Bellano Cotton Mill Museum
On the eastern shore of Lake Como in Bellano, Italy, the former Cantoni Cotton Mill tells a story of water, machinery and working life. Its substantial buildings and rhythmic façades offer a different perspective on a landscape more often associated with villas and waterfront gardens. The Bellano Cotton Mill Museum competition invites participants to give this industrial landmark a new cultural role.
Organised by Buildner in partnership with Selpi Srl, the competition asks participants to transform the smaller building within the complex into a museum and cultural destination. The task is to develop an architectural response that balances preservation with transformation, exploring how the existing structure can accommodate exhibitions, welcome visitors and reveal its character through contemporary use.
The museum’s curatorial direction is open to interpretation. Proposals might explore the mill’s productive past, Bellano’s local stories, contemporary art or the relationship between people and landscape. Participants are encouraged to connect their chosen theme with the building’s spaces, developing a coherent visitor experience supported by an appropriate mix of exhibition, learning, gathering and service areas.
The expected result is a distinctive, welcoming museum with a clear cultural identity and a convincing approach to adaptive reuse. Proposals should demonstrate how spatial organisation, accessibility, materials and environmental strategies support both the visitor experience and everyday operation. Detailed design should focus on the museum building, while conceptual connections to neighbouring structures and public spaces may suggest how this intervention could become a first step towards the wider renewal of the Cantoni complex.
PRIZE
All winning projects in the Bellano Cotton Mill Museum competition will receive the complete Buildner winner package, including international publication, an ArchDaily feature, and inclusion in the Buildner annual book.
In addition, all winners will automatically receive an invitation to the annual Buildner Medal 2027, where they will compete for the €50,000 prize fund alongside a limited number of winners from other Buildner competitions.
COMPETITION SCHEDULE
Early Bird Registration: October 8 – December 3
Advance Registration: December 4 – February 18
Last Minute Registration: February 19 – April 15
Final registration deadline: April 15, 2027
Closing date for submission: May 24, 2027 (11:59 p.m. London Time)
Announcement of the winners: July 6, 2027
More: https://bnr.ac/cottonmill
designboom has received this competition from our competition submissions desk — every open call lives in competitions.
