The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2026 marks the third global celebration of architectural imagination and creative excellence. Dedicated to the world’s most compelling unrealized designs, the award recognizes projects that embody innovation, experimentation, and the power of visionary thinking — works that exist beyond construction yet shape the discourse of contemporary architecture.
The Unbuilt Award celebrates the creative process itself: the sketches, models, and digital explorations that reveal the essence of architectural thought before it materializes. It honors the courage to imagine and the value of design as an intellectual act — one that defines future possibilities rather than merely built outcomes.
Participants are invited to present unrealized projects of any typology or stage of development — from conceptual ideas and competition entries to detailed plans awaiting realization. Submissions are divided into three categories by scale:
Small Wonders: up to 100 m²
Medium Marvels: 101–999 m²
Large Visions: over 1,000 m²
Through this award, Buildner continues to ignite global dialogue about the role of unbuilt architecture in advancing the profession. The competition serves as an open platform for architects, designers, and students worldwide to showcase creativity unrestricted by technical or financial constraints — a celebration of ideas that inspire, provoke, and redefine the future of design.
Prizes
Total Prize Fund: €100,000
Category Winners
Small Scale Category Winner – €20,000
Medium Scale Category Winner – €20,000
Large Scale Category Winner – €20,000
Student Winners
Small Scale Category – €5,000
Medium Scale Category – €5,000
Large Scale Category – €5,000
Honorable Mentions
Five per category – €1,000 each
Special Award
Best Presentation Award (all categories compete) – €10,000
Trophy
Each category winner receives the Continuum Trophy, designed by Germans Ermičs, symbolizing the continuous cycle of creative ideas .
All winning and honorable mention projects will be published in Buildner’s printed book and featured across major media channels, including ArchDaily and Buildner’s online platforms.
Competition Dates
Early Bird Registration: 31 October 2025 – 26 February 2026
Advance Registration: 27 February – 9 July 2026
Last Minute Registration: 10 July – 23 September 2026
Registration Closes: 23 September 2026
Deadline for Questions: 28 September 2026
Submission Deadline: 20 October 2026 (11:59 PM London time)
Winners Announced: 1 December 2026
Registration fees
EARLY BIRD 30 Oct – 26 Feb | 65-75 €
ADVANCED 27 Feb – 09 Jul |75-95 €
LAST MINUTE 10 Jul – 23 Sep | 95-125 €
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