Calpe launches €50,000 competition to redesign key streets and public spaces

Calpe is taking a major step towards reshaping some of its most prominent public spaces, with €50,000 in prize money available for architects and professional teams capable of coming up with the best ideas.

The town hall has launched a competition seeking proposals for the future redevelopment of several streets and public areas, including Avenida Europa, Calle Portalet, part of Avenida Puerto de Santa María, Calle La Niña and Plaza Colón.

The aim is not simply to give the streets a cosmetic makeover, but to rethink how these important areas work for the people who live, work and spend time in Calpe.

Three areas targeted for transformation

The competition has been divided into three separate lots, allowing professionals and teams to submit proposals for different parts of the municipality.

The first lot focuses on Avenida Europa and carries a €20,000 prize.

The second covers Calle Portalet and a section of Avenida Puerto de Santa María, between Calle Murillo and Calle Almendros. A further €10,000 is available for the winning proposal.

The third lot covers Calle La Niña and Plaza Colón, with another €20,000 prize.

That brings the total prize fund to €50,000.

The competition was published on the Public Sector Procurement Platform on October 6, with proposals required by November 11 at 10am.

What does Calpe want to achieve?

The winning designs will need to look beyond appearances and consider how the spaces can function better in the future.

According to the town hall, proposals will be assessed on their quality, functionality, integration with the surrounding urban environment and sustainability.

Environmental considerations will also play an important role. Designers are being encouraged to incorporate bioclimatic measures and alternative energy solutions into their plans.

Mobility is another key issue, with proposals expected to consider alternative forms of transport as well as solutions for vehicle parking.

The council also wants the redesigned areas to work for the different groups who use them, from residents and businesses to visitors and people enjoying Calpe’s leisure facilities.

The competition therefore places emphasis on creating spaces where commercial, residential and leisure uses can coexist rather than treating each function separately.

Winning designs could lead to construction work

For the professionals taking part, the competition could offer more than just a cash prize.

The winning teams may subsequently be commissioned to develop the detailed execution projects for the redevelopment work and oversee the construction process.

This means the competition is intended to provide the foundations for real changes to the streets and public spaces, rather than simply producing ideas that remain on paper.

Once the winning projects have been developed, they will provide the basis for the future tendering of the actual redevelopment works.

The town hall says the competition forms part of its wider work to improve and transform strategically important urban spaces in Calp.

Anonymous judging

The proposals will be assessed anonymously by a jury, with administrative information kept separate from the technical submissions until the judging process has been completed.

Participants must submit three DIN-A1 panels alongside digital material, including plans, elevations, sections, visualisations and photomontages.

They will also need to provide an explanatory summary, information on surface areas and an estimated budget.

The winning designs will ultimately be judged not just on how attractive they look, but on whether they provide practical, sustainable and financially realistic solutions for Calpe.

With €50,000 available across the three categories, the competition could now set the direction for how some of the Costa Blanca town’s key streets and public spaces look and function in the years ahead.