The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies issue a Call for Entries for a Proposed Public Monument to the First American Poet James Gates Percival (1795-1856). Percival is also known as the “Father of Modern American Literature.”

The Monument is proposed for the historic city of Galena, Illinois to commemorate the time when the poet lived and worked in the region of Northwestern Illinois and Southwestern Wisconsin next to the Mississippi River.

The event is tied to the Second Annual Athens Architecture Club Exhibition at Contemporary Space Athens in Athens, Greece July 4-August 10, 2019 where winning entries and honorable mentions will be exhibited.  

In 2018, The Athens Architecture Club exhibited the works of Daniel Libeskind, John Marx, Alessandro Mendini, Alessandro Guerrero, Christopher Hesse, Steven Holl, Santiago Calatrava, Michael Graves, Adrian Smith, Roger Christ, Mark Cavagnero, Arta Isozaki, Alec Tzannes, Murat Tavanlioglu, and James von Klemperer among many American, European, Asian, Australian, and South American architects.

The First Place Gold Medal was given to the Russian-German Architect, Sergei Tchoban. A catalogue accompanies the 2019 exhibition.

The exhibition is then scheduled to travel for exhibition at The Chicago Athenaeum.

Eligibility and Registration This is an open world-wide competition and anyone with an idea is welcome to submit an entry— architects, landscape architects, artists, sculptors, and students. Registrations will be accepted from individuals as well as from teams or firms.

Entry Fee:  €100; Students €50; (includes a free catalogue with shipping and handling.)

Medium: One presentation drawing, rendering, painting, sketch, or sculpture.

Awards Stage One: The Jury will select one finalist. The finalist will receive an award of $3,000.00 USD and The 2019 Athens Architecture Club Gold Medal.  The rendering will be accessed into the Permanent Collection of The Chicago Athenaeum. In addition, the jury will select at least 10 entries for Honorable Mentions, with no monetary award.

Stage Two: The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre’s Board of Directors will evaluate the finalist’s designs in detail, and they will select the conceptual design that best responds to their mission. The winning competitor, individual or team, will have the opportunity to participate in the implementation of the project, at a level of involvement and compensation commensurate with their capabilities.

  • Registration Ends: June 1, 2019 
  • All Submissions Due: June 15, 2019 
  • Exhibition:European Centre for architecture art design and urban studies, Greece July 4-August 10, 2019

Entry forms and more information are available by contacting Kostandina Geladaki at konstandina@ europeanarch.eu.