An innovative architecture competition is calling for designers worldwide to reimagine the historic Maunsell Forts as cutting-edge sustainable living spaces on water. The competition, titled "Maunsell Forts: Future Living on Water," challenges participants to transform these World War II-era coastal defense structures into modern, climate-resilient habitats that demonstrate how communities could adapt to rising sea levels and environmental changes.

The Maunsell Forts were originally constructed during World War II as crucial defensive installations designed to protect Britain's coastline from enemy aircraft attacks. Built in the 1940s, these massive steel and concrete structures rise dramatically from the sea like small cities perched on stilts, representing remarkable examples of wartime engineering that prioritized strength, functionality, and complete self-sufficiency. Today, these weathered monuments stand empty, marked by decades of salt air and time, serving as powerful reminders of human ingenuity and resilience during crisis periods.

The competition organizers emphasize that these historical structures demonstrate how architecture responds to urgent societal needs, showing that even during the most challenging circumstances, design can be bold, experimental, and transformative. By reimagining the Maunsell Forts for contemporary use, the competition invites participants to learn valuable lessons from history while exploring innovative approaches to reusing these structures for new purposes in an era of climate change and environmental challenges.

Participants are tasked with transforming the existing Maunsell Forts while preserving their structural integrity and adding new modular extensions using recycled and durable materials specifically suited for harsh marine conditions. The design proposals must create resilient, self-sufficient living spaces that can withstand flooding and demonstrate practical solutions for how people could successfully live on water in the future.

The competition emphasizes sustainability requirements, mandating that designs integrate comprehensive renewable energy systems, efficient water collection methods, and innovative food production capabilities to make each fort completely energy-independent and environmentally circular. Additionally, the designs must be modular and replicable, creating flexible, movable, and scalable prototypes that could potentially be adapted and applied to other coastal areas or flood-affected regions around the world.

Registration for the competition begins on November 1, 2025, with the first 50 participants eligible to join absolutely free of charge. After the initial 50 spots are filled, additional participants can still register by contributing just 5 euros, with all contributions going directly toward the competition's prize fund. The submission deadline is set for January 15, 2026, giving participants ample time to develop comprehensive design proposals.

The competition is organized by IDOARCH and focuses on the North Sea location of the United Kingdom where the original Maunsell Forts are situated. This initiative represents a unique opportunity for architects, designers, and urban planners to engage with both historical preservation and future-focused sustainable design, potentially creating blueprints for adaptive living solutions in an era of climate uncertainty and rising sea levels.