Why enter

• All entries will be published in the AR Future Projects catalogue distributed to all AR subscribers – view the 2023 catalogue  here  or purchase a printed copy  
• All entries will be reviewed by an international judging panel and there will be one winner per category as well as an overall winner
• The overall winner will receive £1,500 of prize money
• Winners of the prizes for student projects, unsuccessful competition entries and ideas for sustainable research and development will receive £500 each
• All entries will be featured in a gallery on the AR Future Projects website.
• All winning projects will be promoted on the AR website, emails and via social media, which have a following of over a million readers worldwide
• All winners will receive a winners’ pack including a trophy, certificate, catalogue, winners’ badge and press release
• All winners will receive complimentary tickets to attend FOOTPRINT+ in May as well as be invited to a celebratory lunch with The Architectural Review

How to enter

• Read the entry criteria below
• Register your details online , you will receive an email, click on the link to validate your account, or add the validation code. You will need to do this before you can complete your entries.
• Submit your entry via the online entry form. Your entry should consist of:
  • two A2 boards, uploaded as two separate PDF files containing compressed images – files should not exceed 12Mb and boards need to be anonymous, otherwise they may be disqualified
  • a 200-word summary of your project, written in English – this text will be used for editorial coverage, so please ensure all important information (including project name, practice name, client name, project city and country) is included
  • four high-resolution JPEG images – two portrait and two landscape, 300mm on the long side at 300dpi and in CMYK

To submit your entry, agree to the terms and conditions then click the COMPLETE button at the bottom of the page.

• Login at any time to finish your entry. If you forget your password, please use the reset password link on the login page.

Please note

• You can view entry board examples of the 2023 overall winner Anthony Timberlands Center in Arkansas, US by Grafton Architects with Modus Studio for Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design: board 1 and board 2 .

Who can enter

For the 12 future project categories below, architects, developers, funders, contractors and anyone else who can demonstrate their involvement in the project that is being submitted is welcome to enter. Both the name of the architect and the name of the client will need to be provided when filling in the entry form

For the student prize , we accept finished projects from students who graduated in 2023, completing their masters, RIBA Part 2, or equivalent in that year

For the competition entry prize , we accept unsuccessful proposals submitted to an architecture competition that announced its results in 2023 or within the last 18 months. These can’t have won or been commended in the competition, and should be entered by one of their authors

For the sustainable research and design prize, we accept ideas to improve the environmental performance of the construction industry. These ideas can be on the drawing board, at prototyping stage or currently being tested on site, and can be entered by one of their authors

What can be entered

Projects on the drawing board or at an early stage of construction (expected completion date should be after 1 June 2024) that have a client associated to them and fit one of the following 12 categories – please note that, for all categories, it is very important for the judges to understand the context in which the scheme will be built, and judges reserve the right to change the category of entries without informing the entrant

• Commercial mixed-use
  This category is for buildings and groups of buildings where at least three different uses have been incorporated into a development in significant quantities – cultural elements could be included provided the overall quantum of the proposal is commercial. Judges will be interested in how the whole adds up to more than the sum of the parts, and how the mix of uses is integrated into a successful overall design
• Civic and community 
  This category covers a range of buildings which are commissioned and/or occupied by a public authority, or are example of buildings where the use will be primarily determined by local need. At one end of the scale could be major projects like town halls or civic offices, but smaller public amenities and spaces or building for community uses are also eligible
• Cultural regeneration
  This category includes significant cultural projects which seek to improve and enhance their surroundings – at the scale of the neighbourhood, the urban quarter or the city – including museums, galleries, concert halls, theatres and opera houses
• Education
  We are looking for nurseries, primary and secondary schools, university buildings and campuses as well as any spaces for teaching and learning housed outside institutions. Single buildings or larger developments with education at their core are all eligible
• Hotels and leisure
  Hotels, swimming pools, bars, restaurants, casinos and other tourist attractions are welcome in this category, which may also include a mix of uses where leisure is the primary driver. Judges will be interested in the potential customer experience, as well as intelligent planning and striking display
• Housing
  Entries should comprise apartment blocks or groups of houses – but not one-off houses. Judges will be looking for convincing site planning, careful gradation from domestic to semi-private spaces as well as wider contribution to the local environment. Please submit housing proposals, NOT single-family houses.
• Infrastructure
  This category includes airports, bridges, rail and mass transit hubs, metro and underground stations, pedestrian and water-related projects. Judges will pay close attention to how these pieces of infrastructure help connect points on the map and improve users’ everyday life
• New and old
  This category is for projects that exploit, enhance or extend existing buildings, with no specificity of programme. Judges will be interested in the potential of the revitalised space and in the dialogue between new and old elements
• Offices
  Judges will be looking for evidence of how the proposal creates a pleasant environment in which workplace productivity can flourish. Single buildings or larger developments where offices are the primary building type are all eligible
• Regeneration and masterplanning
  Entries in this category will involve long-term masterplans intended to transform and improve a large site, neighbourhood or urban quarter, where generations of inhabitants will enjoy a well-planned new or renewed environment. Judges will be looking for evidence of environmental, economic and social benefits to demonstrate how the project will work in the round and why it will last
• Retail
  Shopping centres, department stores, superstores, malls, significant shops or groups of shops can enter this category. Judges will be interested in new approaches to retail, striking display and customer experience.
• Tall buildings
  This category includes all towers – residential, commercial or other – of more than 20 storeys. Judges will be interested in the elegance of appearance and structure, the clarity and logic of planning, and how the tower contributes to the skyline and to street life at ground level. Buildings have to be more than 20 storeys, but there are no restrictions of programme.

We are also interested in unbuilt and speculative work as well ideas that are currently being tested and investigated:

• Student prize
  Architecture school provides young architects with an infinite playing field onto which to speculate, whether critically commenting on the world we live or imagining better tomorrows. This prize will be awarded to a 2023 graduate for a project that is propositional, experimental and radical
• Competition entry prize
  Unsuccessful competition entries should not be thrown into the bin. This prize seeks to recognise work and ideas that were dismissed by the judging panel of a 2023 (or within the last 18 months)design competition, but that architects can learn and draw inspiration from
• Sustainable research and design prize
  The built environment generates nearly 50 per cent of annual global CO2 emissions. Launched last year, this prize is looking for innovative uses of materials and new construction techniques, for ideas around the reduction of architectural waste and more sustainable design methodologies. The winner will receive £500
  
  

How much does it cost to enter

Entry Cost - Future Project categories:

Competition entry prize & Sustainable research and design prize £49

Competition entry prize & Sustainable research and design prize £99

Please note that 20% VAT will be applied to the basket for UK practices. Note - please use the same contact details on your entry submission that match the name on your debit/credit card.

Extended entry deadline: 15 December 2023