New architecture and design competitions: Dubai Urban Elements Challenge, Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge, European Award AHI, and Aerogel Architecture Awards

For this week's curated picks of architecture and design competitions listed on Bustler, we are featuring four calls seeking the best interventions in European heritage sites, proposals for innovative, small-scale urban elements that will enhance Dubai's public spaces, the best projects or designs that utilize aerogel materials, and sculpture designs that reflect cultural identity and creativity in Saudi Arabia.

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

European Award AHI 2025
Registration/Submission Deadline: Friday, March 21, 2025

"The heritage dissemination platform Architectural Heritage Intervention and the Architects’ Association of Catalonia have opened the registration for the seventh edition of the European Award AHI. This biennial event, which since 2013 has recognized the best interventions in European heritage across four categories (Built Heritage, Exterior Spaces, Urban Planning and Disclosure), will distinguish works completed between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2024 within the European geographical area."

DUBAI URBAN ELEMENTS CHALLENGE
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Submission Deadline: Wednesday, May 28, 2025

"The competition invites architects, designers, urban planners, and visionaries from around the world to propose innovative, human-scale urban elements that will help define Dubai’s evolving identity. The challenge focuses on impactful small-scale architectural interventions—such as street furniture, pedestrian bridges, lighting installations, shading structures, wayfinding systems, and other urban details that enhance public spaces."

Aerogel Architecture Awards 2025
Registration/Submission Deadline: Friday, May 16, 2025

"We are delighted to invite you to submit your examples of aerogel use in architecture, construction, refurbishment and monument preservation as built solutions or student projects. We are searching for the top realized projects internationally to showcase the best projects of architects, civil engineers or top project ideas of students from these fields. [...] The award celebrates the best examples with regards to energy efficiency, unconventional solutions, translucent daylighting, high performing buildings solutions with use of superinsulating aerogel materials."

Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge
Registration Deadline: Thursday, July 24, 2025
Submission Deadline: Wednesday, August 27, 2025

"Buildner, in collaboration with the Mujassam Watan Initiative, has launched the Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge, an international competition calling on architects and artists to design iconic sculptures that reflect cultural identity and creativity. With a total prize fund of €50,000, this prestigious challenge offers participants a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on urban public spaces. [...] The Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge is more than just a design contest—it is a chance to contribute to an evolving urban landscape through meaningful, innovative, and striking sculptures. Participants are encouraged to create sculptures that interact with their surroundings, symbolizing themes of heritage, progress, and identity."

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.