Off Grid Farm by Samana Group

Introduction
In today’s busy world everyone falls for the allure vision of dropping everything and escaping to a remote paradise. Such daydreaming is usually followed with a fall back to reality as we tend to find comfort in the known and predictable. But what if we could have both, without the need to compromise one or the other?

Samaná, an enchanting peninsula in the Dominican Republic, combines wild beaches and whale watching with a diverse cosmopolitan scene. What was once a hiding spot for pirates became a haven for tourists who fell so much in love with what they saw that they decided to stay for good, expanding the cultural heritage of the area.

The OFF GRID FARM Architectural Competition by Samana Group invites participants to conceptualize and design innovative off-grid farming solutions that encompass the company’s holistic and sustainable approach to living that values self-reliance and minimal environmental impact.

Off-grid farming & Samana Group
Off grid farming represents a pioneering approach to agricultural production, emphasizing self-reliance and minimal environmental impact. By harnessing renewable energy sources and implementing efficient water management systems, off-grid farms can thrive even in the most remote locations, offering a blueprint for sustainable living and community resilience.

Samana Group is a real estate services company and landowner in the Samana Peninsula. The projects stand out by addressing 3 typical issues for development in exotic tourism destinations: lack of urban master planning, no lifestyle design and low quality of infrastructure. The uniqueness of our approach lies in the focus on affordable luxury and sustainability, while providing the experience of living in an untouched nature environment.

Design Challenge
The design challenge of the OFF GRID FARM competition by Samana Group revolves around conceptualizing and realizing an off-grid farm that transcends conventional norms. Participants are tasked with creating a self-sustaining farming ecosystem that integrates renewable energy sources, innovative water management techniques, and sustainable agricultural practices to ensure long-term viability and resilience. Emphasizing community resilience and environmental stewardship, the competition encourages the use of local materials and promotes economic development while supporting a transition towards sustainable living. By pioneering solutions that address the unique challenges of remote living, participants have the opportunity to shape a more resilient and sustainable future for the Samana Peninsula and beyond.

This architecture competition is exclusively for architecture students and young architects, and seeks to design a pioneering, self-sufficient farming and addresses the challenges that Samana faces nowadays (limited access to electricity, water scarcity, and agricultural constraints).