International Architecture & Design Awards 2025

The Village of Marou and the Land Art Generator Initiative invite you to design a creative and captivating installation — a permanent destination
artwork — that will supply clean and reliable electricity and drinking
water to the coastal village’s 67 households, support tourism, and help to build a sustainable future for generations to come.

The detailed design brief is available from January 6, 2025 and submissions are due by May 5, 2025. * There is no fee to enter. LAGI 2025 Fiji is free and open to all. 

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The Deborah J. Norden Fund, a program of The Architectural League of New York, was established in 1995 in memory of architect and arts administrator Deborah Norden. The competition awards travel grants to students and recent graduates committed to the study of architecture, architectural history, and urban studies.

For thirty years, the Fund has supported a diverse and fascinating array of projects, from the social impact of new architecture and planning interventions in Medellín, Colombia, to the insertion of built form into fragile ecosystems in Australia, to the role of cultural institutions in rural development in Brazil. After three decades of supporting exceptional research, the 2025 cycle of the Norden Fund competition will be the final granting year of the program.

See the full list of past Norden Fund grantees.

In 2025, the Norden Fund will award a grant of up to $7,500 to one individual or team. Applicants must submit a proposal of up to three pages which succinctly describes the objectives of the grant request and how it will contribute to the applicant’s intellectual and creative development. In addition to the proposal, applicants should include the following elements in their submission:

• The total grant amount requested (up to $7,500)
• A projected schedule and budget for travel and other costs (one page maximum)
• A résumé (two pages maximum per applicant)

An addendum of no more than four pages may be submitted in order to include images, maps, or other supporting material. 

Applicants must also supply two letters of recommendation from individuals who are knowledgeable about the applicant’s ability and project. Should you apply as a team, two recommendations per group is sufficient.

The application process is extremely competitive. The intention of the fund is to support genuinely independent projects that require travel. Grant funds cannot be used for tuition, and grants will not be awarded to support participation in an organized program, such as a university’s summer abroad program. While requests for support of dissertation research will be considered, they are not a priority of the Fund. 

Preference will be given to strong proposals from applicants who have not had this sort of opportunity before, as well as students whose institutions do not provide extensive travel funding. Please note that applicants are not required to be enrolled in or have graduated from a professional architectural degree program, such as a BArch or MArch program. Instead, applicants should demonstrate a commitment to the study of the built environment.

Eligibility

The competition is open only to current full-time residents (who need not be citizens) of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

No current Architectural League board or staff members are eligible to participate in the competition. With the exception listed below, no employees of firms or immediate family (spouse/partner; children; siblings) of current board members, staff members, or jury members are eligible to participate in the competition. Individuals who work for the firms of League board members may enter the competition if they are submitting independent work carried out without connection to the firm. Past Deborah J. Norden Fund grantees are ineligible to apply.

Submission requirements

Applicants must submit their proposals, résumés, schedules, budgets, and optional addenda digitally as one letter-size PDF. Please do not include a cover page.The applicant’s name and project title must appear on the top of the first page of the PDF. The PDF file name should be formatted as “Primary Contact Last Name_Proposal.pdf”. The applicant should complete and upload their PDF proposal via Formstack; it must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, February 24, 2025. Faxed, mailed, and late applications will not be accepted.

The two letters of recommendation must be sent directly by the recommenders to The Architectural League, uploaded as a PDF using a separate Formstack form. Letters of recommendation must be received by Friday, March 7, 2025. Mailed copies of letters will not be accepted.

Awards will be announced in May 2025.

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Design Unlimited‘s latest International Design Competition – Renewable Energy Research Center of Iceland.

Iceland is renowned for its utilization of geothermal energy and its strong commitment to renewable resources. This project involves designing a state-of-the-art Renewable Energy Research Center in Reykjavik. The center will serve as a hub for scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs dedicated to advancing renewable energy technologies, fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation. 

 The facility aims to not only drive technological advancements but also to demonstrate and educate the public about sustainable energy solutions. It will feature interactive exhibits, educational programs, and community outreach initiatives to engage visitors and promote awareness. Architecturally, the building should be a symbol of progress, reflecting the natural beauty of Iceland’s landscapes—such as its volcanic formations, glaciers, and coastal vistas. 

 The design should incorporate sustainable materials and strategies to shoot for a net-zero energy consumption building. By utilizing renewable energy sources like geothermal, solar, and wind power, the building will exemplify environmental stewardship. It should seamlessly integrate with the natural surroundings, minimizing ecological impact while standing resilient against Iceland’s harsh weather conditions. The center will not only be a place of research and learning but also an iconic landmark representing Iceland’s commitment to a sustainable future. 

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As the need for sustainable alternatives to building anew becomes increasingly urgent, the AR New into Old awards celebrate architectural adaptations and remodelings that welcome new contemporary uses to older buildings. 

These awards speak of what we inherit and preserve, why we assemble and transform, and how the spaces we appropriate can be reimagined to suggest that the world could be different. 

 Launched in 2017, the awards recognise imaginative appropriations of structures, from innovative insertions to ambitious adaptations, that offer buildings a new lease of life.

Past winners include SO-IL and Freaks Architecture’s adaptation of a former glass factory into a cultural centre in France (2023) and ZAV Architects’ conversion of a 1930s house into a film studio in Iran (2021).

Entries for 2025’s awards close on Friday 7 March 2025.

Find out more here

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The Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition is officially accepting submissions for its 2025 North American edition! Organized by Confindustria Ceramica (the Italian Association of Ceramics) and the Italian Trade Agency, this prestigious, long-running awards program recognizes the exceptional work of North American architects, designers and students who feature Italian ceramic tiles from Ceramics of Italy member brands in their projects. 

Categories: Residential – Non-Residential – Urban Design – Design & New Applications – Students

Prize: Winners in the built-project categories will receive cash prizes up to $5,000 plus a CEU-accredited trip to Bologna, Italy to attend Cersaie 2025: the world’s largest exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings, alongside a delegation of top design media.

All category winners will also receive a trip to Coverings 2025 in Orlando, FL  – the largest international tile and stone exhibition in North America – from April 29 – May 2, where they will attend a dedicated awards ceremony and present their projects in front of a large audience of design and trade media, manufacturers, and tile industry professionals.

Deadline: February 14, 2025. 

Cost: There is no fee to submit and multiple entries are welcome.

Eligibility: Open to new build, building renovation and architectural renovation projects carried out worldwide by a North American architect, interior designer or other design professional and completed between January 1, 2020 and September 30, 2024. 

Students submitting imaginative spaces in the form of renderings, floor plans and/or sketches can work in teams or individually. Students must be enrolled at an accredited university in North America to be eligible.

Projects must feature a significant amount of ceramic or porcelain tile from at least one Ceramics of Italy member company. Click here for a full list of Ceramics of Italy member companies.*

For more information on prizes and eligibility, please visit www.tilecompetition.com

Submit your projects here: www.tilecompetition.com  

Relevant Links: 

• https://www.ceramica.info/en/ – Institutional website for Ceramics of Italy worldwide

• https://www.ceramica.info/en/aziende-ceramiche-it/ – List of Ceramics of Italy member companies

• https://www.cersaie.it/en/ – Annual exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings in Bologna, Italy. 

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International Student Architectural Design Competition 

 The international architectural competition “Reinterpreting Tradition: Contemporary Insights Towards Buttoned Houses’ Technique,” is organized in collaboration with the INTBAU Grassroots program, Antalya Bilim University, and the Mediterranean Freelance Architects Association.
The competition aims to integrate the cultural heritage of Antalya’s traditional construction technique, Buttoned Houses (Düğmeli Evler), with contemporary architectural practices. 

 •     Submission Deadline: March 14, 2025

 •     Official Language: English 

•     Eligibility: Open to students from all countries 

For detailed information and to access the competition brief, please visit the competition’s website:
https://reinterpretingtradition2025.antalya.edu.tr/ 

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