Prizes up to 8.000 € will be awarded to the winners, selected by an international jury panel including Giovanni Polazzi (Archea Associati), Aldo Cingolani (Bertone Design), Eugenia Pronzati (The Blue Corner) and Sergio Pitrone (:Vertumn), among others.

BRIEF

Openair Suites is an international architecture competition that challenges participants to imagine a new model of rural accommodation set within the extraordinary agricultural landscape at the foothills of Mount Etna. The goal is to design two prototype suite modules conceived as part of a coherent architectural system capable of defining a recognisable hospitality identity.

More than a simple accommodation project, Openair Suites explores how contemporary design can shape a slow, immersive and authentic way of inhabiting rural landscapes, transforming small-scale architecture into a powerful tool for experience-driven hospitality.

PRIZES

• 1st Prize: 3.000€
• 2nd Prize: 2.000€
• 3rd Prize: 1.000€
• 5 Golden Mentions: coupon for a free membership
• 10 Honorable Mentions: coupon for a free competition
• 30 Finalists: published on Terraviva channels

GUIDELINES

At the core of the proposal lies the creation of an Architectural Brandbook: a set of timeless and smart architectural guidelines that translate the Openair Suites vision into space. Each suite, cluster and outdoor space should feel unmistakably part of the OAS network, remaining recognisable across different locations and agricultural settings.

Beyond the design of the individual suites and the larger architectural concept, participants are asked to imagine how this system will come to life within the selected site: La Fucina di Vulcano. Already operating as a rural hospitality complex, this location becomes the testing ground for introducing a new cluster of suites with minimal impact on the land. Designers are invited to work on lightweight, reversible structures that elevate the experience of staying in nature while maintaining comfort, intimacy and spatial quality.

REQUESTED MATERIAL

One A3 Booklet (horizontal – max 30 pages) and one A1 Panel (59,4 x 84,1 cm – horizontal).

JURY

• Giovanni Polazzi [Firenze, Italy] | Archea Associati
• Aldo Cingolani [Milan, Italy] | Bertone Design
• Eugenia Pronzati [Milan, Italy] | Dropshot / The Blue Corner
• Sergio Redaelli [Milan, Italy] | Crippaconcept
• Sergio Pitrone [Milan, Italy] | Vertumn
• Gloria Pierluigi [Modena, Italy] | Fuorirotta
• Francesco Salvaggio [Florence, Italy] | myGlamping.it
• Giorgia Dallasio [Milan, Italy] | Sustainable Brand Platform

SCHEDULE

• Competition Opening: January 20th
• 69 € “Early” Registrations: January 20th – March 6th
• 99 € “Standard” Registrations: March 6th – March 27th
• 129 € “Late” Registrations: March 27th – April 10th
• Submission Deadline: April 10th, 2026
• Winners Announcement: May 11th, 2026

The post OPENAIR SUITES: A Rural Hospitality Experience appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

BRIEF
Participants are invited to explore how temporary, lightweight interventions can act as powerful tools for testing ideas, responding to local conditions and rethinking the future of public space. Like urban acupuncture, these precise and targeted actions release energy within the urban fabric, triggering broader transformations that extend beyond their physical footprint.
Tactical Urbanism NOW! 2026 encourages designers to work with overlooked, underused or contested urban spaces – from traffic-dominated streets and residual plots to overheated plazas, forgotten pathways and fragmented public areas.

PRIZES
• 1st Prize: 5.000 $
• 2nd Prize: 2.000 $
• 3rd Prize: 1.000 $
• 5 Golden Mentions: coupon for a free membership
• 10 Honorable Mentions: coupon for a free competition
• 30 Finalists: published on Terraviva channels

GUIDELINES
Participants may select any location worldwide as the setting for their tactical project, with the aim of pushing boundaries and investigating unconventional urban opportunities grounded in everyday life.
By embracing adaptable systems, low-cost materials and participatory approaches, projects should demonstrate how tactical design can generate immediate impact while informing long-term transformation.
Rather than fixed solutions, this competition looks for proposals conceived as prototypes: flexible, testable and rooted in real urban life. Whether addressing climate stress, reclaiming space for people or strengthening community ties, the goal is to show how small-scale interventions can unlock new possibilities and reshape the urban experience over time.

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

JURY
• Maryam Mahvash [Vancouver, Canada] | Emily Carr University of Art and Design
• Mark Balzar [Vienna, Austria] | Open Fields
• Cecilia Galimberti [Rosario, Argentina] | FAPyD- UNR
• Camilo Palma [Los Lagos, Chile] | Abarca Palma arquitectos
• Andrea Molina Cuadro [Los Angeles, USA] | Estudio Latente
• Samuel Padilla Llano [Bogotá, Colombia] | CUC Universidad de la Costa
• Lisbet Ahon Vasquez [Rome, Italy] | Sapienza Universitá di Roma
• Diogo Lopez Texeira [Porto, Portugal] | Hori-zonte

SCHEDULE
• Competition Opening: January 7th
• 59 € “Early” Registrations: Jan 7th – Jun 5th
• 89 € “Standard” Registrations: Jun 5th – Sept 25th
• 129 € “Late” Registrations: Sept 25th – Oct 30th
• Submission Deadline: October 30th
• Winners Announcement: November 30th

The post TACTICAL URBANISM NOW! 2026 appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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/

The post Museum of Emotions #8 appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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

The post THE WATER TOWER appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

The post Kaira Looro Architecture Competition – 2026’s Edition appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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

The post Arquine Competition No.28 Mextropoli Pavilion 2026 appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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

The post Rome Rain Rooms appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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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.”

The post Design with Curves: The Ultimate Fluidity Challenge appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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

The post A Bauhaus Bathroom Design Competition For a Public Restroom at Gropius House appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.