Play the Future is the international architecture ideas competition for young architects that BeSpace launched in 2023. Its first edition had the objective of involving young architects in the design of a unique open-air space: the WOW Floating Park on Lake Lugano, a new place with the aim of fostering the physical and mental wellbeing of its inhabitants, re-establishing a balance between urban life and the surrounding nature.

After an exciting final phase determined by online voting by the public and a rigorous selection by the jury, the winning projects were evaluated considering aspects such as architectural expression, relationship to the surrounding landscape, innovation and sustainability.

Discover the winners of the first three prizes, the V-Zug Mention and the Metaverse Mention

Here are the winners of Play the Future, the projects can be found in the winners’ section at www.playthefuture.ch.

1st place: SCALLOP presented by the Futurist team (Russia)

2nd place: PARK OF ENCOUNTERS, submitted by the Floating Encounters team (ETH, Switzerland)

3rd place: MOVING LANDSCAPE presented by the Fiori team (USI, Switzerland)

Honourable mentions:

V-Zug Mention in collaboration with the Main Sponsor of the competition, V-Zug: SOCIALHIVE presented by the team Athoma (SUPSI, Switzerland)

Metaverse Mention in collaboration with the Metaverse Partner of the competition, The Nemesis: FLOWING FLOWER MOUNTAIN presented by the team Mexidonia (POLITECNICO DI MILANO, Italy)

The numbers of the competition

With 22 registered teams from 10 different nationalities, the Play the Future competition was an outstanding success, thanks mainly to the support of 8 sponsoring companies that believed in the initiative and its positive impact on the community.

The enthusiasm and interest in the competition was also reflected online, with a total of 5.3k views on the official website. In addition, the entertainment platform The Nemesis attracted the attention of 1,028 visitors including 451 active voters. Media coverage on Instagram recorded over 176,000 views and attracted 1,482 profile visits, demonstrating the broad reach of the event and the involvement of a wide audience interested in architecture and design.

These numbers show to the importance and value of the competition both locally and internationally, promoting innovation, sustainability and the talent of young architects from around the world.

What about the next edition?

While the enthusiasm for the success of the first edition continues to grow, BeSpace Group is already looking towards the future, with its eyes set on 2024. This year’s success has strengthened our determination to offer young architects another incredible opportunity to express their creativity and imagination with a new WOW project.

For more information on Play the Future, please visit the official competition website at playthefuture.ch and follow the Instagram profile @playthefuture.ch.