Architecture competitions 2026, free design contests, architectural prizes news, world student awards

Architecture Competitions 2026 News

post updated 11 March 2026

Architectural Competitions : links on e-architect

We feature the latest architecture competitions from around the world, updated daily to weekly.

Free Architecture Competitions in 2026

Recently Added Architectural Contests on e-architect – listed chronologically:

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Recently added:

Fifth Annual Design for All Partnership

May 15 2026: submission deadline

Michael Hsu Office of Architecture Opens Applications for Fifth Annual Design for All Partnership

Texas-Based Firm Seeks Partner in Austin, Houston or Dallas-Fort Worth to Award Pro Bono Design Grant of $20,000 – Applications Accepted Through May 15

AUSTIN, TEXAS (Tuesday, March 10, 2026) — Texas-based architecture and interior design firm Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (MHOA) is thrilled to announce its fifth annual Design for All Partnership. The nationally recognized practice seeks a new nonprofit partner with a demonstrated need for design services in the Austin, Houston and now Dallas-Fort Worth area. MHOA has just released its Request for Proposals (RFP) for interested nonprofit organizations and is accepting submissions from now until Friday, May 15, at 5 p.m. CT.

Previous Design for All recipients include American YouthWorks (2025), Central Texas Table of Grace (2024), Abigail E. Keller Foundation (2024) and The Women’s Home and Children’s Assessment Center (2023). For the inaugural initiative in June 2022, MHOA selected nonprofit Austin Angels as its partner. The firm designed a community center in Buda, Texas, to support children and families in foster care, which will complete construction this year. With the 2026 Design for All partnership, MHOA hopes to continue bolstering the greater community by providing design services to a new partner organization.

“Design For All has become one of the most meaningful ways we connect our work to the communities we care about,” says Michael Hsu, founder and principal of MHOA. “Each partnership — from Austin Angels to The Women’s Home, Central Texas Table of Grace and, most recently, American YouthWorks — has shown us how thoughtful design can strengthen the impact of organizations already doing extraordinary work. With our first Design For All project for Austin Angels completing construction this year, we’re especially proud of how the program continues to grow. As we prepare to open applications for this year’s program, we’re excited to meet the next nonprofit that’s prepared to imagine great possibilities with the support of design.”

The goal of the Design for All initiative is to provide design solutions that are realistic and affordable and that directly support an organization’s mission. Once applications are reviewed and a nonprofit partner is selected for this partnership, MHOA will work with the nonprofit partner to develop the project plan and deliverables to suit the organization’s needs.The partnership award will provide $20,000 in pro bono design and consultation services.

“Working on Design For All projects reminds us why we became designers,” says Chet Morgan, senior associate at MHOA. “Collaborating with partners like the Children’s Assessment Center or the Abigail E. Keller Foundation has shown how even early‑stage design thinking can bring clarity, hope and momentum to mission‑driven organizations. This work serves as a reminder that thoughtful collaboration can unlock new possibilities long before construction begins. We look forward to welcoming this year’s applicants and helping shape spaces that truly serve their communities.”

To be eligible for Design for All, organizations must be registered as 501(c)(3) and should be located within a 50-mile radius of the Austin, Houston, and, for the first time, Dallas/Fort Worth areas. Master planning projects should be 50 acres or smaller, and architecture and interior design projects should be smaller than 20,000 square feet. Examples of deliverables from MHOA include an analysis of the potential of the building or site, preliminary site and floor plan(s), one architectural rendering, a pricing narrative and a proposal for continuing design services and schedule.

Interested nonprofits can submit the application form and optional supplemental information via this link. The deadline to submit is 5 p.m. CT on May 15. Any submissions entered after that time will not be considered. The full timeline is as follows:

Call for Entries – March 10
Questions due – April 10
Q&A posted on website – April 24
Submission Deadline – May 15 at 5 p.m. CT
Shortlist Interviews – June 8-19
Partnership announced – June 26

Since MHOA’s inception in 2005, the firm has practiced with the belief that design is for everyone, having worked with several nonprofits in the past, including Habitat for Humanity and Project Transitions in Austin to build Burnet Place, an affordable, supportive housing project serving residents with HIV and AIDS. As the firm grows its leadership and expands its ideas, future initiatives like this will continue to develop and better support the community. MHOA recently formed an internal research and development leadership team to look at all aspects of inspiration and innovation in order to continue pushing design forward.

If you have any questions regarding the submission process or the Design for All Partnership, please email designforall(at)hsuoffice.com. For more information, please visit hsuoffice.com/design-for-all.

About Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

Founded in 2005, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (MHOA) is a nationally award-winning, fully integrated architecture and interior design practice based in Texas. The firm’s work is rooted in hospitality and placemaking and includes diverse projects such as large mixed-use developments, adaptive reuse projects, public realm design, architectural branding, single-family homes, hotels, restaurants, workspaces, community-driven projects and bespoke furniture design.

Operating with the belief that design is for everyone, MHOA sets out to build livable, neighborhood-oriented places with an emphasis on composed materials within a focused design palette The firm works throughout Texas and across the country in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and Denver. MHOA has offices in Austin and Houston and full-time staff representing the firm in Atlanta, Boston, Denver and Philadelphia. For more information on MHOA, visit www.hsuoffice.comor follow on Instagram @HsuOffice.

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Blenheim Palace Design Competition

18 March 2026: submission deadline

Blenheim Palace launches design challenge to inspire the next generation of architects

as part of national Vanbrugh300 campaign

Blenheim Palace is inspiring the next generation of architects with a nationwide design competition, where winners will receive an incredible prize, including a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sign a roof slate and have their name in situ on Britain’s Greatest Palace for centuries to come.

The Baroque masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site has launched the competition for the next generation to leave their own mark on history, to coincide with Blueprints of Power, its latest exhibition, which celebrates the 300th anniversary of its architect Sir John Vanbrugh (1664–1726).

The competition, announced during National Careers Week (2nd-7th March 2026), features three categories:

Budding architects (under 12s) must draw a picture of Blenheim Palace
Aspiring architects (ages 12 to 17) create a moodboard showing what feature/s could be added if Blenheim Palace were designed today
Rising architects (18+ studying a degree or equivalent in architecture, construction, creative or design-related subjects) invited to submit an interpretation of what they believe Blenheim Palace would look like if it were designed today – 300 years since it was built

To enter, participants must submit their response to the brief in their category via a PDF A4 visual to blenheim(at)cabcampaign.co.uk by Wednesday, 18th March.

Entries will be judged by an esteemed panel including Sir Charles Saumarez Smith CBE, author, curator and architectural historian, Kelly O’Driscoll, Head of Built Heritage at Blenheim Palace and Donald Insall Associates Practice Director, and Edward Lewis, currently leading the restoration project at Blenheim Palace.

Winners in each category will be announced Monday, 23rd March and will receive:

Exclusive invite to the Blenheim Palace topping out ceremony on 31st March
Once-in-a-lifetime chance to sign a roof slate, reinstalled on the Palace, meaning your name remains in situ at Britain’s Greatest Palace for generations
Exclusive talk and tour with Kelly O’Driscoll, Head of Built Heritage, Blenheim Palace*
Signed copy of Living Buildings: Architectural Conservation, Philosophy, Principles and Practice, Sir Donald Insall*
An annual pass and afternoon tea for two at Blenheim Palace

Heather Carter, Managing Director – Visitor Attraction, Blenheim Palace, said:

“This period of vital restoration has been a truly historic moment and a chance for everyone to see Blenheim Palace from a whole new perspective. Alongside the project, it’s been wonderful to witness our visitors marvel at the incredible new exhibition that highlights one of the world’s most renowned architects and brings to life a timeline showcasing the different stages of building Blenheim Palace.

“We have such a rich architectural history, so this challenge is an exciting one. We can’t wait to see the submissions and do not doubt that the talented aspiring architects in the UK will create some amazing designs.”

The monumental £12 million roof restoration project at Blenheim Palace began in early 2025 after a combination of age, climate change and penetration from rainfall led to the declining state of the roof, the attic timbers and ceilings below. Earlier this year, the heritage attraction launched its Sign a Slate initiative, giving the general public a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sign a roof slate in exchange for a donation to support the vital roof repairs, helping to preserve the Palace’s historic architecture and safeguard its heritage for future generations.

Admission to the Blueprints of Power exhibition and to see the restoration in action is included with a valid day ticket or Pass to Britain’s Greatest Palace.

Beyond this competition, on Wednesday 29th April from 4:30pm-7pm, the three judges will also join forces for a Panel Talk: Vanbrugh’s Hidden Blenheim at Donald Insall Associates studio in Marylebone. The panel will bridge the gap between historical archives and their on-site discoveries, assessing Vanbrugh’s legacy and the modern challenges of climate resilience and heritage conservation.

For more information about the competition and the terms and conditions, visit www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/john-vanbrugh-competition/

To find out about Blenheim Palace, the major restoration efforts, the new exhibition, and to book tickets, visit www.blenheimpalace.com

*Terms and conditions apply. This element of the prize will only be received by the winner of the Rising Architect (18+) category.

Blenheim Palace Orangery building

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Modern international architectural contest deadlines news / awards and prizes / contact details in 2026:

Stadium Of The Year 2025 Public Vote 2026

Until 9 March 2026

28 new stadiums from around the world compete in the global architecture poll.

The public vote in the Stadium of the Year 2025 competition has officially opened, inviting fans and communities worldwide to choose the most outstanding stadium completed in the past year.

Organised annually by StadiumDB.com since 2011, Stadium of the Year is the world’s largest open public poll dedicated exclusively to sports architecture. Now in its 16th edition, the competition brings together 28 newly opened stadiums completed in 2025, representing a wide range of architectural approaches, capacities, and regional contexts.

The shortlist includes several high-profile and widely discussed venues, such as Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong, Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, and Stade de Tanger, alongside new stadiums from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas.

Unlike jury-based awards, Stadium of the Year is decided entirely by public voting. Experience from previous editions shows that strong engagement from fans and local communities often plays a decisive role in the final ranking, regardless of stadium size or location.

Public voting is open until 9 March 2026 and takes place on the official Stadium of the Year platform.

About Stadium of the Year

Stadium of the Year is an annual public poll organised by StadiumDB.com, in which readers vote online for the best stadium completed in the preceding year. Since its launch in 2011, it has grown into the largest open vote of its kind worldwide, highlighting excellence in sports architecture, urban impact and community engagement.

Please feel free to use images to illustrate the material:

Stadium of the Year 2025 public vote platform

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Kingspan MICROHOME 2026

30 September 2026: registration deadline

2 November 2026: Submission

Type: Open – Concept
Language: English
Prizes: 100,000 €

The Kingspan MICROHOME 2026 continues Buildner’s long-standing exploration of compact living and sustainable design. Now in its 11th edition, and marking the fourth collaboration with Kingspan, the competition challenges architects and designers to reimagine what home means when it is stripped to its essentials. Participants are invited to propose an off-grid modular dwelling with a

Details for this architectural competition page here: https://architecturecompetitions.com/microhome2026/

Prizes:

Three winning proposals, two Buildner special award recipients, four Kingspan award recipients, and six honourable mentions will be selected. Buildner will award a total of €100,000 in prize money to competition winners as follows:

1st Prize – €30,000
2nd Prize – €10,000
3rd Prize – €5,000
6 Honourable Mentions
Buildner Student Award – €10,000
Buildner Sustainability Award – €10,000
The Kingspan Award – €30,000
3 × The Kingspan Compliments – €5,000 each

Key Dates:

(Early Bird Registration: November 10, 2025 – February 11, 2026)
Advance Registration: February 12 – May 27, 2026
Last Minute Registration: May 28 – September 30, 2026
Closing Date for Questions: October 5, 2026
Competition Closing Date: November 2, 2026 (11:59 p.m. London time)
Winners Announced: December 15, 2026

Registration Fees:

Early Bird: 10 Nov – 11 Feb | 65-79 €
Advanced: 12 Feb – 27 May | 75-95 €
Last Minute: 28 May – 30 Sep |95-125 €

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Rome Rain Rooms Design Competition

(14 January 2026): Early bird registration deadline

28 May 2026: registration deadline

Prize fund: 10,000 €

Design a rain room for Rome, Italy.

Open to all

Details for this architecture competition page here: https://architecturecompetitions.com/romerainrooms/

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.

The architecture competition is open to all. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams, maximum four team members.

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Mass Timber Innovation and Design Center of Canada – International Design Competition

June 20 2026: registration deadline

June 21 2026: submission deadline

Design Unlimited launches the Mass Timber Innovation & Design Center of Canada, an international architecture competition supported by leading voices in timber research and construction.

Mass Timber Innovation and Design Center of Canada Competition

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Vilnius Congress Centre Architecture Competition

16 March 2026: deadline

Total prize fund: 100 000 euros

Vilnius Congress Centre Architecture Competition

Location: Vilnius, Lithuania, northeast Europe

photo courtesy of Go Vilnius

Vilnius has launched an open international architectural competition to select the design concept for the future Vilnius Congress Centre, a flagship venue aimed at transforming the city’s competitiveness in the global meetings and events market.

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Maunsell Forts Architecture Competition

You can also view the details on the architectural competition page here: https://idoarch.com/maunsell-forts

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2025

Architecture design contests on e-architect:

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GENERAL

Steedman Fellowship in Architecture Call for Proposals

Architect Fumihiko Maki (1928-2024), in his seminal text “Investigations in Collective Form,” grapples with architecture’s role in an increasingly complex society. Collective Form emerged when buildings came together to produce something larger than the sum of their parts. While today many of these same challenges exist, the notion of Collective Form has also expanded.

The Steedman 2026 jury seeks mindful research proposals on architecture’s role in producing collective forms/ forums that catalyze a more politically engaged discipline and citizenry. The award for the 2026 winning proposal will be $100,000.
Steedman Fellowship in Architecture

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Deadline passed:

IDA International Design Awards

The International Design Awards receives thousands of outstanding designs submitted by companies and designers from over 80 countries, all competing for the top prizes in this prestigious award.

e-architect Editor Adrian Welch is in the IDA Jury again. The final deadline was on Monday, October 13, 2025.

Winners represent an extraordinary mix of creativity, innovation, and sustainability, showcasing the best in graphic design, architecture, fashion, product design, and interior design.

The IDA winners are selected from thousands of submissions from talented designers worldwide, each demonstrating a commitment to pushing the boundaries of design and making meaningful contributions to their respective fields.

The winners will be awarded at an exclusive gala evening in May 2025. Further details on this event will be announced.

The People’s Choice Award is designed to empower emerging designers. The award invites the public to vote for their favorite amateur projects in each discipline, with winners receiving a $1,000 cash prize.

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JANUARY 2026

Designverse Awards

January 27, 2026: deadline

Designverse Awards is the world’s first design ecosystem big data research award, dedicated to honoring design institutions, enterprises, organizations, and individuals that have made outstanding contributions to the greater design industry chain in the fields of space design (architecture, landscape, interior, technical consultancy, professional consultancy, specialized consultancy), product design (product design, product branding), and social innovation (brands, events). The award aims to drive sustainable development across the global design industry.

With the core mission of “Connecting Global Design Resources to Build a Data-Driven Design Value Evaluation System”, Designverse Awards leverages Designverse Ranking, platform search data, and global public sentiment analysis to focus on three categories: Space Design, Product Design, and Brand/Major Events. By leading specialized subdivisions within the design industry, the award upholds the healthy and positive development of the design ecosystem.Through platform content promotion empowerment and intellectual property protection, the award provides long-term brand incubation & consulting services to applicants. It supports originality, helps participants enhance the value of their digital brand assets, secures industry recognition, and unlocks access to broader potential business opportunities.

This year’s awards’ Final Jury Panel is composed of 36 jurors, including:

Li Hu, Hon. FAIA, Founding Partner of OPEN Architecture, Kenzo Tange Design Critic in Architecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Libin Chen, Partner of David Chipperfield Architects
Li Xiang, Founder&Chief Designer of X+Living Architecture and Interior Design
Tony Brown, Director of the Art and Technology Department for Beijing Normal University Zhuhai, Future Design School, Tenured Professor at ENSBA and Director of The Research PhD Program
Li Mengdi, Chairman of Silkroad Visual Technology Co., Ltd. (China)
Peng Hui, Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Housing and Land (Group) Co., LTD.
Adam Li Mengzhou , General Manager, Head of Design, China Property Development, Hongkong Land
Cindy Zhou, Founder of XY Investments, Chairwoman of XY YunHouse, Ph.D. from Tulane University
Tomus Hu, Chief Strategy Officer & General Manager of Ecosystem Chain of Moorgen Group
Liu Yichun, Co-founder and Principal Architect of Atelier Deshaus, Guest Professor at College of Architecture and Urban Planning of Tongji University
Yantian Zhou, Partner at Foster + Partners
Alessio Zhang, Founder & Creative Director of IADC Design Co., Ltd.
David Mohney, Dean of Michael Graves College at Kean University
Yang Xiaodong, Founder of AURUA Resort, Founder of AURUA Arts Fund
Shikyo Fu, General Planner of Vanke
Shaw Shu, Executive Director of He Art Museum
Eidy Wang, General Manager of Hangzhou Tianmuli Commercial Management
Hanson Wang, Saint-Gobain APAC CBDC & Saint-Gobain Inspace CEO
Zhu Xiaofeng, Founding Principal of Scenic Architecture Office, Guest Professor at College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University Chartered Member
Tao Zhang, Principal of SASAKI
Michael Mesaric, Co-Founder and COO of Manta Aircraft
Wang Hui, Principal Architect and Co-founder of URBANUS Architecture & Design
Dennis Tu, Executive Director, Environment, AECOM
Pingjie Du, General Manager of Shanghai DHD Curtain Wall Design & Consulting Co., Ltd.
Chris Chen, General Manager of Armstrong Flooring China
Yanguo Cai, President of MATSU Group
Ingres Zheng, Founder and Executive Director of Zhanlang Asset Management
Jacques Ferrier, Ray Bai, Taku Hibino, Taeg Nishimoto, Meng Fanhao, Zhong Ming, Cai Yidong, Zhang Changcheng, Huo Zhongyan
Jacques Ferrier, Founder & Chief Architect of Jacques Ferrier Associés (formerly named Jacques Ferrier Architecture)
Ray Bai, Greater China Regional Managing Principal, Gensler
Taku Hibino, Chairman and CEO of HIBINOSEKKEI Inc.
Taeg Nishimoto, Tenured Full Professor, University of Texas San Antonio
Meng Fanhao, Co-founder & Chief Architect of line+ studio, Guest Professor at College of Architecture and Urban Planning of Tongji University
Zhong Ming, Founder and Chief Designer of TS LIGHTING
Cai Yidong, Founder, Partner, and Executive Director of CIMA Project Consultancy Co., Ltd.
Zhang Changcheng, Former Director of Beijing Modern Dance Company, Founder & Chairman of Beijing Huaya Art Foundation
Huo Zhongyan, Founding Partner of Bonanza Capital

Please see their detailed information by clicking on https://www.designverse.com.cn/article/space/452558

Deadline of this awards is January 27, 2026.

www.designverse.com.cn
awards(at)designverse.com.cn

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DESIGN CONTESTS ARCHIVE

Architecture Competitions Archive

Past Architecture Competitions – selection:

The Architecture MasterPrize (AMP)
Location: international
2025 Architecture MasterPrize: AMP News

Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Competition
Location: London, England, UK
Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Competition

The 4th Quadrant of Victory Square International Architectural Competition
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
4th Quadrant of Victory Square Prague Competition

City of The Future Competition
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
£10k Prize
City of the Future Urban Design Competition, Belfast

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