Since 1978, The Ecuadorian Architect Association (CAE-P), “Colegio de Arquitectos – Provincia de Pichincha” has run the Pan-American Architecture Biennial in Quito, Ecuador, BAQ (Bienal Panamericana de Arquitectura de Quito). This event provides the space for exchange, comparison and analysis of architectural and urban contemporary tendencies and products.    

BIENNIAL COMPETITION  

It’s an open competition for projects and publications done in the American continent, and in one of the categories, worldwide. Throughout the last 40 years, this event has included the participation of more than 6000 works done in the Americas, awarding their contribution to the fields of architecture, urbanism and architectural theory.  

The Biennial Competition runs independently from the Academic Event; therefore, the academic thematic does not influence the way the projects presented in the competition are judged.  

Every work registered in the competition that completes the compulsory requirements specified in the Competition Brief will be part of the XXI BAQ 2018 exposition and will be considered for the Winner Project’s selection. Simultaneously, every submitted project will be published in the Biennial digital Archive hosted at the web page: arquitecturapanamericana.com

C. Social Habitat and Development (worldwide competition)    

This category is oriented towards identifying and promoting the best architectural practices and built projects worldwide that exhibit a positive and tangible impact in the improvement of living conditions for low-income families and their immediate surroundings.  

This category is open to new or improved social housing projects and all projects that consider the following as important:  

  • Neighborhood and public space improvements.
  • Natural and Urban environment restoration.
  • Management and participation strategies, through its design, execution and maintenance stages. 
  • Cultural and aesthetic contributions that reinforce the community’s identity.
  • Constructive safety and climate comfort.  

Projects that have been built in the period between November 2014 and September 2018, and that have not participated in previous editions of the BAQ, may participate.

Participants

The Worldwide competition (C category), is open to all architects that are legally authorized in the country in which they practice their profession, individually or collectively, private or publicly, with built projects between November 2014 and September 2018 that have not participated in previous editions of the BAQ.  

If the author’s nationality and the country where the project was published are different, the participant can choose the coordinator’s country that he or she considers appropriate to present the work.