A(nother) House for Achilles
A House of Peace
Snake Island, Ukraine, Black Sea
Achilles was invulnerable… but, he did have his weakness: his heel.
And it was because of this weakness that he died.
He was a hero… protected by the gods, and not in the last, by his mother, who wanted him immortal.
Yet, he died.
Like all of us, one day…
But we forget… we forget that even the great Achilles had a weakness, his heel.
And we continue to wage wars, as if we learned nothing from the countless tragedies that the Earth was unable to avoid, often because of ourselves, we, the so-called “masters,” we the so-called “shepherds of existence.”
LET’S IMAGINE A(nother) HOUSE FOR ACHILLES, on the very island disputed, in deadly ways, by the Russians and the Ukrainians.
That very island where did exist, until the XIXth century when it was demolished to make room for a lighthouse, a temple dedicated to Achilles, who, it seems, was buried on this island.
Let’s use this occasion to envision, essentially, A HOUSE OF PEACE, since reflecting on our own vulnerability and mortality, could make us more reluctant to start useless, and deadly, wars.
We do not build temples any longer.
We are left alone on this earth, from which, thanks to us, again, the gods and God alike were banished.
Let’s reflect on the life of Achilles, in order to learn.
To learn what ?
To learn that in actuality no war is ever really won.
The wars are not won, they are lost, by “winners” and “losers” alike.
The Achilles’ heel should make us aware of our own "heels.”
The “toxic masculinity” that Boris Johnson talked about should be diminished and even abolished.
Indeed, because of it unending dramas haunt the earth, to this very day.
Let’s imagine on The Serpents Island (or The Snake Island - on The Black Sea) a building that will tell us not only of Achilles, but also, and more importantly, about our own mortality and vulnerability.
Make it a Temple to Peace, or a Temple to that “weakness” which the macho mentality refuses to acknowledge, but which is real.
SUBMISSION AND PARTICIPATION
We accept WORK in ANY size and MANY formats that responds to the theme.
Schedule
January 10, 2023
Register for Competition. Click Here.
January 24, 2023
Submission of Work. ICARCH posts Work Online.
Week of One Year Anniversary of War on February 24, 2023
Zoom Dialogues about the House of Peace and catalog
Benefits
Digital catalog of entries distributed worldwide.
Engagement with alternative creators and thinkers in architecture
Zoom presentation of your work and dialogue with others including ICARCH invited guests.
Work posted on ICARCH.org for many years.
Zoom dialogue posted on YouTube.
Inclusion of your name as a participant in international press releases from ICARCH.
Possible selection of your work for the 2023 ICARCH publication on 20 years of Competitions.
Prizes
At the moment, ICARCH does not provide cash prizes nor require entry fees.
A panel of architects and writers will select entries for the catalog and press releases.
If you have any questions, please contact us at info@icarch.org.
Thank you.
I C A R C H