Organizer Information
The UIA-HOPE Cup International University Student Architectural Design Competition is an international academic design competition initiated in 2012 under the broader framework of the International Union of Architects. The competition is co-organized by the Tianjin University School of Architecture and UED Magazine, with exclusive sponsorship from Hope Co., Ltd.
Positioned as a recurring annual platform for emerging architectural talent, the competition has been held successfully for fourteen editions. Each year, it invites a globally recognized master architect to serve as jury chair—this edition is chaired by Philip Cox. The jury panel typically includes internationally renowned architects and academic leaders from both domestic and international institutions, reinforcing its status as a high-level academic and professional benchmark in architectural education.
Title & Description
UIA-HOPE Cup International University Student Architectural Design Competition 2026
Theme: Architecture in Transformation
Competition Topic: Why to Live — How to Live: City, Suburbs, and Countryside
This competition invites architecture students to critically investigate contemporary living systems in a period of profound urban, environmental, and technological transformation. It challenges participants to rethink the meaning of “dwelling” across urban, suburban, and rural contexts, responding to urgent questions such as identity erosion in megacities, declining community structures, environmental stress, and shifting lifestyles shaped by AI, automation, and remote work.
Participants are asked to design a community-based architectural proposal grounded in the concept of the “village” as a social, cultural, and ecological unit. The design should respond to one of three contexts—urban regeneration, suburban cohesion, or rural sustainability—while integrating principles of zero-carbon design, renewable energy systems, ecological infrastructure, and social interaction frameworks.
The core intellectual objective is to redefine how architecture can restore belonging, identity, and social connectivity in a world where traditional community structures are weakening.
Categories
- Architecture Design
- Urban Design
- Landscape Architecture (integrated)
- Sustainable / Ecological Design
- Housing and Community Planning
- Interdisciplinary Environmental Design
Eligibility
- Open internationally to university students in architecture and related disciplines
- Eligible participants include:
- Full-time undergraduate students
- Master’s students (full-time and part-time postgraduates enrolled after 2023)
- Full-time doctoral students
- Students graduating in 2026
- Individual or group participation allowed
- Group size: maximum 4 members
- Maximum 2 instructors per group (must be active university faculty)
- International participation is encouraged
- Mixed nationality groups are classified as domestic (China-based registration rules apply if applicable)
Program Benefits & Awards
- First Prize: 1 group — Certificate + 80,000 RMB (tax included)
- Second Prize: 5 groups — Certificate + 15,000 RMB each
- Third Prize: 12 groups — Certificate + 8,000 RMB each
- Multiple Excellence Awards (certificates)
- Outstanding Instructor Awards (certificates)
Additional benefits include:
- International exposure through UIA-linked academic and professional networks
- Exhibition of winning works in a curated competition displays
- Evaluation by leading architects and academic experts
- Recognition within global architectural education circles
Application Fee
- Registration fee: 200 RMB per group (domestic groups)
- Fee is non-refundable once paid
- Group classification (domestic/international) is determined by university affiliation
Application Requirements
- Three A1 presentation boards (horizontal format, 841 × 594 mm)
- High-resolution JPG files (minimum 300 dpi)
- 2-minute maximum MP4 video (English subtitles required)
- Design statement (~500 words embedded in boards)
- Text file (TXT) containing:
- Participant names (no names allowed in boards or video)
- Competition number
- Contact details
- School and department information
- Project title (English + Chinese if applicable)
- Signed originality statement (template provided by organizers)
- Scanned student ID or passport
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Registration Deadline: 20 September 2026
- Submission Deadline: 10 October 2026
- Jury Evaluation Period: November 2026
Location
China
Additional Details
- Submissions must contain no identifying information (strict anonymity rule)
- AI tools may be used but must be disclosed in documentation
- Works must integrate sustainability strategies, passive energy systems, and innovative ecological technologies
- Strong emphasis on real-world contextual grounding and analytical research
- All materials must be submitted in English (bilingual allowed for mainland China participants)
- The metric system is required for all drawings
- Copyright remains with participants, while organizers retain exhibition and publication rights
- Previously published or competition-submitted designs are not eligible