In partnership with the Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI), the village of Marou in Fiji has proudly announced the joint winners of the LAGI 2025 Fiji Design Competition. According to their communique, the two projects are “artworks in the landscape […] designed to generate energy and water while reflecting the hopes of Marou residents for a future grounded in environmental stewardship and cultural identity.”
The global competition invited designers from around the world to respond to the challenges of this remote South Pacific village. From 205 submissions representing 45 countries, two winning proposals were chosen by a local and international jury for their ability to listen to the land, climate and community.
Australian architect Young Kang was awarded joint winner for a submission titled Ligavatuvuce (Hands that Offer and Uplift). The project draws from Fijian tradition, rising from the landscape as a gesture of open palms offering yaqona (kava). Designed to be built collectively from local craftsmanship, the structure would generate 120 megawatt hours of electricity and provide 4.5 million litres of water annually if built. The proposal also includes a shaded ceremonial space, which is designed to support both community life and sustainable tourism in Marou village.
The joint prize was also awarded to The O, by Italian-born, Danish architect Alberto Roncelli – a 40-metre wide pavilion that is designed to generate 150 megawatt hours of electricity and 1.2 million litres of filtered water annually while providing a flexible space for cultural gathering beneath a timber canopy.
“We never imagined that people from across the world would be designing with us in this way,” said acting chief (sau turaga) of Marou village Ilisari Naqau Nasau. “These solutions for energy and water systems will not only benefit us today, but will also support our future, and the futures of our children and grandchildren.”
Kang reflected, “LAGI 2025 was an incredible opportunity to create something deeply connected with the Marou community, while advancing sustainability-focused art through concepts rooted in cultural traditions that link present and future generations.”
Kang holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design and a Master of Architecture from the University of Tasmania, and has worked globally in Melbourne, Taipei, Beijing, New York, London and currently in Dubai. Kang notes that, throughout his work, he drives a “commitment to architecture that inspires and serves the greater public interest.”
Each winner will receive $100,000 USD to create prototypes of their ideas that will be exhibited in Suva in early 2026, with one project ultimately selected for full-scale construction in Marou village.
“These projects establish a new model for the co-creation, implementation, and operation of renewable energy and freshwater systems,” said LAGI co-founders Elizabeth Monoian and Robert Ferry. “Once operating, the pilot project will provide electricity and water, generate economic opportunities, and serve as a replicable model for other coastal communities across the Pacific.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
