Dezeen has highlighted five exciting architecture and design competitions currently accepting submissions, offering opportunities for creative professionals to work on innovative projects across the United States, Italy, and Saudi Arabia. The featured competitions emphasize important contemporary themes including biodiversity conservation, sustainability practices, historic preservation, and cultural identity integration.
The competition organizers include prominent organizations such as Buildner and TerraViva, presenting diverse project types ranging from family retreats to urban sculptures. Each competition challenges participants to address specific environmental and cultural considerations while developing their design proposals.
Buildner is seeking designs for the Howard Waterfall Retreat, a multi-generational family retreat located in Howard Falls, Pennsylvania. The project requires careful consideration of environmental constraints, particularly flood risks and local biodiversity protection, while creating a functional and sustainable space for families. Participants must submit their applications through the online upload panel by September 8, 2025.
The Unbuilt Award 2025 focuses on unrealized architecture and design projects, welcoming both published and unpublished works that can be fully designed concepts or still in development stages. The competition features three distinct categories based on project scale: small, medium, and large-scale developments. Submissions should include comprehensive documentation such as sketches, renderings, architectural plans, sections, elevations, and detailed diagrams, with a submission deadline of November 20, 2025.
In partnership with the Mujassam Watan Initiative, Buildner presents the Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge, inviting creative professionals to design urban sculptures that will be installed in Saudi Arabia. The sculptures are intended for installation along either the Abu Hadriyah Road transportation corridor or Al-Khobar's Tharwa Sea Front, and must authentically reflect Saudi Arabia's rich cultural identity and heritage. The submission deadline for this competition is August 27, 2025, with entries to be uploaded via the online panel.
The Re:Form New Life for Old Spaces competition encourages contestants to identify neglected, underutilized, or abandoned sites anywhere in the world and develop comprehensive revival plans through adaptive reuse strategies. The selected sites can be either currently in limited use or completely abandoned, with final outcomes suitable for commercial, residential, or cultural purposes. This competition emphasizes sustainable development practices and creative problem-solving, with materials due by September 2, 2025.
TerraViva organizes the final featured competition, "Rethinking an Apartment Concept in the Heart of Isola," which welcomes innovative design plans for an apartment located in Milan's dynamic Isola District. The designs should capture and complement the neighborhood's renowned avant-garde spirit while incorporating practical and innovative features specifically suitable for young professionals or couples. Participants must submit two A1 presentation panels, a descriptive project text, and four to six moodboard images by September 12, 2025.
These competitions represent significant opportunities for architects and designers to contribute to meaningful projects that address contemporary challenges while showcasing creative solutions. Each competition offers unique parameters and requirements, allowing participants to explore different aspects of sustainable design, cultural sensitivity, and innovative space utilization across various geographic and cultural contexts.
