designboom competitions | designboom designboom magazine | your first source for architecture, design & art news Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:20:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 2026 London Design Awards https://www.designboom.com/competition/2026-london-design-awards/ Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:20:37 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?post_type=competition&p=1170652 The London Design Awards is an international competition that recognises exceptional designs and outstanding creative projects worldwide.

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A representation of the past and future, the London Design Awards is an international competition that recognises exceptional designs and outstanding creative projects worldwide. We invite product designers, architects, interior designers, graphic designers, UX / UI designers and any designers of all background to participate, whether they are companies, team / departments, innovators, manufacturers, suppliers, freelancers, hobbyists or students.

Through the acknowledgment of existing trends that integrate with diverse insights, the London Design Awards reformulates the perspectives of the world towards this unique language, synchronising the great metropolis of London alongside concepts that symbolise excellence.

Categories:
The London Design Awards categories include Product Design, Architectural Design, Interior Design, Packaging Design, Conceptual Design, User Interface Design (UI), User Experience Design (UX), Communication Design, Service Design, Landscape Design, Fashion Design, and its latest Video category.

Eligibility:
The London Design Awards accepts entries from architects, interior designers, product designers, graphic designers, fashion designers, UX / UI designers and any designers of all background to submit their creative works, whether they are companies, team / departments, innovators, manufacturers, suppliers, freelancers, hobbyists or students.

Submission Requirement:
Entries must be produced within the last FIVE (5) calendar years up through the final deadline.
All entries must be submitted for judging exactly as published or implemented and may not be modified for the competition. The London Design Awards may request proof of initial production and/or publication date.
The awards reserve the right to re-categorise incorrectly classified entries.
Judges reserve the right to withhold an award in a category if submissions do not meet their expectations.

Entry Brief:
We recommend each synopsis to be kept at approximately 350 words. Do utilise this section to elaborate on the piece as well as providing the jury with a better understanding of your subject. A written translation or adaptation must accompany non-English entries.

Image Submission:

The submissions should be saved in a flattened JPEG or JPG format. (keep them under 4MB, 1,200px wide is preferable, 300dpi, RGB).

Audio/Video Submission:

Upload video/audio to Vimeo/YouTube/Youku or any other related platforms.
Paste the URL link into the URL field.

Entries with audio/videos must be submitted with a direct URL that will take judges directly to the work. If it is password-protected, you must provide a username and password for judging purposes. Web Videos entered are judged solely on the content provided. Upload a PDF brief if explanation is required before evaluations of the work.

2026 Entry Deadline & Fees:
Early Bird Deadline: Dec 20, 2025 – Jan 29, 2026 ($209)
Regular Deadline: Jan 30, 2026 – Mar 5, 2026 ($219)
Final Deadline: Mar 6, 2026 – Apr 2, 2026 ($239)
Final Extension Deadline: Apr 3, 2026 – May 8, 2026 ($249)
Last Minute Deadline: May 9, 2026 – Jun 5, 2026 ($269)

Winning Level:
There are FOUR (4) levels of achievement in the competition:

Design of the Year
(Highest scoring entry from each category will be recognised as the Design of the Year).
Platinum Winner (85-100 points)
Gold Winner (70-84 points)
Silver Winner (50-69 points)

Judging:
Judging is blind. All entrant information is removed from entries to prevent bias/conflict of interest.

The prestige of the London Design Awards competition relies in large part on the high calibre of the juries that convene each year to review submissions. London Design Awards has made a special effort to find a suitable panel of judges whose works exemplify the qualities of top designs. The jury panel comprises experienced professionals in their field and industry, including creative designers and art directors from international agencies, architects, interior designers, product designers, educators, marketers or business owners, and exemplify diversity in professional experience, geography, gender, and ethnicity. All judges are selected based on experience, availability and credibility to their respective industry.

Evaluation Criteria:
Individual criteria differ by category, but the emphasis is on the overall quality of the entry: the merits of the entry, relative to the judges’ experience and the claims in other entries, as well as the quality of the entry’s narrative itself.

Judges score on a scale of 1-100, based on the below criteria:

Creativity / Originality / Concept / Idea
Content / Brief / Objective / Planning / Execution
Innovation / Technology
Quality / Functionality / Sustainability
Overall Impression / Wow! Factor / Memorable

Results Announcement:
All winners of 2026 will be announced on 26 June 2026 via London Design Awards official page. All registered participants can then login to see the winning results.

Prizes:
The Design of the Year winners receive a complimentary limited-edition LITO trophy and professionally designed certificate.
One professionally designed certificate commemorating the winning entry, which includes entry title, entering company/winners’ name and category. Decal will be affixed indicating the level of win.
Top tier (Platinum and Gold) winners will be featured on London Design Awards site’s Gallery, where professionals can view your work.
A press release template sent to major industry outlets, celebrating your win.
Professionally designed logos for use on websites, in email signatures, etc.
In addition to the complimentary certificates, Platinum, Gold, and Silver winners may purchase extraordinary LITO statuettes, and/or additional customised certificates.
Platinum and Gold winners will get featured by the awards on social media or our media partner on Muse.World’s website.

The 2026 London Design Awards is calling for entries now. Join us today and showcase the excellence of your design to the world!

Enter Now: https://thelondondesignawards.com/

 

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Museum of Emotions #8 https://www.designboom.com/competition/museum-of-emotions-8/ Thu, 18 Dec 2025 23:40:39 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?post_type=competition&p=1170489 Use architecture to create different emotional states

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It may not be your first instinct when entering a building to consider how it makes you feel, yet architecture has always had a profound impact on human emotions. Different spaces are designed to evoke different responses: offices can make us feel energised and productive, art galleries thoughtful and curious, and museums calm and intrigued. These spaces are far more than mere structures—they shape experience.

Now in its 8th edition, the Museum of Emotions competition continues this annual series by challenging participants to use architecture as a tool for emotional expression. Designers are asked to create a museum consisting of two distinct halls that evoke contrasting emotional states—one inducing negative emotions and the other positive.

Participants are free to choose which emotions their designs provoke, whether fear, anger, anxiety, love, happiness, laughter, or others. The aim of the Museum of Emotions is to explore how architecture alone can generate emotional responses through spatial scale, sequence and movement, colour, lighting, and materiality.
As an ideas competition, participants may select any site—real or imaginary—as well as define the size of their proposal.

Museum of Emotions is one of Buildner’s silent competitions, requiring participants to communicate their ideas without the use of text. All concepts and design intentions must be conveyed exclusively through visual representation.

PRIZES

3 winning proposals, 1 special award recipient and 6 honourable mentions will be selected. Buildner will award a total of 10,000 € in prize money to competition winners as follows:

1st Prize – 5,000 €
2nd Prize – 3,000 €
3rd Prize – 1,000 €
+ 6 honourable mentions

Buildner Student Award – 1,000 €

COMPETITION SCHEDULE

Early Bird Registration: December 16 – February 25
Advance Registration: February 26 – April 23
Last Minute Registration: April 24 – June 18

Final registration deadline: June 18, 2026
Closing date for submission: July 20, 2026 (23:59 LONDON TIME)
Announcement of the winners: September 29, 2026

More: https://architecturecompetitions.com/museumofemotions8/

 

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THE WATER TOWER https://www.designboom.com/competition/the-water-tower/ Tue, 16 Dec 2025 23:12:06 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?post_type=competition&p=1170016 From decay to destination: Milanino’s Water Tower, a new social and cultural beacon.

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Terraviva launches THE WATER TOWER, a new international competition that challenges architects and designers to envision the complete transformation of Milanino’s historic Water Tower into a vibrant cultural hub for the community!
Prizes up to 16.000 € will be awarded to the winners, selected by an international jury including Luciano Crespi (Politecnico di Milano), Lidia Arduino (Comune di Cusano Milanino), Luana La Martina (MVRDV) and Michele Cassino (Studio 3Mark), among others.

BRIEF
Nestled in the heart of Milanino’s Garden City, the historic Water Tower stands as one of the district’s most recognisable landmarks: currently marked by decades of decay, yet rich with architectural and cultural potential. The Water Tower competition invites participants to reimagine this structure as a contemporary cultural hub, transforming it into a place that is alive, accessible and used daily by people of all generations.
The challenge calls for a complete renovation of the tower’s interior and exterior spaces: from flexible cultural rooms, coworking areas and exhibition zones to terraces, micro-plazas and outdoor gathering spaces that complement the building’s new functions.

PRIZES
• 1st Prize: 8.000€
• 2nd Prize: 4.000€
• 3rd Prize: 2.000€
• 5 Golden Mentions: coupon for a free membership
• 10 Honorable Mentions: coupon for a free competition
• 30 Finalists: published on Terraviva channels

GUIDELINES
The goal is to envision a project that can reclaim the centrality the building had in the past, seeking proposals that imagine it once again alive, accessible and used daily by people of all generations.
How could a vertical structure of this kind serve as a point of reference for the entire neighbourhood, hosting events, creative activities and community initiatives throughout the year?
The aim is not merely to restore an abandoned building, but to give it a new identity – one that respects its historical value while embracing experimentation, innovation and contemporary living. Participants are invited to propose original concepts capable of turning Milanino’s Water Tower into an architectural catalyst for culture, creativity and social connection.

REQUESTED MATERIAL
Two A1 panels (59,4 x 84,1 cm – horizontal) and a brief text describing the proposal (250-500 words).

JURY
• Lidia Arduino (Cusano Milanino, Italy) | Comune di Cusano Milanino
• Luciano Crespi (Milan, Italy) | Politecnico di Milano
• Lula Ferrari (Milan, Italy) | Lula Ferrari Studio
• Paolo Cesaretti (Florence/Milan, Italy) | Paolo Cesaretti Arch.
• Matteo Scaltritti (Gallarate, Italy) | Semarchitettura
• Luana La Martina (Rotterdam, Netherlands) | MVRDV
• Michele Cassino (Cuneo, Italy) | Studio 3Mark
• Letizia Melzi (Milan, Italy) | Tectoo

SCHEDULE
• Competition Opening: December 12th
• 89 € “Early” Registrations: Dec 12th – Feb 27th
• 109 € “Standard” Registrations: Feb 27th – Apr 10th
• 139 € “Late” Registrations: Apr 10th – April 30th
• Submission Deadline: April 30th, 2026
• Winners Announcement: June 1st, 2026

 

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2026 Rome Design Awards https://www.designboom.com/competition/2026-rome-design-awards/ Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:12:50 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?post_type=competition&p=1169666 This prestigious international design award is dedicated to recognising excellence in interior design, architecture, product design, lighting, packaging, and more, reflecting the era's dual pursuit of beauty and utility.

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The Rome Design Awards honours outstanding achievements in global design, showcasing the most inventive and impactful work. Drawing inspiration from the Renaissance period, this prestigious international design award is dedicated to recognising excellence in interior design, architecture, product design, lighting, packaging, and more, reflecting the era’s dual pursuit of beauty and utility.

Our global platform celebrates designers, architects, brands, and design agencies from around the world, providing a stage to showcase their creations to an audience that values significant, transformative design. In this esteemed arena, every piece of work has the potential for recognition, and every visionary designer has the opportunity to become a leading figure in the industry.

2026 Theme:
The Rise of Modern Design
The Rome Design Awards champions the spirit of the Renaissance, dedicated to the modern creatives who are sculpting visionary works, just as the virtuosos of the past once did.

Celebrating the art of transformation, the competition recognises designers who pioneer new techniques and set new standards of excellence. This theme represents the journey of design from its classical roots to the present, spotlighting those who lead the charge in redefining the industry.

Step into the spotlight and let your designs become icons of innovation and elegance. Redefine the boundaries of art and design with each creative endeavour, and join us in advancing the rise of modern design.

Categories:
Rome Design Awards is divided into seven different categories, including Architectural Design, Furniture Design, Interior Design, Product Design, Packaging Design, Lighting Design, and Student Design.

Eligibility:
The Rome Design Awards accepts entries from architects, interior designers, product designers, packaging designers, lighting designers, furniture designers, artists, design agencies, students, and any designers of all background to submit their creative works, whether they are companies, team / departments, innovators, manufacturers, suppliers, freelancers, hobbyists or students.

Submission Requirements:
Entries must be produced within the last FIVE (5) calendar years up through the final deadline.
All entries must be submitted for judging exactly as published or implemented and may not be modified for the competition. The Rome Design Awards may request proof of initial production and/or publication date.
The award reserves the right to re-categorise incorrectly classified entries.
Judges reserve the right to withhold an award in a category if submissions do not meet their expectations.

Entry Brief:
It is recommended that you keep your synopsis to approximately 350 words. We suggest you utilise this section of your entry to elaborate on the piece as well as the creativity and originality of your idea. The brief should strengthen your entry, as well as providing the jury a better understanding of your project. A written translation or adaptation must accompany non-English entries.

Image Submission:
* The submissions should be saved in a flattened JPEG or JPG format. (keep them under 4MB, 1,200px wide is preferable, 300dpi, RGB).

2026 Entry Deadline & Fees:
Early Bird Deadline: 12 Dec 2025 – 26 Jan 2026 ($209)
Regular Deadline: 27 Jan 2026 – 27 Feb 2026 ($219)
Final Deadline: 28 Feb 2026 – 30 Mar 2026 ($239)
Final Extension Deadline: 31 Mar 2026 – 28 Apr 2026 ($249)
Last Minute Deadline: 29 Apr 2026 – 28 May 2026 ($269)

Winning Levels:
There are FOUR (4) levels of achievement in the competition:

Rome Design of the Year
(Only ONE highest score point from each category will be recognised)
Platinum Winner (85-100 points)
Gold Winner (70-84 points)
Silver Winner (50-69 points)
The number of awards presented by Rome Design Awards is determined by the number of submissions in a given category, the scoring range and the number of tie scores.

Judging:
Judging is blind. All entrant information is removed from entries to prevent bias/conflict of interest.

Rome Design Awards’ judging process is designed to be impartial and free from outside influences by withholding both the names of the judges on its panel as well as the contestant’s names throughout the entire evaluation process. This anonymity shelters all involved from any vested interest which may attempt to influence the judges’ opinions or the judging process.

Evaluation Criteria:
Judges score on a scale of 1-100, based on the below criteria:

Creativity / Concept / Idea
Content / Brief / Objective / Planning / Execution
Visual / Design
Innovation / Functionality / Effectiveness
Impact / Memorability
The Rome Design Awards and International Awards Associate Inc’s decision are final in its sole discretion and binding in relation to all matters relating to competitions and may not be subject to any discussions or correspondence.

Results Announcement:
All winners of 2026 will be officially announced on 12 June 2026 via the Rome Design Awards official page.

Prizes:
The Designs of the Year receive a complimentary Rome Design Awards Statuette and an exclusive certificate.
One professionally designed certificate commemorating the winning entry, which includes entry title, entering company/winners’ name and category. Decal will be affixed indicating the level of win.
All winners will be featured on Rome Design Awards site’s Gallery, where professionals can view your work.
A press release template sent to major industry outlets, celebrating your win.
Professionally designed logos for use on websites, in email signatures, etc.
In addition to the complimentary certificates, Platinum, Gold, and Silver winners may purchase extraordinary Rome Design Awards statuettes, and/or additional customised certificates.
Platinum and Gold winners will get featured (randomly selected) on social media or our media partner on Muse.World’s website.

2026 Rome Design Awards is calling for entries now. Seize this moment of glory with designs that are bold, innovative, and deeply influential — designs that bridge past inspirations with future possibilities.

 

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Kaira Looro Architecture Competition – 2026’s Edition https://www.designboom.com/competition/kaira-looro-architecture-competition-2026s-edition/ Thu, 11 Dec 2025 02:59:39 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?post_type=competition&p=1169164 Kaira Looro 2026 invites designs for a sustainable, community-built center supporting rural Senegal’s social development.

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New Edition of the International Kaira Looro Competition for the Selection of a Community Architecture in Sub-Saharan Africa

 

Every community grows around places where people can meet, share experiences, and build connec- tions. These are the spaces that safeguard collective memory, renew traditions, and transform aspira- tions into the future. Yet, in many rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, the absence of shared community spaces deeply limits social, cultural, and economic development.

 

It is from this urgent need that the theme of the Kaira Looro Architecture Competition 2026 is born. The competition invites architects, students, designers, engineers, and young professionals from all over the world to design a Community Center in a rural area of southern Senegal. An archi- tecture conceived as a symbol of inclusion, resilience, and hope, destined to become the beating heart of collective life.

 

The Community Center will be a vibrant, safe, and multifunctional space, capable of hosting educa- tional, cultural, and social activities. A place to meet, learn, share ideas, organize community assem- blies, carry out craft and entrepreneurial workshops, and promote creative, cultural, and awareness- raising initiatives. A center designed to strengthen collective identity, encourage active participation, and become a lasting engine of development for the entire community.

 

The project must be conceived as a humanitarian self-construction intervention, without the use of heavy machinery or highly specialized labor, prioritizing the use of natural materials, simple con- struction techniques, and sustainable solutions. This approach will ensure real and long-lasting ben- efits while minimizing environmental impact. Architecture thus becomes not only a physical space, but also a tool for empowerment, dignity, and social cohesion.

 

Also for the 2026 edition, Kaira Looro confirms itself as the only completely non-profit interna- tional architecture competition, free from any commercial purpose. All proceeds are entirely allo- cated to the humanitarian projects of the organization Balouo Salo, which works to improve access to education, healthcare, and infrastructure in the most fragile areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. Taking part in Kaira Looro therefore means not only competing, but actively contributing to a concrete and tangible change.

 

The 2026 edition is set to be the most important in the history of the competition, thanks to the pres- ence on the jury of some of the most influential architects on the international scene, including Kengo Kuma, David Adjaye, Benedetta Tagliabue, Amanda Levete, Manuel Aires Mateus, Agostino Ghirardelli, Giancarlo Mazzanti, Mario Cucinella, Urko Sanchez, Raul Pantaleo, Saad El Kab- baj, Driss Kettani, Emmanuelle Moureaux, and Mohamed Amine Siana. A jury of the highest profile, destined to make this edition a reference point in the history of humanitarian architecture.

 

The 2026 competition will also introduce an enhanced internship prize program, offering winners the opportunity to carry out a professional experience within some of the most prestigious architecture studios in the world, including Kengo Kuma & Associates in Tokyo, Benedetta Tagliabue EMBT in Barcelona, Adjaye Associates in New York, and SBGA | Blengini Ghirardelli in Milan. This will allow young talents to directly engage with international excellence.

 

Registrations will open on January 8, 2026, and participation will be possible either individually or in teams, with at least one member under the age of 35.

Kaira Looro 2026 is not just a competition: it is an invitation to design with awareness, to build with responsibility, and to place talent at the service of human dignity.

 

AWARDS

As per tradition, the competition also aims to launch young architectural talents into the international arena by awarding prestigious prizes and professional growth opportunities. Some of the most significant awards include:

 

1st Prize: €6,000, internship at Kengo Kuma & Associates (Japan), and the realization of the project as a humanitarian initiative.
2nd Prize: €2,000 + internship at one of Benedetta Tagliabue EMBT (Spain), Amanda Levete Architects (London), or SBGA Blengini Ghirardelli (Milan).

3rd Prize: €1,000 + internship at one of EMBT (Spain), ALA (London), or SBGA Blengini Ghirardelli (Milan).

 

The competition also recognizes special and honourable mentions, as well as 35 finalists. All awarded projects will gain international visibility and be published in prestigious architectural journals and the competition’s official book.

 

JURY

The jury of Kaira Looro is made up of some of the world’s most renowned and award-winning architects worldwide, such as:

Kengo Kuma (Kengo Kuma & Associates)
Benedetta Tagliabue (Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT Architects)
David Adjaye (Adjaye Associates)
Mario Cucinella (Mario Cucinella Architects)
Amanda Levete (Amanda Levete Architects)
Manuel Aires Mateus (Aires Mateus Architects)
Giancarlo Mazzanti (El Equipo Mazzanti)
Agostino Ghirardelli (SBGA | Blengini Ghirardelli)
Urko Sanchez (Urko Sanchez Architects)
Raul Pantaleo (TAM Associati)
Emmanuelle Moureaux (Emmanuelle Moureaux Architecture + Design)
Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani, Mohamed Amine Siana

 

DATES AND DEADLINES
Early Registration: January 8 – February 28, 2026
Regular Registration: March 1 – April 12, 2026
Late Registration: April 13 – May 26, 2026
Project Submission Deadline: June 7, 2026
Jury Evaluation: June 24 – 28, 2026
Winners Announcement: July 7, 2026

 

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Arquine Competition No.28 Mextropoli Pavilion 2026 https://www.designboom.com/competition/arquine-competition-no-28-mextropoli-pavilion-2026/ Thu, 20 Nov 2025 23:54:28 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?post_type=competition&p=1165623 Design, build and activate a pavilion in the heart of Mexico City.

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Since 1998, Arquine has organized an architecture competition that offers a platform for comparing ideas and proposals on equal terms. As in previous editions, the Arquine Competition No.28 invites participants to design, build, and activate a pavilion in Mexico City’s Historic Center as part of the MEXTRÓPOLI Architecture and City Festival.

Participants must design a structure that meets the requirements outlined in these guidelines regarding time, cost, and characteristics, while also demonstrating the ability to provoke and engage the public—an essential criterion for evaluation.

Objectives
• To invite participants worldwide to propose ideas for the design and construction of a public pavilion that is recyclable or reusable, in compliance with the requirements of these guidelines.
• To create a reference space within the MEXTRÓPOLI Architecture and City Festival, a venue for reflection and dialogue about architecture and the urban environment.

Site
The MEXTRÓPOLI Pavilion 2026 will be installed in one of two emblematic public spaces within Mexico City’s Historic Center: the Alameda Central or the Plaza Manuel Tolsá, depending on the festival’s logistical and curatorial decisions.

Submission Requirements
Participants must submit a single digital image containing all the necessary information for understanding the proposal. The image must include:
– Site plan, floor plans, and sections at appropriate scales.
– Diagrams, sketches, collages, or any freehand or digital representation that conveys the project concept.
– Construction details at appropriate scales.
– A descriptive text of up to 250 words in either Spanish or English.
The file must be horizontal (90 cm x 60 cm), 72 DPI, JPG format, and not exceed 5 MB. The filename must match the registration code assigned during sign-up: [ARQ-28C-XXXX].
Only submissions uploaded through the competition system within the specified deadlines will be accepted.

Awards
First Prize: $ 100,000.00 MXN
– Construction of the MEXTRÓPOLI Pavilion 2026*
– Free access to MEXTRÓPOLI for up to two team members
– A set of up to ten Arquine books

Second Prize: $ 50,000.00 MXN
– Free access to MEXTRÓPOLI for up to two team members
– A set of up to ten Arquine books

Third Prize: $ 25,000.00 MXN
– Free access to MEXTRÓPOLI for up to two team members
– A set of up to ten Arquine books

Honorable Mention
– The jury may grant as many mentions as it deems appropriate

Competition Calendar
2025 November 17 – Opening of registration
2026 February 23 – End of inquiry period
2026 March 2 – Publication of FAQs
2026 April 17 – End of registration period
2026 April 20 – Submission deadline
2026 April 23 – Jury deliberation
2026 April 27 – Announcement of results
2026 May – Beginning of executive development
2026 September – Pavilion installation and opening

 

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Rome Rain Rooms https://www.designboom.com/competition/rome-rain-rooms/ Wed, 19 Nov 2025 23:30:10 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?post_type=competition&p=1165263 Design a rain room for Rome

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Rome Rain Rooms invites architects, designers, and visionaries from around the world to reimagine how cities live with water. As climate change reshapes weather patterns, Rome faces longer droughts followed by sudden, intense downpours — moments of abundance that often go to waste. This competition challenges participants to transform those fleeting storms into civic rituals, turning rainfall into both a shared experience and a sustainable resource.

Participants are asked to design small, reversible pavilions that harvest and store rainwater while offering comfort and delight to the public. Each “rain room” should collect at least five cubic meters of water per storm and direct it to where it is most needed — neighborhood trees, gardens, or non-potable fountains. Beyond its technical function, each pavilion must celebrate the sensory and social dimensions of rain: its sound, reflection, mist, and movement through space. Architecture here becomes a medium between people and climate — something that makes weather visible, touchable, and communal.

There is no fixed site. Designers may choose any location within Rome that supports their narrative — from a courtyard or market edge to a quiet corner of a piazza. Proposals may also take the form of modular systems that can be installed in multiple settings, adapting to different scales and communities. The focus is not on monumental construction but on light, reversible, and context-aware design — interventions that respect Rome’s historic layers while addressing its environmental future.

The expected outcome is a collection of ideas that show how design can turn necessity into beauty. The most successful proposals will combine environmental logic with emotional resonance — demonstrating that architecture can teach, cool, and inspire all at once. Rome Rain Rooms seeks visions that turn the storm into a civic moment, reminding the city that resilience, generosity, and imagination can still flow together.

PRIZES

3 winning proposals, 2 special award recipients and 6 honourable mentions will be selected. Buildner will award a total of 10,000 € in prize money to competition winners as follows:

1st Prize – 5,000 €
2nd Prize – 2,500 €
3rd Prize – 1,000 €
+ 6 honourable mentions

Buildner Student Award – 1,000 €
Buildner Sustainability Award – 500 €

COMPETITION SCHEDULE

Early Bird Registration: November 13 – January 14
Advance Registration: January 15 – March 12
Last Minute Registration: March 13 – May 28

Final registration deadline: May 28, 2026
Closing date for submission: June 29, 2026 (London Time 23:59)
Announcement of the winners: September 15, 2026

More: https://architecturecompetitions.com/romerainrooms

 

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RE-GEN GORIZIA Competition https://www.designboom.com/competition/re-gen-gorizia-competition/ Tue, 18 Nov 2025 23:21:30 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?post_type=competition&p=1165095 Competition reimagines Gorizia’s Sant’Anna district with green mobility, public-space renewal and urban regeneration strategies.

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Terraviva launches RE-GEN GORIZIA, a new international competition that challenges architects, designers and urban planners to reimagine the Sant’Anna district as a model of urban regeneration, where green infrastructure, slow mobility and community shape a new vision of contemporary living…

 

Prizes up to 22.000 € will be awarded to the winners, selected by an international jury including German Fuenmayor (Piuarch), Luca Mezzorana (Comune di Gorizia), Olivia Gori (ECÒL) and Anna Cabrera Hens (Barcelona City Council) , among others.

 

BRIEF

At the meeting point between Italy and Slovenia, where cultures, languages and histories intertwine, the city of Gorizia is preparing for a new chapter in its urban evolution. The competition invites participants to rethink the Sant’Anna district – one of the largest residential areas in the town – as a new model of contemporary living.

 

Designers will be asked to elaborate a masterplan capable of redefining the district’s identity: reconnecting fragmented spaces, rethinking accessibility and enhancing the system of parks and open areas through sustainable and inclusive design strategies.

 

PRIZES

• 1st Prize: 12.000€

• 2nd Prize: 5.000€

• 3rd Prize: 3.000€

• 5 Golden Mentions: coupon for a free membership
• 10 Honorable Mentions: coupon for a free competition • 30 Finalists: published on Terraviva channels

 

GUIDELINES

Participants will be required to present a comprehensive vision for the Sant’Anna district, proposing strategies to regenerate public spaces, improve connections between urban sectors, and reorganise the internal road network by reducing car-dedicated surfaces in favour of wider sidewalks, cycling paths and pedestrian areas.

 

The proposal should integrate slow mobility, green infrastructure and social spaces into a coherent system that ensures safe, accessible and continuous movement across the site. Green areas should be enhanced through new plantings, urban gardens, shaded spaces and an ecological network linking major parks with the surrounding urban fabric.

 

The objective is not to define a single formal outcome, but to propose a strategy capable of making Sant’Anna a more accessible, connected and inclusive neighbourhood – a place where regeneration becomes an opportunity to build a new idea of the city!

 

REQUESTED MATERIAL

Three A1 panels (59,4 x 84,1 cm – horizontal) and a brief text describing the proposal (500-750 words).

 

JURY
German Fuenmayor (Milan, Italy) | Piuarch
Luca Mezzorana (Gorizia, Italy) | Comune di Gorizia
Olivia Gori (Florence, Italy) | ECÒL
Alberto Cervesato (Udine, Italy) | UNIUD
Anna Cabrera Hens (Barcellona, Spain) | Barcelona City Council

Fabio Naselli (Tirana, Albania) | Epoka University
Nasrin Mohiti Asli (Rome, Italy) | Orizzontale
Matteo Pettinaroli (Milan, Italy) | Needle Agopuntura Urbana

 

SCHEDULE

• Competition Opening: November 18th
• 89 € “Early” Registrations: Nov 18th – Jan 30th, 2026
• 109 € “Standard” Registrations: Jan 30th, 2026 – Mar 20th, 2026

• 139 € “Late” Registrations: Mar 20th, 2026 – Apr 17th, 2026
• Submission Deadline: April 17th, 2026
• Winners Announcement: May 18th, 2026

 

REQUIREMENTS & ELIGIBILITY

The competition is open to students, architects, designers, artists, engineers, urban planners, makers and creatives of all kinds. Participants can compete individually or in teams.

 

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Design with Curves: The Ultimate Fluidity Challenge https://www.designboom.com/competition/design-with-curves-the-ultimate-fluidity-challenge/ Sat, 15 Nov 2025 09:38:26 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?post_type=competition&p=1164334 Parametric design competition for testing unorthodox ideas.

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Introduction: 

Are you an architect, designer, or visionary eager to challenge the limits of creativity and innovation? This is your moment to shine in the First Edition of the Design with Curves: The Ultimate Fluidity Challenge architectural competition. This is an exclusive opportunity to create a cutting-edge space that redefines culture, sustainability, and architectural form. Design with Curves: The Ultimate Fluidity Challenge is the first parametric design competition focusing on fluid design experimentation.

The Fluid Architecture Cultural Center aims to redefine how we experience culture through architecture. The design brief focuses on creating a ground-breaking cultural center that adapts seamlessly to its surroundings, incorporating the principles of parametric design with fluid, organic forms. This iconic center will not only serve as a hub for exhibitions, performances, and educational programs but also as a symbol of architectural innovation. Design with Curves is an exploration into the expressive potential of complex geometries and the endless possibilities of fluid architectural form. This initiative challenges participants to transcend conventional design boundaries and to embrace curvature as a language of innovation, movement, and emotion.

Competition Objective:

Your challenge is to propose a culturally resonant and environmentally responsive design that embraces fluid forms, where function and form flow together. The center must respond to the social, cultural, and environmental context of its location while offering a futuristic and user-centered space. Creativity is key, but functionality and sustainability are equally important.

Entrants are encouraged to question the norms of architecture — to experiment boldly with form, structure, and materiality in ways that redefine spatial experience. While imagination and experimentation are at the forefront, participants must also consider the feasibility of their creations, demonstrating how these visionary designs could be realized in the physical world. The goal is to merge the poetic with the practical — to craft architecture that flows and inspires.

Competition Highlights:

• Innovative Design: Use of parametric design tools to create dynamic, flowing architectural forms that adapt to the environment.

• Cultural Integration: Reflect local or global cultural narratives, encouraging public engagement and accessibility.

• Sustainability Focus: Design with sustainability in mind, using eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient systems.

• Global Recognition: Winning designs will be showcased internationally.

Renowned Jury Panel:

Your work will be judged by a prestigious panel of experts from some of the most renowned architecture firms worldwide. The jury includes leaders from Zaha Hadid Architects, MVRDV, NT-AR, and External Reference. Their insights, expertise, and experience will ensure that only the most forward-thinking designs are selected.

• Cosimo Scotucci- Senior Project Leader at MVRDV, Founder at (cosimoscotucci.com)
• Lenka Petrakova- Associate at Zaha Hadid Architects
• Nicolas Turchi- Director of NT-AR, Professor at the American University in Dubai (AUD)
• Sebastian Amorelli- Head of Computation at External Reference Architects

Eligibility:

Competition is open to all. No professional qualification is required. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (4 team members maximum). Correspondence with organizers must be conducted in English; All information submitted by participants must be in English.

Prizes

• 1ST PLACE 1,000 $ + Certificate + Publication + Interview
• 2ND PLACE 500 $ + Certificate + Publication + Interview
• 3RD PLACE 300 $ + Certificate + Publication + Interview
• Best Student Award- Certificate + Publication
• 10 Honourable mentions- Certificate + Publication

Key dates

• Competition Launch October 30th, 2025
• Registration Deadline January 30th, 2026
• Submission Deadline January 30th, 2026
• Winners Announcement March 15th, 2026

Registration fees

• Student- 60 $
• Professional- 100 $
• Team members up to four members

“NO EARLY, LATE, OR REGULAR REGISTRATION — JUST PAY ONCE, WHENEVER YOU WANT.”

 

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A Bauhaus Bathroom Design Competition For a Public Restroom at Gropius House https://www.designboom.com/competition/a-bauhaus-bathroom-design-competition-for-a-public-restroom-at-gropius-house/ Sat, 15 Nov 2025 09:31:03 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?post_type=competition&p=1164506 Design competition for a Bauhaus-inspired public restroom at Gropius House.

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Utilitarian and mass-produced, the portable toilet at the Gropius House unexpectedly echoes Bauhaus values. But it was always meant to be a stop-gap solution that is clearly inelegant and does not meet contemporary accessibility standards. It fails to adequately welcome visitors to this iconic property.

Through this competition, Historic New England is soliciting thoughtful, inventive ideas to solve this problem for future generations of visitors.

The competition invites designers to channel the Bauhaus spirit – experiment with materials, push boundaries, and collaborate across disciplines from architecture to landscape to graphics to industrial design – to create a permanent restroom solution and to reimagine the visitor arrival experience at one of Historic New England’s most celebrated museums.

The winning team will receive a cash prize, a place in the Gropius House archives, and an exhibition at the property. Historic New England aspires to ultimately build the selected design.

View comprehensive submission guidelines, evaluation criteria, details and timelines at www.gropiuscompetition.info

 

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