Compete for the continent.
Africa's premier inter-university architecture competition — five thematic categories, open internationally, judged by the continent's leading practitioners, awarded live in Accra.
“Reimagining African Architecture: Identity, Innovation, and Sustainability”
5
Categories
31 Aug
Submissions Close
Global
Open to All
Oct '26
Live in Accra
Competition Categories
5 tracksThe New African Town
Designing future-ready African communities that integrate sustainability, technology, mobility, culture, and social inclusion.
Iconic African Institution
Conceptualizing landmark civic or educational institutions that reflect African excellence and identity.
The Modern African Palace
Reinterpreting African traditional authority and cultural symbolism within contemporary architectural expression.
Sustainable African Landscapes
Developing resilient ecological and landscape solutions that respond to climate realities and urban environmental pressures.
The African Interior
Exploring contemporary African interior architecture and spatial experiences rooted in indigenous aesthetics and modern functionality.
Prizes to be
announced.
The full award structure and prize values will be confirmed ahead of the submission deadline. Winners are announced live at the ARCCA 2026 summit in Accra.
Award Tracks
Grand Prize
Best overall entry
Category Winners
One per thematic track
Sustainability Award
Jury special recognition
People's Choice
Public vote
Who Can Enter
Students
Currently enrolled at any accredited school of architecture worldwide.
Graduates
Completed studies no earlier than January 2024.
Team size
1–4 members per team. Mixed-school teams permitted and encouraged.
Nationality
Open to all. At least one member must be African or of African descent.
Key Dates
Competition brief and category packs published.
Teams register and download submission templates.
All files must be uploaded by 23:59 GMT.
Top entries published and notified.
Prizes awarded at the ARCCA 2026 summit.
Judging Criteria
Four lenses.
One jury.
The Grand Jury comprises practising architects, academics, investors and sustainability specialists from across the African continent and diaspora. Identities revealed at the ceremony.
Concept
30%Originality and rigour of the architectural proposition. Does it offer a genuinely new way of thinking about the building type?
Context
25%Engagement with the African urban, ecological and cultural context. How well does the scheme read its site?
Sustainability
25%Material intelligence, passive climate response and longevity. Demonstrated with data, not assertion.
Representation
20%Quality and clarity of drawings, model, narrative and overall presentation. Jury can only judge what it can see.
What to Submit
Five deliverables.
One upload.
All files via the online portal as a single ZIP archive. Maximum total size: 150 MB.
Frequently Asked Questions
Submissions close
31 August 2026.
Free to enter. Open to students and recent graduates worldwide. At least one team member must be African or of African descent.
Competition Enquiries
For questions about eligibility, categories or the submission portal, contact the ARCCA Secretariat directly.