UIA ENDORSED COMPETITIONS

Why an international UIA competition?

The International Union of Architects has many years of experience overseeing and assisting in the organisation of international competitions in architecture and urban planning. In 1956, delegations of practicing architects from all over the world drew up a set of standard regulations for international competitions in architecture and urban planning, which UNESCO subsequently ratified. The framework and objectives embodied in the UNESCO Regulations have endured for more than sixty years, prioritising equal treatment, transparency, qualified adjudication, quality and innovation. The experience and authority conferred on UIA by UNESCO allows us to serve as a reference in terms of ethics and prestige in the realm of international architecture and urban planning competitions. Support from the UIA gives organisers access to architects and architecture students as well as to media and professional institutions worldwide.

Quality competitions, quality architecture since 1956

The UIA promotes excellence in architecture, sustainability and cultural diversity. Student and professional international architecture competitions endorsed through the UNESCO-UIA International Competitions Programme have taken place all over the world and have resulted in some of the most iconic edifices of the 20th century. The experience and authority conferred upon the UIA by UNESCO in 1956 allow us to serve as a reference in terms of ethics in the realm of architecture and urban planning competitions globally.

The UIA also advises on the organisation of international architectural prizes. Launched by public or private organisms these prizes spotlight specific architectural realisations, materials, technologies, themes, or research. UIA-endorsed architecture prizes have taken place all over the world.

Open | Student

International VELUX Award 2022 Launched

Region I - Western Europe | Denmark

Registration for the 2022 International VELUX Award (IVA) is open! A biennial ideas competition for students of architecture, IVA invites students from all over the world to create projects investigating the role of daylight in our everyday lives.

01/09/2021Registration opens
01/04/2022Registration closes
15/04/2022Submission period opens; deadline for questions
15/06/2022Submission deadline; project upload
01/07/2022Jury meeting – evaluation of all submitted projects
01/12/2022Winners announcement at the World Architecture Festival
Keywords : Daylight, Education
Open

Logo Competition: 2022 Year of Design for Health

The UIA launches the logo competition for 2022: “UIA Year of Design for Health.” The winning logo will be used for the branding and promotion of the UIA’s year-long activities.

27/09/2021Competition Launch
15/11/2021Submission deadline
15/12/2021Announcement of the winning designs
Keywords : Graphic design
Open | Professional

International Ideas Competition: The Design of the Surrounding Area of the Ancient Theatre A’ IN Larissa, Greece

Region II - Eastern Europe and the Middle East | Greece

The Municipality of Larissa in Greece has launched an International Open Ideas Competition for the Design of the Surrounding Area of the Ancient Theatre A’ of Larissa. Participation is open to architects, or multidisciplinary teams consisting of at least one architect.

20/09/2021Launch & registration opening
19/11/2021Registration ends
24/09/2021Questions Period
30/09/2021Questions Period ends
15/10/2021Answers posted
24/02/2022Submission Deadline
14/03/2022Deadline
16/03/2022Jury Meeting
22/03/2022Winners announced
Keywords : Culture, Heritage, Urban Landscape
Open | Student

Results: 2021 UIA-HYP Cup International Student Competition

Region IV - Asia and Oceania | China

The UIA-HYP Cup, today in its 10th edition, is the only student architecture competition in mainland China. Each edition of the prize is chaired by an internationally renowned architect, who selects its specific focus. This year Rem Koolhaas, from the Netherlands, has selected the topic “Countryside Dilemmas: New Rural Planning”. The First Prize went to Zhao Chenchen, Ma Qirui and Zheng Qi from the School of Architecture, Tianjin University (People’s Republic of China) for their project, “Civilization to the Years”.

20/09/2021Deadline for registration
10/10/2021Deadline for submissions
12/11/2021Jury meeting
Keywords : Education, Rural planning, Transformation
Restricted | Professional

Thessaloniki ConfEx Park

Region II - Eastern Europe and the Middle East | Greece

TIF-HELEXPO, a national exhibition and conference organizer based in Thessaloniki, Greece, organised an international multidisciplinary project competition with prequalification for the design of Thessaloniki ConfEx Park, located in the heart of Thessaloniki, currently home to 1.1 million people and Greece’s second largest city.

Keywords : Urban Landscape
Open | Student

International VELUX Award 2020

Region I - Western Europe | Denmark

The VELUX Group has announced the global winners for the 2020 Edition of the International VELUX Award for students of architecture. This biennial competition, endorsed by the UIA since 2004, invites participants to explore daylight in one of 2 categories: Daylight in Buildings and Daylight Investigations.

Keywords : Daylight
Open | Professional

Bamiyan Cultural Centre

Region II - Eastern Europe and the Middle East | Afghanistan

UNESCO, with the collaboration of the Government of Afghanistan, organised an international open competition in 2014 for the design of the Bamiyan Cultural Centre.

Keywords : Culture, Heritage
Restricted | Professional

New HQ for the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences

Region II - Eastern Europe and the Middle East | Kuwait

The UIA endorsed the international, restricted two-phase architecture competition for the design of the new headquarters for the Kuwait Foundation of Sciences (KFAS), a private, non-profit organisation dedicated to progress and to the advancement of the society through science and technology.

Keywords : Institutional
Restricted | Professional

European Commission: “Projet Loi 130”

Region I - Western Europe | Belgium

The invited international, two-phase project competition was launched in March 2018 to identify the best and most environmentally-friendly solution for a mixed-use office space in the heart of the “European Quarter” in Brussels demarcated by streets Rue de la Loi, Rue de Spa, Rue Joseph II and the Chausée d’Etterbeek.

Keywords : Institutional, Sustainability
Open | Professional

Knowledge and Innovation Center

Region II - Eastern Europe and the Middle East | Lebanon

The International Architectural Design Competition for the Knowledge and Innovation Center in Tripoli, Lebanon was managed by the Lebanese Federation of Engineers and Architects on behalf of the Tripoli Special Economic Zone and the Government of the Republic of Lebanon.

Keywords : Heritage