The Social Hub 2.0
Architecture Competition

The Social
Hub 2.0

From museums to memorials, craft a place that unites and inspires!

Design transformative socio-cultural spaces rooted in heritage, community memory, and sustainable architecture — creating an active dialogue between the past, present, and future.

₹20K
Prize Pool
1–4
Team Size
6
Global Jury
The Social Hub 2.0 Architectural Concept
Live CountdownSubmission Deadline
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Until Submission Deadline

Deadline strictly observed at 11:59 PM IST. No extensions.

Submit Now
₹20,000 Total Prize Pool·
6 Renowned Global Jury Members·
Exclusive Live Sustainable Design Webinar·
Open to UG & PG Students Worldwide·
1 to 4 Members + Optional Faculty Mentor·
2 × A1 Sheet Submission · Max 50MB·
10 Honourable Mentions & Top 50 Shortlist·
Verified Digital Participation Certificates·
Season 2.0 — Reimagining Community Spaces·
₹20,000 Total Prize Pool·
6 Renowned Global Jury Members·
Exclusive Live Sustainable Design Webinar·
Open to UG & PG Students Worldwide·
1 to 4 Members + Optional Faculty Mentor·
2 × A1 Sheet Submission · Max 50MB·
10 Honourable Mentions & Top 50 Shortlist·
Verified Digital Participation Certificates·
Season 2.0 — Reimagining Community Spaces·
Sustainable Design & Architecture Framework

Sustainable Design is not an afterthought.
It is the foundation.

All participants will also receive exclusive access to an interactive Live Sustainable Design Webinar led by renowned industry experts, delving into environmentally responsible architecture, innovative materials, and cutting-edge green building strategies.

01

Low Carbon Footprint

Prioritize designs that minimize energy consumption, utilize renewable resources, and employ sustainable construction techniques to achieve a negligible carbon footprint.

02

Sustainability & Resilience

Integrate eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient systems, and climate-responsive strategies like rainwater harvesting, passive cooling, and renewable energy.

03

Community-Centric Approach

Design spaces that encourage interaction, collaboration, and cultural exchange, fostering a strong sense of belonging and community ownership.

04

Adaptability & Flexibility

Create versatile, resilient spaces that evolve with changing civic needs, incorporating modular and scalable elements for future growth.

05

Innovation & Technology

Explore forward-thinking solutions such as smart building technologies, interactive spatial installations, and climate-adaptive facades.

06

Material Selection

Champion locally sourced, recyclable, and low-maintenance materials that reduce waste and lifecycle energy use during construction and operation.

By the Numbers

The Social Hub 1.0 in data — a benchmark for what Season 2.0 aims to surpass.

0+
Participants
Season 1.0 global registrations
0+
Countries
Worldwide student representation
0+
Entries
Designs submitted for review

Timeline

All deadlines are strictly observed at 11:59 PM IST. No extensions.

01
Sep 07, 2026
Competition Starts
02
Oct 01, 2026
Early Bird Ends
03
Nov 02, 2026
Standard Reg. Ends
04
Nov 10, 2026
Late Reg. Ends
05
Nov 12, 2026
Submission Deadline
06
Jan 31, 2027
Winner Announcement

Prizes & Recognition

₹20,000 total prize pool. Verified certificates of appreciation and global platform showcase.

01

First Prize

₹10,000

Certificate of Appreciation · DiscoverArch Publication Feature · Global Press Release

02

Second Prize

₹6,000

Certificate of Appreciation · DiscoverArch Publication Feature · Website Exhibition

03

Third Prize

₹4,000

Certificate of Appreciation · DiscoverArch Publication Feature · Digital Archive

Further Recognition & Opportunities

10
Honourable Mentions

Appreciation certificates and official publication on the DiscoverArch website.

50
Top 50 Shortlisted

Shortlisted entries recognized in the official DiscoverArch project archive.

All
Participation Certificates

All participants receive an official Certificate of Appreciation acknowledging their submission.

Mentor
Faculty Mentor Spotlight

Winning and Honorable Mention faculty mentors get featured across DiscoverArch social media & publications.

The Challenge

Design Brief & Scope

01 — Project Typologies & Narratives

Spaces that preserve memories, celebrate heritage, and tell compelling stories of the places they belong to through sensory spatial journeys, light, and materiality.

Key Design Considerations

How does the architectural journey translate historical narrative and emotional memory?

How does the intervention establish a dialogue between historic roots and contemporary life?

02 — Judging Criteria

Concept and Vision

Originality and strength of the core idea

Functionality & Spatial Planning

Practicality, circulation, and efficiency of layout

Innovation and Sustainability

Sustainable practices, low carbon footprint & resilience

Community & Contextual Response

Responsiveness to social, cultural & site needs

Presentation

Clarity, graphics, and visual impact of sheets

Narrative & Heritage Integration

Translation of site story/heritage into user experience

03 — Submission Deliverables

Sheet FormatMaximum of 2 A1-size sheets in PDF format
Max File Size50 MB total file size limit
Required DrawingsSite plan, Site narrative diagram, Floor plans, Sections, Elevations, Detail drawing & 3D renders
AnonymityUnique ID code clearly in top-right corner; no personal/college names or logos
LanguageEnglish for all text & annotations
PresentationSelected entries present to jury via laptop (no mobile presentations)

How to Enter

Five stages from registration to global award ceremony.

Register as an individual or team of up to 4 members (with an optional faculty mentor). Your Unique Identification Code is displayed immediately on-screen and emailed with your confirmation.

International Panel

Jury Panel

Distinguished architects, academicians, and researchers evaluating all entries with rigorous blind review.

SK
India

Ar. Sabeena Khanna

Founding Principal

Studio KIA

SC
Egypt

Dr. Silvia Covarino

Associate Professor

German University Cairo

SS
India

Shreya Srivastava

Principal Architect

studio shunya

JM
Portugal

Dr. José Manuel Pinto De Carvalho

Professor and Researcher

MIA / ISMAT, Portugal

MJ
India

Dr. Minakshi Jain

Landscape Architect & Academician

NIT Hamirpur

PD
India

Ar. Palav Dhananjay Desai

Assistant Professor

S.V.I.T. , Vasad

Season 1.0 — Jury Session Recording

Watch the Jury

The full jury critique session from Season 1.0 — hear how the international panel evaluated community impact, sustainability, and spatial logic.

Jury Session Thumbnail

Live Evaluation Session

The Social Hub 1.0 — Jury Feedback & Critique

Guidelines & Fees

Rules & Registration

Registration Fee Tiers (Per Member)

01
Early Bird Registration
₹150/ $2.0 USD
02
Standard Registration
₹300/ $4.0 USD
03
Late Registration
₹500/ $6.0 USD

Fees calculated per member. Teams can comprise 1 to 4 members + optional faculty mentor (mentor does not count towards team member fee). Non-refundable.

Competition Rules & Regulations

01

Global Student Eligibility

Open to all undergraduate to post-graduate candidates currently enrolled in architecture, urban planning, landscape design, or related programs worldwide.

02

Strict Submission Deadline

Submissions received after Nov 12, 2026 (11:59 PM IST) will strictly not be considered under any circumstances.

03

Non-Refundable Registration Fee

The registration fee is non-refundable. Registration must be completed before specified tier deadlines to remain eligible.

04

Designated Communication Language

English is the official language for all project drawings, annotations, text descriptions, and correspondence.

05

Design Presentation for Finalists

Selected participants will be required to provide a detailed design presentation to the jury via laptop (mobile presentations not accepted).

06

Schedule Adjustment Right

DiscoverArch retains the right to adjust the competition schedule, with prompt notification sent to all participants.

07

Certificate Eligibility

Only students successfully submitting the completed project will be eligible for official participation & award certificates.

Jury decisions are final and binding. Questions regarding eligibility or submission? Write to contact.discoverarch@gmail.com

Season 1.0 — Participant Voices

What Participants
Say

Honorable Mention
The Social Hub competition pushed me to think beyond aesthetics — to design a space that genuinely serves a community. The IGBC framework gave my proposal a backbone that felt real.

Priya Mehta

B.Arch Year 4

School of Planning & Architecture, Delhi

Top 50 Shortlisted
I loved how the blind jury made the entire process feel genuinely merit-based. No college name, no connections — just the quality of your ideas and drawings.

Rahul Nair

B.Arch Year 3

NIT Calicut

Participant
Designing a public library with passive ventilation, rammed earth walls, and community terraces was the most fulfilling academic project I've done in four years.

Simran Kaur

B.Arch Final Year

Chandigarh College of Architecture

Shortlisted
Getting jury feedback from Ar. Jeet Kumar Gupta on our urban plaza design was invaluable. Even as a shortlisted entry, the level of engagement from the organizers was remarkable.

Aditya Bansal

B.Arch Year 4

CEPT University

1st Prize Winners
We were a cross-country team — two from Mumbai, one from Bangalore. The collaboration itself taught us more than any studio brief. DiscoverArch made that possible.

Team Continuum

B.Arch · Mixed Years

Multi-institutional Team · India

Participant
The requirement to show IGBC principles wasn't a constraint — it forced us to research vernacular cooling techniques we'd never have explored otherwise. That changed my design thinking entirely.

Kavya Iyer

B.Arch Year 3

Manipal School of Architecture

Season 1.0 Archive

Winners Gallery

Full Exhibition
Neel Aniruddha Nafrey, Hussain Muffadel Zaveri
01First Prize

Neel Aniruddha Nafrey, Hussain Muffadel Zaveri

Rachna Sansad Academy Of Architecture

The first prize-winning entry recognized for its innovative approach to reimagining inclusive community spaces.

Laya Mariya Jose
02Second Prize

Laya Mariya Jose

School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi

A design combining creativity and strong architectural solutions for dynamic social environments.

Akanksha Dulloo
03Third Prize

Akanksha Dulloo

School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi

An outstanding design project that demonstrated exceptional spatial understanding and social sensitivity.

Honorable Mentions & Shortlist

Tharanya Shree

Tharanya Shree

Kadambari Jathar

Kadambari Jathar

Eekshitha S, Bhavya Nama, Eshikka Babu

Eekshitha S, Bhavya Nama, Eshikka Babu

Ishita, Rashi, Sneha, Gauri

Ishita, Rashi, Sneha, Gauri

Priy Ranjan Yadav

Priy Ranjan Yadav

Pihu Diwan

Pihu Diwan

Resources

Everything you need to research, design, and submit your entry.

Official Competition Brief

Live Sustainable Design Webinar

Season 1.0 Publication

Meet the Jury Members

Questions

Everything you need to know about eligibility, submission, team structure, IGBC alignment, and certificates. Still have questions? Write to us.