The Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) has unveiled the winners of its 2025 competition held in Marou Village, Fiji, marking a significant milestone in community-centered renewable energy design. Two innovative projects were selected from over 200 international submissions representing 45 countries: "The O" by Alberto Roncelli and "Ligavatuvuce" by Young Kang. The competition was developed through a collaborative partnership with local community members and received support from the Fiji Department of Energy, the Fiji Rural Electrification Fund, and the United Nations Development Program.
Since its inaugural edition in 2010, LAGI has consistently approached renewable infrastructure as a comprehensive design challenge, exploring how functional energy systems can be seamlessly integrated into landscapes as both artistic installations and communal gathering spaces. Each competition edition focuses on a specific geographic location, challenging participants to address pressing environmental and social needs while successfully merging technical performance requirements with meaningful cultural expression. The Fiji competition specifically called for innovative systems capable of simultaneously producing clean electricity and fresh water while creating spaces that encourage community interaction and strengthen local cultural traditions.
"The O" by Alberto Roncelli presents a circular timber pavilion design that ingeniously combines solar energy generation and rainwater collection systems beneath an expansive canopy structure. This versatile design serves multiple functions, operating as both an energy-producing facility and a flexible communal space for village activities. Meanwhile, "Ligavatuvuce" by Young Kang draws profound inspiration from the traditional Fijian gesture of open palms offering yaqona, a culturally significant practice in local communities. Kang's design translates these cherished local traditions into a sculptural structure that provides essential shade while seamlessly integrating renewable energy systems to generate both electricity and freshwater for the community.
The competition framework places exceptional emphasis on participatory co-design principles, deliberately moving beyond conventional top-down infrastructure delivery models by embedding authentic community voices throughout the entire development process. Local residents of Marou Village participated directly in the evaluation and selection process alongside an international panel of expert judges, ensuring that the chosen projects would truly serve the community's needs and values. This approach demonstrates how infrastructure development can emerge through genuine collaboration rather than being imposed as external solutions.
Proposals were rigorously assessed using multiple criteria, including technical feasibility, environmental impact, and most importantly, their capacity to engage meaningfully with the specific cultural and social context of Marou Village. LAGI co-founder Robert Ferry personally shared detailed project information with Ilisari Naqau Nasau, the Acting Chief of Marou Village, emphasizing the organization's commitment to transparent community engagement. Village residents actively participated in discussions about draft design guidelines and provided valuable recommendations for changes to the competition brief, ensuring local perspectives shaped every aspect of the initiative.
The selected winning projects will now undergo a carefully planned development process, first being transformed into detailed prototypes and exhibited publicly before the community makes a final selection for full-scale construction in Marou Village. Long-term operations and maintenance of the chosen installation will be supported through existing national energy programs, effectively connecting this grassroots initiative to broader governmental strategies for sustainable development across Fiji. This comprehensive approach ensures the project's sustainability and integration with existing infrastructure systems.
By embedding co-design principles directly within its competition model, LAGI effectively illustrates how critical infrastructure can be developed through meaningful collaboration rather than imposed external solutions. This innovative approach represents a significant shift in how renewable energy projects are conceived, designed, and implemented, particularly in rural and indigenous communities. The Fiji competition serves as a compelling example of how participatory design methodologies can transform traditional architectural authorship, creating more inclusive and culturally responsive infrastructure solutions that truly serve community needs while advancing environmental sustainability goals.
