Architectural contests have produced some of the most well-known architectural structures in the world. There are many innovative ideas and solutions in the architectural field, and competitions provide a platform for showcasing and rewarding these skills. Another excellent way to learn from other architects and find inspiration is through competitions. Additionally, winning an award is a surefire way to build a solid portfolio.
Here are a few websites where architects can find competitions to enter.
1) Archstorming
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Archstorming seeks to enhance the lives of people in need through sustainable, innovative, and revolutionary architecture.
To keep people motivated to participate in future events, the website also showcases its past contests.
One of the few humanitarian architectural contests, Archstorming uses architecture and design to address problems including poverty, diseases, conflicts, drought, and more. Competitions are a fantastic method to generate innovative designs and solutions because various needs call for different strategies.
2) ARKxSITE
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One special competition that features environmental architects is called ARKxSITE. Young architects under forty are eligible to enter the competition, providing a platform for emerging talent to flourish.
ARKxSITE has a one-stage competition that is open to local and international architects.
3) Kairalooro
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Kairalooro is a humanitarian competition in parts of Africa. Unlike many other competitions that just reward and shelf designs, the winning design is actually built. The competition is fair and well-curated, with a skilled international jury.
4) Skyhive Timber Skyscraper Challenge
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Every year, the Skyhive Timber Skyscraper Challenge is an architecture contest that looks for high-rise buildings that use cutting-edge technology. The contest promotes fresh ideas and materials to rethink the design of skyscrapers.
The Skyhive competition looks for structures that solve social, economic, and cultural issues while being sustainable.
The contest is open and exciting, and the designers are free to select any city and any fictitious location they like. A link between skyscrapers and the natural environment is examined in the competition.
The benefit of entering the Skyhive competition is that teams of up to four people are allowed and professional qualifications are not required.
5) Architizer’s A+Awards
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Since the Architizer’s A+Awards recognize unbuilt architectural designs, they are a unique kind of competition. All topologies and solutions are compatible with the ideas.
Even while most competitions aim to identify designs for certain projects that will be constructed, only one of the numerous entries is chosen as the winner. Architizer’s Awards recognizes projects that never get the chance for actualization.
6) The Home Competition
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While most renowned architecture competitions and student projects are geared towards commercial designs, the “Home Competition” is meant to redefine the living spaces we interact with daily.
The competition aims to make room for ideas for future homes that integrate cutting-edge technology. Anyone from anywhere in the world can enter the competition. One of the most competitive architecture contests is Home Competition, which features a jury of professional architects.
7) International VELUX Award for students of architecture
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The International VELUX Award is where students from the world’s best architecture schools come to test their creativity. Up to 800 schools from 100 nations submitted concepts for the 2022 competitions, and the students’ inventiveness and problem-solving skills were truly remarkable.
The International VELUX Award for students of architecture is one of the largest competitions for students, enhancing architectural education by raising standards and ensuring a bright future for design.
Regional winners from the award get to attend the World Architecture Festival, and the winners take home up to EUR 30,000.
8) Architecture At Zero
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With the world facing a lot of energy crises, Architecture at Zero seeks to create energy-efficient buildings.
The competition tends to focus on public building designs. The competition also encourages designs to be inclusive, resilient, equitable, and decarbonized.
One of the most forward-thinking contests available is Architecture at Zero, which is open to students worldwide. Every year, the competition offers new obstacles, making it an enjoyable and varied event to participate in.
Students and recent graduates do not pay anything to register for the competition, which is encouraging for architects who are just starting their careers.
9) Young Architects Competition (YAC)
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YAC is an architecture competition that promotes design competition among young architects. The competition is open to students and graduates alike.
YAC wants to transform the design culture toward sustainability by drawing attention to human behavior and soil usage. To create the fair and comprehensive jury, YAC works with skilled architects from global architecture firms.
With more than 50 events under its belt, YAC has established a strong competitive architecture culture.
10) 120 Hours Architecture Competition
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With only five days to create a themed design, 120 Hours encourages students to be competitive. Students from all over the world compete, showcasing their creativity, problem-solving abilities, and excitement.
The 120 Hour competition was started by students from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design.
Think of a theme. Can you design a complete a competitive project in five days?
11) What Design Can Do Competition (WDCD)
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A global competition called What Design Can Do invites designers to contribute original designs that hasten the shift to a just, equitable, and sustainable society. With an emphasis on sustainability, the competition aims to raise awareness of the various ways that design can address contemporary issues.
At WDCD, the belief is that the world’s environment and social problems today are essentially urban design problems that can only be solved by design and tactical urbanism.
The refugee challenge, climate action, sustainable energy, no waste challenge, and others are among the challenges that WDCD presents to rival teams. After a brief break, WDCD presents a fresh challenge.
12) eVOLO Skyscraper Competition
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eVOLO is one of the world’s most prestigious design competitions for high-rise structure projects. The project includes students, engineers, architects, designers, and artists from all over the world to take part in the competition.
The competition analyzes the link between skyscrapers and people, the environment, and the city.
The competition encourages participants to think about the newest technology and how they might be incorporated into sustainable systems and design. By addressing the issues of uncontrolled urban sprawl, pollution, economic division, and population growth, the designs should aim to build a better future.
13) Microhome Competition
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Microhome competition looks for iconic and unique designs that make use of small spaces.
The Bee Breeders Small Architecture Appreciation Movement, of which the competition is a part, aims to highlight the idea that larger places are never necessarily better.
The competition seeks the best off-grid modular home design for a young, working couple. The house should be 25 m² in size. It is advised that the design incorporate both new technology and aesthetics.
One of the most carefully considered architecture contests is the Bee Breeders Awards, which give cash prizes to the winners up to third place and honorable mentions to exceptional competitors.
The competition features concepts for guest houses, yoga houses, food courts, homes for the elderly, homes without artificial lighting, and more.
14) 15-Minute City
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The 15-minute City competition is one of the architectural competitions geared toward city designs. The competition asks architects and designers to come up with designs that ensure everything is within 15 minutes of reach for any resident.
The competition aims to develop ideas that are advantageous for residents of all ages, family sizes, and limitations.
Everything should be within 15 minutes by foot, bike, train, or automobile, according to the designs that were submitted. Along with other amenities that any community should have, the designs should have restaurants, parks, offices, healthcare facilities, and green areas.
The competition is organized by thecharette.org, which organizes more competitions like architect chair designs, alternate realities, mars homes, and more exciting projects.
15) Render of the Year
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To create original and imaginative designs, architects and designers spend hours using design software, and Render of the Year seeks to reward those efforts. The competition gives designers the freedom to imagine their worlds and tell stories through them.
Every year, the rivalry becomes more intriguing due to the strong machinery and new design innovations at play. The worlds created by contestants are amazing and thought-provoking.
Cash rewards are given to winners in four different categories. Honorable mentions and a director’s choice section are also included.
16) Reimagining The Dallas Museum of Art
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Malcom Reading Consultants seek to give outstanding architecture solutions for their clients, who are notable, through competitions. The competitions are robust, with the winning design getting actualized in addition to cash prizes.
17) Arch Daily
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Arch Daily is one of the most famous platforms among architects and designers, and it highlights a lot of competitions and events to catch up on as an architect.
The website is among the most educational available and has received numerous accolades.
Any student of architecture or design should visit Arch Daily, which highlights at least 2000 competitions at any one time.
18) Competitions.archi
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Competitions.archi is a site that highlights architecture competitions from all over the world and has one of the most robust lists available online. The Competitions.archi website is one of the most trustworthy sources of information because, in contrast to many other websites, it is made exclusively to showcase current contests and prizes.
19) Rethinking the Future (RTF)
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As the name implies, the primary goal of RTF is to increase public knowledge of the methods that architects and designers are employing to address global issues. Through the awarding of major prizes and recognition in the architectural community, the competition further recognizes outstanding architectural designs.
RTF has a well-read platform, and anyone featured will get good publicity. Furthermore, RTF offers more than 50 award categories for new ideas and concepts, making it one of the most diverse competitions to take part in.
20) Bustler
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Bustler is an architectural platform that features a lot of scheduled competitions that students and professionals can take part in and submit their projects. The site has a lot of architectural news and a diverse range of competition favorable for all kinds of designers.
Final Thoughts
Architecture competitions are an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your skills as a designer or architect. The contests expose you to the world of architecture and let you network with other architects, professionals, and designers. In the majority of real-world projects, competing designs must be used. It is therefore preferable to become accustomed to competitions at a young age.
