International Competition of Ideas for the multifunctional center, Port of Culture, in Mariupol (UA)

We are looking for a bold and authentic architectural idea for the Port of Cultures multifunctional center, which will be able to reflect its values and main ideas, as well as take into account a variety of exhibition, educational and social programs.

Description
Port of Cultures is a multi-functional cultural center with contemporary exposition about local identity of Mariupol.
The idea of creating a cultural center belongs to the Mariupol City Council. The authors of the concept are leading Polish and national experts in the field of creating cultural institutions.
We are looking for a bold and authentic architectural idea for the Port of Cultures multifunctional center, which will be able to reflect its values and main ideas, as well as take into account a variety of exhibition, educational and social programs.
The mission of the Port of Culture is to uncover and represent the identity of Mariupol city, which has brewed in the unique context of diverging cultures, histories, languages and civilizations. Port of Culture will nurture open identity and tolerance – features of the city that are owing to the migration processes in the region. The communities that have been inhabiting or moving around the region, the adaptation of their historical narratives, traditions, rituals and culture to the local context became the basis of the city’s identity today.
Interpreting the collective historical memory and unearthing the identity of the place through the principles of open and constructive public dialogue will fuel the planned activities at the Port of
Culture.
The main goals of the Port of Culture are:
- to become contemporary, multifunctional and diverse cultural institution;
- to develop the civic society through its exhibitions, educational and public program;
- to discover and keep developing the cultural and historical values of Mariupol and Pryazovsky region by guarding the local memory, and documenting the cultural heritage;
- to collaborate with local and international cultural and educational organizations;
- to address urgent social issues by posing (difficult) questions throughout its public and educational program, and to create a dialogue about values, open society, and human rights;
- to formulate a visionary look about the future of the city;
- to involve locals in the creation of the center’s content through participatory practices, and engage them in the process of collecting the artefacts and local stories for the exhibitions and collection;
- to include and engage the visitors in the creation of new, complex, and prejudice free narratives about Mariupol and Pryazovsky region.
With the help of exhibitions, open space, and the public and educational program, the visitors of the Port of Culture will be invited to discover and contribute to the history of the city and it’s cultural diversity, as well as cultivate tolerance towards cultural differences.

Jury
Vadim Boychenko, Mayor of Mariupol
Janusz Marszalec, Historian and Doctor of Arts
Romea Muryǹ, Architect, researcher and teacher
Fourth member of the jury: It will be confirmed by the end of January 2020.

Prize
1st: 1,500 EURO
2nd: 1,000 EURO
3rd: 750 EURO

Entry Fee
None

Timetable
Winner Announcement: April 7, 2020

Organizer
Port of Cultures

Official Website