Iron Island

Iron Island now is over!

Iron Island: Iron Island, the contest launched by YAC and MANNI Group, aims to write the future of old oil platforms, with particular reference to the numerous off-shore platforms located in the north of the Adriatic Sea, which are well suited to becoming the first transformation model and virtuous redevelopment of these islands of steel and concrete.

➜ Short description

Iron Island, the contest launched by YAC and MANNI Group, aims to write the future of old oil platforms, with particular reference to the numerous off-shore platforms located in the north of the Adriatic Sea, which are well suited to becoming the first transformation model and virtuous redevelopment of these islands of steel and concrete.

Like the wonders of the ancient world, great industrial archaeologies carry a fascination of abandonment, of that mammoth and sublime melancholy that makes them magical in their own ruin and decay.

The old industrial buildings are titans of concrete and steel that rise in the landscape devoured by vegetation and time, as if they were carcasses of immense ancient monsters that inhabited the world at different times, spawned by a different civilization.

Of all the industrial archaeologies, some of the most suggestive are surely the offshore oil platforms. They are the heirs to a development race that imposed man’s right on nature, like ancient titans.

Today, these platforms live out their exile abandoned to the rust and oblivion of the sea. The issue of decommissioning such machinery entails legislative vacuums. This is because internationally there is no unified and compelling vision about the future of these facilities.

Yet, while on the surface legislators are deciding which is the best action to take, something surprising has happened in the deep sea, unforeseen by the engineers who developed such machines.

The platforms have become a treasure chest of biodiversity, almost as if they were artificial coral reefs, which have turned into a refuge for countless marine species once the man left.

One of the symbols of environmental violence is now the bastion of environmental protection.

Then, is it right to plead the very expensive cause of its removal? Or can such platforms rather find new meaning in the age of decarbonization and environmental sustainability?

These are the questions of Iron Island, the competition by Manni, CNR-IRBIM, and YAC to write the future of ancient oil platforms.

Off the Italian coast, specifically in the northern Adriatic Sea, there are numerous offshore platforms.

Since they had been installed on a small sea, they are well suited to becoming the first model of virtuous transformation and redevelopment of these steel and concrete islands.

Each jury is nominated with utmost care and is composed by professionals of the highest repute whose activity is consistent with the theme of the competition.

➜ Who may enter?

Each team must include at least one member aged from 18 to 35 years old.

➜ Prize:

The first place winner will receive €5,000, the second place winner will receive €3,000 and the third place winner will receive €2,000 + 5 Gold mentions of €1,000 each. In addition to the cash prizes, all awarded projects will be broadcast to websites, magazines and architecture formats. They may also be exhibited at national and international architecture events.

➜ Entry fees:

During the Early Bird Registration (Jan 22, 2024 – Feb 25, 2024) entry fee is € 65 / team. After that period ends the amount of the fee will increase.