Dezeen promotion: entries are now open for architects and designers to submit ideas to transform a 16th-century Italian villa into a beer brewery.

The Young Architects Competitions (YAC) has teamed up Unindustria – the Italian Association of Industrials – to create the Experiential Beer Garden for Italian brewery Villa Zarri.

The competition invites applicants to suggest ways to transform the abandoned villa, located in the Emilian countryside, into a brewery that combines artisanal production with events revolving around beer.

"The centre that Villa Zarri intends to create, within a beautiful mid 16th-century villa, will be a sanctuary for all beer lovers – a place where beer tasting will meet delicious food, culture and entertainment, within the framework of architectural beauty," said YAC.

The competition is open to both student and professional architects and designers.

The jury panel includes New York-based interior designer Adam Tihany,  and Italian architects Fiorenzo Valbonesi, Nicola Pizzol, Archea Associati and Guido Fini Zarri.

A total of €15,000 (approximately £13,000) in prize money will be awarded. The winner will receive €8,000 (£7, 000), the second prize gets €4,000 (£3,500) and the third prize is €2,000 (£1,750). There will also be two gold honourable mentions who will receive €500 (£450), ten honourable mentions and 30 more finalists.

All of the finalists will be published on the Young Architects Competitions website.

All material for the competition can be downloaded from the YAC website. Entrants must then register and upload their project.

Submissions opened on 17 October 2016 and are being accepted until 31 January 2017. Winners will be announced on 6 March 2017.

For more information visit www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com, or contact [email protected].