Architectural competition

An architectural competition is held by a client or public body to choose the best design for a building or site. Entrants work from the same brief and competition conditions, and an independent jury assesses and ranks their proposals. Competitions can be run at ideas level or as project competitions aimed at construction, and they can be national or international.

How it works

The competition conditions set the framework: the site, the space programme, the sheets required, submission rules and prizes. Many competitions are anonymous; entries are submitted under a code name and the jury judges them without knowing who is behind each one. Many competitions also provide for the winning team to be commissioned for the construction drawings. In Turkey, the rules for organising competitions are set by a dedicated regulation, and the professional chambers take part in the process.

Why presentation carries weight

A jury reviews a large number of entries in a short time, so the idea has to come across clearly and memorably on the boards. A strong concept diagram, legible plans and a few good images that capture the spirit of the project are the backbone of a competition entry. For more on telling a project’s story well, see how to present a 3D architectural project.