New architecture and design competitions: MEXTRÓPOLI Pavilion, Wheelwright Prize, Reimagining the Enslaved African Burial Ground, and Beam Camp

If you're in search of new, exciting architecture and design competitions, take a look at the latest curated picks of challenges listed on Bustler. Featured below are four briefs seeking ideas for a reimagined Enslaved African Burial Ground in New York City's Van Cortlandt Park, design proposals for a large-scale, public artwork that will be the centerpiece of a summer camp in New Hampshire, early-career architects who are pursuing new forms of architectural research, and exceptional designs for a public, recyclable, or reusable pavilion in Mexico City.

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

Reimagining the Enslaved African Burial Ground at Van Cortlandt Park: Design Ideas Competition
Registration/Submission Deadline: Wednesday, December 17, 2025

"Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, in partnership with the Design Trust for Public Space, is launching a 'design ideas competition,' seeking architects, landscape architects, artists, or other qualified firms and individuals to submit qualifications to reimagine the Enslaved African Burial Ground in Van Cortlandt Park. Three winners will be selected who can help unlock ideas and visions for the site that center healing, memory, and imagination. These ideas will catapult the project into its next phases, creating momentum for a new memorial that can serve its community for generations to come."

Beam Center Seeks Ambitious Project to be Built in New Hampshire!
Registration/Submission Deadline: Monday, December 29, 2025

"Beam Center seeks design proposals for an ambitious public artwork that will be brought to life through collaborations between youth, Beam Camp staff and the selected proposer. Projects will be realized by a community of more than 100 young people at Beam Camp in July 2026. Beam Camp is a specialized summer camp for building and collaboration located in Strafford, NH. Our award-winning program offers youth (ages 10-17) the opportunity to cultivate hands-on skills while exploring innovative thinking, design, problem solving and the creative process."

Harvard GSD - Wheelwright Prize 2026
Registration/Submission Deadline: Sunday, February 8, 2026

"The Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) is pleased to announce the 2026 cycle of the Wheelwright Prize, an open international competition that awards $100,000 to a talented early-career architect to support new forms of architectural research. The 2026 Wheelwright Prize is now accepting applications. [...] The annual Wheelwright Prize is dedicated to fostering expansive, intensive design research that shows potential to make a significant impact on architectural discourse. The prize is open to emerging architects practicing anywhere in the world."

Arquine Competition No.28 | MEXTRÓPOLI Pavilion 2026
Registration Deadline: Friday, April 17, 2026
Submission Deadline: Monday, April 20, 2026

"Since 1998, Arquine has organized an architecture competition that enables the comparison of ideas and proposals under equal conditions. As in recent editions, the Arquine Competition No. 28 invites participants to design, build, and activate a pavilion in the Historic Center of Mexico City, within the framework of MEXTRÓPOLI, the Architecture and City Festival. Participants are asked to design a piece that meets the conditions specified in these competition rules in terms of time, cost, and characteristics, while also considering its capacity to provoke and engage the public—an essential aspect for the evaluation of each proposal."

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.