Quechua Architecture Competition, Q.A.C., announced winners of the latest Water Temple Competition. All participants who took part in that challenge have presented and developed projects that explore diverse fields of thinking and design. There are three teams awarded with first, second and third prize as well as 6 Honorable Mentions. Q.A.C. thanks and admires all designers who decided to faced the challenge.

As one of the most amazing places in Mexico, the Basaltic Prisms of Santa Maria Regla, represent not only one of the most beautiful places in the world, but a tremendous history; being named as the “first magical town” of Mexico, Huasca de Ocampo is the place where the prisms live and pose for the world.

Since the Basaltic Prisms are a result of volcanic eruptions, the topography itself generates a river that crosses the 4 cascades in the place.

As a result, the water presents a marvelous movement through the very little complex that the prisms are, and present the marvelous challenge to create a site dedicated to the most valuable resource the humanity has, water.

The project challenged all contestants to develop a space that resembles and captures what water is, means, sees or feels to humanity.

WINNERS

1ST PLACE

Albert la Rosa, Miguel La Rosa
BRAZIL

The project was born from the initiative to develop a mystical space that inspires reflection, causing minimal impact in the area of intervention and integration with the natural context. The proposal takes as the main element of the composition the water and its properties, to bring life to the interior of a space excavated under the waterfall, managing to naturally afforest a space that allows us to find ourselves in the most primitive way with the beauty of nature and reaffirm the importance of water as a source of life for humanity.

2ND PLACE

Giovanni Cavaglion, Chengfan Shao, Emanuele Cavaglion
ITALY

A square platform rises from the waters as if it were the subtraction of the same river. Floating in the void, on the one hand it is struck by the violence of the Rose waterfall, on the other it protects the pilgrims, generating a metaphysical space. The liturgical silences and the bustle of the waterfall, the fluidity of the waters and the geometry of the basalt, the luminous reflections and the darkness of the caves, all these contrasts contribute to creating a surreal atmosphere that breaks the boundaries between material and spiritual.

3RD PLACE

Jezim Fuentes
PHILIPPINES

Fertile is about a capability of water to produce an art in nature and capability of water to help civilizations survive thus giving birth to Architecture. The temple hidden on the ground resembles the topographical context of the site, A temple that blend with nature and respect nature. Just like water journeying an unknown path, Inside the temple is a great phenomenological trip full of emotion \ and at the end of the path is a refuge for fertile minds from fertile places. The temple revitalized water as an important resource and an important feature that enhances architecture and mind.