| Current | 22 September, 2025: Second webinar with judges to inform participants 8 September, 2025: First webinar with judges to inform participants, watch recording 28 August 2025: Publication of the competition brief (visit: houseofnowaste.org) 18 August 2025: Launch of the competition website houseofnowaste.org |
| Organiser | United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES) Ammonstraße 74, 01067 Dresden |
| Procedure | The competition is organised as an “international ideas competition” and will be carried out as an open competition. The Terms and Conditions are inspired by principles of the UNESCO “Standard Regulations for International Competitions in Architecture and Town Planning” and the recommendations of the “UIA Competition Guide for Design Competitions in Architecture and Related Fields” published by the Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA): equal opportunities for all candidates, assessment of applications exclusively in accordance with clear, pre-defined and non-discriminatory selection criteria, assessment of the submitted concepts by an independent jury. The only language admitted in the competition is English. Entries must be submitted using the online entry form at houseofnowaste.org . |
| Jury and Advisory Board | Jury Prof. Tatiana Bilbao Architect, Mexico City, Mexico Barbara Buser Architect, Basel, Switzerland Prof. Momoyo Kaijima Architect, Tokyo, Japan Prof. Mark Lee Architect, New York, USA Dr. Zegeye Cherenet Mamo Architect, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Prof. Jane Wernick Engineer, London, Great Britain Advisory Board Prof. Marc Angélil Architect, Los Angeles/Zürich Prof. Manfred Curbach Engineer, Dresden Prof. Edeltraud Guenther Business Economist, Director of UNU-FLORES, Dresden Prof. Dirk Hebel Architect, Karlsruhe Dr. Yazid Ninsalam Landscape Architect, Melbourne Competition Management Benjamin Hossbach Architectural Competition Advisor, on behalf of UNU-FLORES, Berlin Atiqah Fairuz Binte Md Salleh Advisor Strategic Initiatives & Doctoral Researcher, UNU-FLORES, Dresden |
| Prizes and Acknowledgements | Prize-winning projects of the HØW Competition will receive UNU recognition, and the monetary prizes indicated below. The total net amount allocated for prizes and acknowledgements in the HØW Competition is 30,000 euros, distributed as follows: A total of 24,000 euros (net) will be awarded as three main prizes of 8,000 euros each.A total of 6,000 euros (net) is allocated for acknowledgements, divided into three acknowledgement prizes of 2,000 euros each. The prizes outlined are subject to change at the discretion of the organiser and may include non-monetary forms of recognition, such as opportunities for project exposure at international United Nations platforms and affiliated events. |
| Eligibility | Eligible disciplines include architecture, landscape architecture, building and structural engineering, material science, product design, waste management science, sustainability science, and social science. The competition is restricted to applicants of the “Next Generation” – project authors must be young professionals or students, with a degree in, or currently enrolled in, one of the above fields. Authors (applicants) must be no older than 40 years at the opening of the competition (date of birth must be later than 31 August 1984). If an entry results from teamwork, an authorised Project Contact must be designated to serve as the sole point of contact for the submission. Admission is open to applicants from all countries and regions, without restriction. Projects at an advanced planning stage before the start of execution work are eligible. |
| Projects eligible for participation | The relevance of the projects in relation to the HØW Criteria (see below) define the admissibility. Projects can be, e.g., real existing, possibly commissioned tasks, self-initiatives of the authors, they can have an academic background or be the task from other competition procedures. Preference will be given to projects with the potential for realisation, although groundbreaking innovative ideas are not excluded. In any way, the invitation is for “projects in the pipeline”, that are not yet realised in relation to, for example, their construction in buildings or mass application in construction methods, products, and production processes. Participants have the freedom to define a site, context, or target user group for their submission; however, in alignment with the HØW Criteria, the design should maintain the capacity for scalability, availability to a broad range of economic levels, and accessibility to diverse communities and varying climate zones. HØW Criteria: Submissions will be evaluated on their alignment with one or more of the following target issues as evaluation criteria: Resource Circulation – Closing material loops Projects should demonstrate innovative strategies for closing the loop on waste, transforming waste streams into valuable resources throughout the building’s lifecycle. This includes thoughtful material selection, reuse, and regeneration to minimize environmental impact. Resilience – Designing for future climate and community needs Projects should showcase flexibility and long-term viability, allowing buildings to adapt to changing needs, climates, and uses, and community needs over time. The design must enhance durability while remaining responsive to social and environmental shifts. Regeneration – Enhancing ecosystems and surplus value Projects should look beyond minimizing harm and instead actively contribute to regenerative processes that restore ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and create surplus value for future generations. Revolution – Promoting innovative, scalable, and open-source thinking Projects should demonstrate bold innovation and creative thinking, with strong potential for replication and global impact. Submissions should share ideas openly to encourage other projects to adopt new approaches, systems, or techniques that push the boundaries of circular and sustainable design. Reimagine – Empowering inclusive and behavioural change Projects should influence not just how buildings function, but how people live and interact within them. Designs must make sustainable living intuitive and inclusive, removing barriers to participation and fostering a broader cultural shift. A detailed description of the participation criteria can be found in the competition brief. |
| Competition schedule | • Announcement: Thursday, 28 August 2025 • Online Webinar 1: Monday, 8 September 2025, 10:00 a.m. CEST • Online Webinar 2: Thursday, 22 September 2025, 10:00 a.m. CEST • Submission of entries: Monday, 1 December 2025, 2:00 p.m. CET • Jury meeting: January 2026 • Online Exhibition: TBD |
| Registration and submission | Registration and submission of entries takes place via the competition website: houseofnowaste.org |