Competitions

The UIA began collaborating with national professional organisations on organising international competitions in 1949. Entrusted by UNESCO to supervise the application of the Regulations and assist competition organisers, the UIA is proud of the successful UIA-endorsed competitions which led to the construction of buildings such as the Sydney Opera House, the Centre Pompidou and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

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, the UIA 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 design quality and innovation. They are based on the main tenets of transparency, equal treatment and non-discrimination and guarantee professional evaluation under anonymity. The experience and authority conferred on the 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 globally.

Quality architecture since 1956

The UIA promotes excellence in architecture, sustainability and cultural diversity. Professional international architecture design competitions endorsed by the UIA have taken place all over the world and have resulted in some of the most iconic edifices of the 20th century.

Quality competitions

The UIA advises organisers in the preparation and conduct of professional and student design competition.  Support from the UIA gives organisers access to architects or architecture students as well as to media and professional institutions worldwide. Endorsement by the UIA is an assessment of conformity to UNESCO Regulations and the UIA best practice recommendations. It is a guarantee of fair conduct of the competition with equitable conditions for the competitors and the organizer. UIA endorsement is a quality label.

Distinguished Awards/ Prizes

Awards/Prizes recognise the quality of realized or theoretical work of excellence in different domains and promote the highest standards of design quality, creativity and innovation. They elevate awareness for specific aims and challenges of society and the profession in addition to honouring exemplary contributions by highlighting the cultural dimension.

The UIA advises on the organisation of international architectural awards/prizes.

Support from the UIA gives organisers access to architects or architecture students as well as to media and professional institutions worldwide. UIA endorsement ensures impartial and professional evaluation of the entries. UIA-endorsed architecture awards/prizes have taken place all over the world and are characterised by their cultural dimension.

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Open | Student

International VELUX AWARD 2024

Region I - Western Europe | Denmark

The International VELUX Award (IVA) is a biennial ideas competition for students of architecture. It invites students from all over the world to create projects investigating the role of daylight in our everyday lives.

2024-04-01Registration closes
2024-04-15Submission period opens
2024-05-30Submission deadline
Keywords : Daylight, Education
Single-stage | Student

NEXT GENERATION OF STROKE REHABILITATION CENTRES

Region IV - Asia and Oceania | Australia

The International Union of Architects (UIA) has launched the Next Generation of Stroke Rehabilitation Centres international single stage student ideas competition open to all students in architecture of the world.

The competition is organised by the UIA Public Health Group and the NOVELL Redesign Team. It is co-sponsored by the Australian Health Design Council (AHDC).

2022-11-15Deadline for questions
2023-03-15Deadline for registration
2023-04-15Deadline for submission of entries
2023-06-05Announcement of results
Keywords : Health
Open | Professional

Requalification of Byrsa Acropolis and Rehabilitation of the Carthage National Museum (2023)

Region V - Africa | Tunisia

Expertise France, in collaboration with the Tunisian Ministry of Culture and with the support of the European Union, announced the launch of the international one-stage design competition for the Requalification of Byrsa Acropolis and Rehabilitation of the Carthage National Museum in Tunisia on 6 September 2022.

Keywords : Culture, Heritage, Reconstruction
Student

INTERNATIONAL VELUX AWARD 2022

Region I - Western Europe | Denmark

VELUX has announced the laureates of the International VELUX Award 2022. This biennial ideas competition for architecture students is endorsed by the UIA since 2004. 507 projects were submitted from 211 international schools of architecture.

Keywords : Daylight, Education
Student

RESULTS: 2021 UIA-HYP CUP INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COMPETITION

Region IV - Asia and Oceania

The UIA-HYP Cup, today in its 10th edition, is the only student architecture competition in mainland China. The UIA has endorsed the competition since its conception in 2012. Each edition of […]

2021-09-20Deadline for registration
2021-10-10Deadline for submissions
2022-11-12Jury meeting
Keywords : Education, Rural planning, Transformation
Open | Student

Great Green Wall Single Stage Student Ideas Competition

Region V - Africa

The International Union of Architects (UIA) has announced the results of the Great Green Wall (GGW) single stage competition, the official student competition of the 29th UIA World Congress of Architects taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark.

2022-05-20Deadline for questions
2022-08-20Deadline for registration
2022-09-30Deadline for submission of entries
Restricted | Professional

European Parliament – Paul-Henri SPAAK Building (2020)

Region I - Western Europe | Belgium

The Official Journal of the European Commission announced the international architectural design competition for the renewal of the European Parliament – Paul-Henri SPAAK Building Brussels on 26 May 2020. The international, single stage architectural design project competition with an open pre-qualification followed by a restricted procedure was endorsed by the UIA.

Keywords : Institutional, Sustainability
Restricted | Professional

European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2021)

Region I - Western Europe | Spain

The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) organised a restricted international multidisciplinary project competition for the design of the new JRC Site Headquarters in Seville, Spain.

Keywords : Institutional, Sustainability