New architecture and design competitions: AZ Awards, Land Art Generator Initiative Fiji, Fitz&Sits Design Competition, and IPA Independent Project Residency

For this week's curated picks of architecture and design competitions listed on Bustler, we are featuring four calls seeking emerging and mid-career practitioners whose work focuses on the public realm, the best projects, products, and ideas from around the world, innovative artistic, inclusive, and sustainable seating solutions, and designs for an installation that will supply clean and reliable electricity and drinking water to Marou, Fiji.

For the complete directory of newly listed competitions, click here.

The Institute for Public Architecture 2025 Summer/Fall Independent Project Residency
Registration/Submission Deadline: Saturday, January 18, 2025

"The IPA Independent Project Residency program invites emerging and mid-career practitioners – whose work focuses on the public realm – to live and work during an eleven week live-in Residency at the IPA Block House on Governors Island. The Residency program is open to local and global applicants from diverse backgrounds, educations, experiences, and aspirations at any stage of their career. Applicants may be practitioners working across disciplines, with an emphasis on the public realm."

‘Fitz&Sits’ Design Competition
Registration/Submission Deadline: Friday, January 31, 2025

"London Festival of Architecture and The Fitzrovia Partnership have launched Fitz&Sits, a new design competition inviting architects, designers, and artists to create innovative seating solutions for Fitzrovia’s public spaces. Fitzrovia, known for its bohemian character and creative heritage, currently lacks accessible public seating. Fitz&Sits aims to address this by transforming the area with a trail of inclusive, artistic seating designs that invite people to pause, connect, and enjoy their surroundings. The competition aligns with the LFA2025 theme, Voices, encouraging designers to reflect the diverse stories and identities that shape Fitzrovia."

The 2025 AZ Awards
Registration/Submission Deadline: Friday, February 21, 2025

"The AZ Awards is AZURE’s international architecture and design competition, recognizing the world’s best projects, products and ideas and providing an international platform for exceptional talents to receive well-deserved exposure and acknowledgement. The 15th edition of the AZ Awards introduces new categories, including the first-ever EMERGING Awards. This year Entrants receive more exposure opportunities online as AZURE will publish not only the shortlisted entries, but also the longlist of submissions selected by AZURE's editorial team and local A&D experts."

Land Art Generator Initiative 2025 Fiji: Climate Resilience for Island Communities
Registration/Submission Deadline: Monday, May 5, 2025

"The residents of Marou, Fiji and the Land Art Generator Initiative invite you to design a permanent destination artwork that will supply clean and reliable electricity and drinking water to the coastal village’s 67 households, support tourism, and help to build a sustainable future for generations to come."

Would you like to contribute competitions, award programs, or calls for submissions that aren't listed on Bustler yet? Send them directly to our team to review. We may include them in our next roundup.