logic enables flexibility, turning the building into a mutable framework that evolves with research needs.
Materially and technically, the design adheres to two guiding principles: prefabrication and local sustainability. The sloped zinc roof, derived from regional vernaculars, collects rainwater and supports photovoltaic arrays for energy self-sufficiency. A timber structural system provides renewability and lightness, while a dual foundation — combining telescopic steel columns and buoyant pontoons — allows the building to rise and float as sea levels gradually increase. This adaptive equilibrium enables long-term coexistence with an evolving hydrological reality.

Ultimately, the Field Station transcends the notion of a static shelter. It becomes a sensorial and ecological interface — a responsive organism that records, reacts, and participates in the processes that define its context.
Here, architecture is not the backdrop for observing nature, but the very medium through which nature is continuously observed, measured, and reimagined.

Golden Mention

Light-Touch Landing: A Wetland Sentinel
Dao Wu
USA

Project Vision
This design proposes a radical yet respectful architectural intervention for a vulnerable coastal wetland in Virginia. Conceived as a living organism rather than a static object, the field station is a platform for interdisciplinary convergence, where scientists, artists, engineers, and the public can gather to study, create, and engage with the dynamic ecosystem. The architecture itself is a manifesto of adaptive symbiosis, designed not to conquer the landscape but to float above it, leaving the delicate hydrology and ecology of the marsh virtually untouched.

Architectural Concept: The Suspended Ring
The primary gesture is a singular, lightweight ring, suspended above the wetland. This form symbolizes unity, continuity, and the equal standing of all disciplines within. It is lifted aloft by a system of steel cables radiating from a single, central structural pylon. This “spoke-and-wheel” tension structure achieves a profound minimal footprint; the building touches the earth in only one place, dramatically reducing its ecological impact and allowing water, wildlife, and natural processes to flow unimpeded beneath it.

The ring is modularly constructed from identical, prefabricated arc segments, facilitating efficient construction and future reconfiguration. This modularity avoids the rigid boredom of rectilinear grids, instead creating a fluid and continuous space that frames panoramic views of the marsh, pine grove, and bay.

Programmatic Organization and Flexibility
The circular plan is organized via a gradient of privacy and access. The inner ring, facing the central void, is a public “Research Promenade”—a continuous circulation and gathering space that opens onto the vast, suspended courtyard below. The middle ring houses the primary programmatic modules: R&D Studios, Wet and Dry Labs, Administration, and Accommodation. The outer ring, clad in full-height, openable glass, provides an uninterrupted interface with the wilderness.

Crucial to the mission is the nuanced relationship between collaboration and concentration. R&D Studios, acting as collaborative “kitchens,” are visually open to the promenade, encouraging interaction. The Labs, however, are nested for controlled access, with their outer edges featuring an observational corridor for public viewing, turning scientific process into a living exhibit. A Prototype Testing area, adjacent to the labs, serves as a dynamic “stage” for full-scale experiments, visible to all. Community functions like the cafeteria, library, and lecture hall occupy a dedicated sector, easily accessible yet able to be sealed off after hours.

Responsive and Resilient Design
The station is inherently resilient. Elevated above the historic high-water mark, it is immune to tidal flooding and sea-level rise. The central pylon acts as a multi-service core, housing vertical circulation, utilities, and a rooftop observatory. The building’s elevated stance and extensive glazing create a seamless blur between inside and out, with the entire perimeter capable of being opened to the elements, allowing the sounds, breezes, and vitality of the wetland to permeate the interior.

Conclusion
More than a building, this field station is an ecological sentinel and a symbol of hopeful coexistence. It demonstrates that human innovation need not come at the expense of the natural world. By lightly touching the earth and reaching for the sky, it creates a profound and poetic space for the interdisciplinary work that is essential to understanding and preserving our fragile coastal frontiers.

Honorable Mention

Tidal Station
Chadha Brahmi, koussay Hamdi
Tunisia

Honorable Mention

ZIP Station
Gleb Goncharenko, Kseniia Zabardygina
Slovakia

Honorable Mention

Shenk Coastal Research Center
Jordan Scheuermann
USA

Honorable Mention

The Modular Line
Haonan Ma, Harry Jin, Xingye Xu, Xiaomeng Guo
USA – China

Honorable Mention

Ecoexistence Field Station
Daniel Munoz
Chile

Honorable Mention

The Wild Boardwalk
Sara Rubello
Italy

Honorable Mention

Rooted Adaptation
Wakaba Fukushi, Nene Suzuki, Kaho Nagai, Genki Mikami, Yuuki Mihashi, Hanae Ohura, Toranosuke Kunugi
Japan

Honorable Mention

Part of The Field
Suzuka Kameda, Seigi Suzuki, Mahiro Taniguchi, Takeshi Hayama, Kiichi Ichikawa, Hiroki Miyakawa, Minami Miyazawa, Shunya Hirota
Japan