UIA-HYP CUP 2026 International Student Competition in Architectural Design is now open for entries!
The UIA-HYP CUP 2026 International Student Competition in Architectural Design is now open for registration inviting students to explore new forms of community across different ways of living.
Short description
The UIA-HYP CUP 2026 International Student Competition in Architectural Design, now in its 15th consecutive year, is opened for registration.
The UIA-HYP CUP is the only UIA-endorsed international student architecture competition held annually in mainland China. Organized by the School of Architecture, Tianjin University, the School of Architecture, Inner Mongolia University of Technology and Urban Environment Design (UED) Magazine, the competition provides a global platform for architecture students to engage with contemporary architectural, urban, and environmental challenges.
The competition operates under the overarching theme of Architecture in Transformation, while the specific topic is proposed each year by the Jury Chairman. The 2026 topic “Villagers: Urban, Suburban, Rural” invites students to explore new forms of community across different ways of living.
For 2026, the Jury Chairman is Professor Philip Cox (Founding Partner of Cox Architecture and Officer of the Order of Australia). In the competition brief, Philip Cox reflects on the continuing rural drift to cities, the future of community and social units, and the emergence of self-sufficient and sustainable communities. Participants are invited to select one of three ways of living - urban, suburban, or rural and demonstrate how communities can be created that have relevance.
The brief explores questions of identity, belonging, social interaction, sustainability, and the evolving relationship between people, place, and architecture in a rapidly changing world shaped by environmental concerns, technological innovation, remote working, and artificial intelligence.
Participation is free of charge and open to architecture students worldwide.
Note!Registration Deadline is 20 September 2026, but you can submit your proposal until 10 October 2026.
Results will be announced on 30 November 2026.
Submission requirements
➜ Format for presentation: three A1 boards (JPG-format). There is no limit to the format of the boards. Make your projects arresting, refreshing, intriguing and engaging.
➜ Plans, sections, elevations and renderings can be used when needed.
➜ A video (MP4-format) no longer than 2:00 minutes.
➜ The video is not allowed to show personally identifiable information.
➜ Axonometric drawings, plans, sections, and renderings are expected.
➜ It is recommended to pay attention to the concept of green environmental protection and the utilization of new energy, and encouraged to use new technologies and methods for data collection, analysis, and visual expression.
➜ Cited data on the existing context is strongly encouraged.
➜ If AI tools are used to generate drawings and videos, contestants are requested to clearly label them.
➜ Your submission must be subtitled in English.
Eligibility
This competition is open to all architecture and relevant major students around the globe.
Benefits
➜ 1st Prize (1 team): Certificate and RMB 80,000 (around USD 11,000, before tax)
➜ 2nd Prize (5 teams): Certificate and RMB 15,000 (around USD 2,050, before tax)
➜ 3rd Prize (12 teams): Certificate and RMB 8,000 (around USD 1,100, before tax)
➜ Honorable Mentions (several teams): Certificate
Advisors of prize-winning projects will also be awarded certificates.
Entry fees
The competition is free to enter.
