The Tiber river stretches 250 miles long and is the second longest river in Italy, flowing from the Apennines through Rome and into the Tyrrhenian Sea. Unfortunately today, the river's condition does not live up to its fabled status; the riverfront walkways are covered with graffiti of questionable artistic merit; Litter, overgrown vegetation, and improvised homeless encampments along its banks make a river-side stroll far from picturesque; and the water itself is so filthy that tourist cruises have even been suspended at times due to the pollution. 

Now in its fifth run, Eleven's 2017 Rome Competition sought to address these issues. Architects, designers and thinkers from around the world were asked to reimagine the city through its waters and were challenged to design a 21st century river renaissance for Rome that could be a catalyst for change. In total, more than 130 teams submitted proposals for the waterway, out of which 9 have been selected as winners or honorable mentions. Take a look below at the tope entries, as voted by the jury and online community. 

  • Winner: Tiber Living Lab by Shengyu Huang, Chen Mengtong, Wu Wenhao and Wei Lifeng (China)
  • Runner-Up: Acqua Roma by Melissa Shin (USA)
  • People's Choice Award: Refounding Tiber by Abdur Raoof Khan, Saman Imran, Fatima Urooj and Devesh Mani Tripathi (India)
  • Honorable Mention: Elevating the Riverfront by Vonn Weisenberger and Julia Brooks (USA)
  • Honorable Mention: Vehiculum Fluvium by Sergio Bianchi, Simone Fracasso and Simone Russo (Italy)
  • Honorable Mention: Procession of Arches by Charlotte Loustalot and Roman Joliy (France)
  • Honorable Mention: Tiber Two by Jacqui Stacey and Cameron Stevenson (Australia)
  • Honorable Mention: To Swim the Tibe by Andrew Kwok and David Majoe (UK)
  • Honorable Mention: Isole Dell'Anima by Lena Wimmer, Basel Hamad, Sebastian Gubernatis and Iris Huneau (Germany)
Winner: Tiber Living Lab by Shengyu Huang, Chen Mengtong, Wu Wenhao and Wei Lifeng (China)
Winner: Tiber Living Lab by Shengyu Huang, Chen Mengtong, Wu Wenhao and Wei Lifeng (China) - "Modular spaces are created through pod-like stackable structures which reference the arch – a quintessential Roman invention – as it’s defining aesthetic. And just like the arch archetype changed the world of engineering and architecture forever, this winning proposal wishes to change the way Rome engages with its iconic river by injecting life into its currently desolate edges. ‘Tiber Living Lab’ adds vibrancy to the area through the use of mixed-use facilities, amenities controlled by techy-apps, a new infrastructure of transport, and a financial strategy designed to benefit both tourist and resident. All this is packaged into an attractive presentation." © Eleven Magazine