Infrastructure as a System: “Rethink the Future” is now open for entries!
Following the success of last year’s edition, InfraVision, the Think Tank founded by Vauban and Altermind, is pleased to announce the 2nd edition of its international student competition in 2026, Infrastructure as a System: “Rethink the Future”.
Short description
Following the success of last year’s edition, InfraVision, the Think Tank founded by Vauban and Altermind, is pleased to announce the 2nd edition of its international student competition in 2026, Infrastructure as a System: “Rethink the Future”.
The 2nd international competition invites students to rethink infrastructure that is not just efficient today, but resilient, adaptive and sustainable across uncertain futures, in a world shaped by climate pressure, technological disruption, regulatory change and shifting demand.
Students worldwide have the opportunity to tackle complex challenges by applying their knowledge, skills, and imagination. They will receive valuable feedback from a jury of experts, led by architect Sadie Morgan (co-founder of drMM), and other recognized public figures, helping them and their team raise their profile and build industry connections.
What is expected from contestants?
The submission should go beyond a concept and demonstrate structured thinking:
➜ Project vision and value creation – Define your infrastructure project, its purpose, the problem it addresses, and the value it creates;
➜ Future scenarios – Define 2-3 contrasted and plausible future contexts (e.g., macroeconomic tensions, geopolitical uncertainties, regulatory shock, technological disruption);
➜ Resilience and adaptiveness – Identify key vulnerabilities, risks, and uncertainties. Stress-test and show how your project responds to them (e.g., flexibility, modularity, reversibility);
➜ Trade-offs – Highlight the main tensions (e.g., cost vs. speed, efficiency vs. resilience, performance vs. sustainability). Make your choices explicit and justify them;
➜ Bold bets and quick wins – Propose high-impact ideas, either forward-looking or actionable in the short term. This may include disruptive technologies, policy or regulatory changes, or innovative business and financing models;
➜ Stakeholder engagement – Identify key stakeholders and explain how you will align interests, secure buy-in, and create the right incentives for implementation;
➜ System perspective – Explain how your project interacts with broader systems (e.g., mobility, energy, urban planning) and its role within a wider ecosystem;
➜ Implementation roadmap and budget – Translate your vision into a realistic, phased plan. Specify key milestones, enabling conditions, and budgetary requirement;
➜ Impact assessment – Define the single most important indicator of success. Support your proposal with a high-level cost-benefit perspective and explain what value is created;
Results will be announced during Paris InfraWeek in November 2026.
Submission requirements
The submission should include a 30-40 slides + a written abstract, along with visual representations, sketches, digital or physical models, etc.
Eligibility
The contest is open to creative minds from various backgrounds: architecture, urban planning, engineering, complex systems, economics, public policy, computer science, etc. Participation is possible individually or within team of students enrolled at the time of submission, including PhD candidates. Teams can consist of 1 to 6 members
Benefits
The competition offers prize money of 7,000 euros for the 1st-placed team, 5,000 euros for the 2nd-placed team, and 3,000 euros for the 3rd-placed team.
Entry fees
The competition is free to enter.
