Buildner has revealed the winners of its Portugal Vez River SPA international architecture competition, which challenged designers to create a boutique wellness retreat along the scenic banks of the Vez River in northern Portugal. The competition attracted architects worldwide to propose spaces of tranquility and renewal that would harmonize with the extraordinary natural setting while complementing a restored historic watermill already present on the site.
The project partner and site landowner plans to construct one of the winning entries. Participants were tasked with developing an intimate spa complex that thoughtfully integrates amenities including a sauna, jacuzzi, Turkish bath, massage rooms, gym, and pool while preserving the site's quiet charm and ecological sensitivity. The competition emphasized architecture rooted in sustainability, material honesty, and deep respect for place.
The competition brief called for designs that balance modern comfort with strong connections to landscape and heritage. Entrants were required to incorporate a pre-purchased wellness module into their schemes, ensuring functional integration without compromising architectural integrity. Proposals were evaluated based on their ability to blend into the environment, enhance the guest experience, and embody the spirit of the Vez River - timeless, calm, and restorative.
The first prize was awarded to "Aqua Temenos" by Juan Pablo Lopez Isabella from Mexico. This project presents a bathhouse designed as a sequence of atmospheric, elemental experiences deeply rooted in place. Organized around a linear axis running parallel to the river, the architecture draws from vernacular cues including pitched roofs, stone walls, and terracotta tiles to form a quiet yet immersive world. Water serves as the central spatial and sensory driver, with pools, saunas, and gathering spaces unfolding in carefully articulated volumes featuring textural transitions between exterior stone courtyards and dark timber-lined interiors.
The second prize went to "The Nest by The River" by Vitor Rafael Dias Da Silva from Switzerland. This refined intervention on the forested lake banks presents architecture as a discreet mediator between human activity and natural context. Composed of three parallel, barn-like volumes, the scheme draws from vernacular rural forms while embracing contemporary sensibilities in materiality and spatial planning. The central volume accommodates public and wellness functions, flanked by two wings with more private programming.
"Boatiful SPA" by Mariia Sviderskaia from Georgia claimed third prize. The design is structured around a central pool with associated functions including locker rooms, gym, massage rooms, and sauna modules arranged symmetrically along its length. The architectural concept derives from the image of an upturned wooden boat, influencing both the scissor truss roof form and the material expression of timber interiors.
The Buildner Student Winner was "Choreographing Vez" by Chloe Lynne Choi, Sean Ow Jou Chern, and Wei Yi Keane Chua from Harvard Graduate School of Design in the United States. The project proposes a low-lying wellness facility set beside the existing stone mill, drawing inspiration from vernacular forms while introducing a contemporary spa program along the river's edge. The layout centers on a carefully choreographed transition from dry to wet zones.
The Buildner Sustainability Prize was awarded to "Vez River Spa" by Aris Angelo Marsanich and Giacomo Botteon from ETH Zurich, Switzerland. The project comprises three primary volumes: two solid stone blocks and a lighter timber structure serving as transitional dressing space. These elements frame a courtyard and are carefully positioned based on sensitive site analysis, emphasizing material tactility and landscape integration.
Several additional projects received recognition as highlighted submissions, including "Azenha Spa" by Pier Matteo Perazzini of TEO Architects from the United Kingdom, "Solitude Mill Retreat" by Neil Sergio Damy Novoa from Mexico, "Balnea – Vez River Spa" by Portuguese architects João Rui dos Santos Pereira da Mota and Diogo Miguel Menezes Alves, "On Continuity" by Sandrino Jan Deiana and Francesco Crocchini from Italy, and "Atemporal Pavilion" by María Paula Albrieu and Juan Ignacio Barrionuevo from Argentina.
The results reflect an inspiring range of responses, from poetic interpretations of the landscape to finely crafted spatial sequences designed for relaxation and introspection. Buildner continues to host other ongoing competitions including The Unbuilt Award 2025, celebrating visionary unbuilt projects across three scales; The Architect's Stair Edition 3, a conceptual exploration of architecture's most symbolic elements; and The Kinderspace Competition Edition 3, which invites innovative ideas for early childhood learning environments.
