AZ Awards 2026 – Architecture and Design Competition
AZ Awards 2026 – Architecture and Design Competition is now open for entries!
AZURE Magazine recently has announced 16th edition of it's 2026 AZ Award, the international architecture and design competition, recognizing excellence and innovation, and showcasing the world’s best projects, products and ideas.
Short description
The 16th edition of AZURE’s AZ Awards is now open for submissions! The AZ Awards is an international architecture & design competition celebrating the world’s best projects, products and ideas.
Founded in 2011, the AZ Awards is AZURE’s international architecture and design competition recognizing the world’s best projects, products, and ideas. Known for its influence in the global design community, the program, now in its 16th year, celebrates innovation, creativity, and excellence in design.
The AZ Awards is a unique opportunity for architects, designers, landscape architects, urban designers, students, clients and manufacturers, to receive the international exposure and acknowledgement that their exceptional work deserves.
Products must be prototyped or in production.
The completion date of projects should be within the past three years, i.e. anytime between November 1, 2022 and December 31, 2025.
The AZ Awards recognizes excellence in 31 subcategories of 11 main themes:
➜ Design
➜ Architecture
➜ Landscape Architecture
➜ Interiors
➜ Urban Design
➜ Experiential Graphic Design
➜ Concepts
➜ Emerging
➜ A+ Award for Student Work
➜ Social Good
➜ Environmental Leadership
Made up of international experts – architects, landscape architects and designers at the forefront of their professions – the AZ Awards jury convenes in March to review the submissions and select the winners.
Each project is evaluated on its own merits according to the following four criteria:
➜ Aesthetics – Is the design contemporary, visually and intellectually stimulating? Does it provoke curiosity, have the capacity to uplift spirits or simply delight?
➜ Function – How well does it serve its intended use? Does it effectively resolve problems?
➜ Creativity – Does it incorporate a unique approach, use a new medium or materials? Is it technologically innovative, forward-looking?
➜ Social and Environmental Responsibility – Does it make respectful use of materials and resources? Does it possess a long life span? Does it contain recycled materials and/or can it be recycled? Does it provide a social benefit?
Winners and shortlisted entries get published online and in print in the July/August 2026 AZURE issue.
Submission requirements:
Images: You may submit up to 20 images and/or drawings/renderings in jpg format, at least 300 dpi (minimum of 9” height and width). If submitting a rendering, please ensure that this is clearly indicated in the file name. Make sure to credit the photographer. When submitting images from multiple photographers, include the photographer’s name in the file name.
Video: Entrants are encouraged to share videos of their work that help to communicate the project. It is preferred if the video is shared via web link (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo), but we will accept direct uploads in .mov, .mp4 or mpg format with a file size less than 1 GB.
NOTE: Images and videos are primarily for the jurors to get a better representation and thorough understanding of your projects.
Project description: Include objectives and how they were met, design challenges, technological and/or material innovations, social and environmental impact.
Project specs: Indicate dimensions, materials, fabrication techniques, manufacturing process.
Who may enter?
The 2026 AZ Awards is open to:
➜ Designers and design firms from all disciplines
➜ Architects, landscape architects and architectural firms
➜ Urban designers and developers
➜ Post-secondary students enrolled in design and architecture programs in 2025
➜ Clients and manufacturers
Prize:
Winners recieve:
➜ The AZ Awards trophy – one-of-a-kind trophy is re-imagined each year by a prominent designer, and produced in limited editions exclusively for the AZ Awards
➜ Recognition of their achievements in print and online
➜ Global exposure through our international media partners
➜ A complimentary press kit distribution on v2com newswire
➜ Student winner receives a $5,000 cash prize
Entry fees:
Early-bird Fees:
➜ A+ Award for Student Work: $35 per submission
➜ All other categories: $250 for the first submission; $225 for the second submission; $200 for the third and all subsequent submissions
Regular Fees:
➜ A+ Award for Student Work: $45 per submission
➜ All other categories: $275 for the first submission; $250 for the second submission; $225 for the third and all subsequent submissions
Each entry includes a 1-year digital subscription to AZURE Magazine.
