designboom competitions open in august 2025
Looking for your next creative challenge? designboom rounds up 10 competitions open for entries in August 2025, ranging from adaptive reuse architectural contests to urban sculpture challenges. Each opportunity invites international creatives to participate, showcase their skills, and benefit from the prizes. Scroll through the list, discover a challenge that sparks your interest, and submit your work to global competitions.
Organizers can submit their open calls to designboom’s competition platform to gain visibility among an international community of design professionals, students, and enthusiasts – submit here.
10 competitions calling for entries
Explore 10 designboom competitions that are calling for entries in August 2025.
Posterheroes 14: Seeds of Kindness – a Call to Design Empathy
Organization: Posterheroes
Competition name: Posterheroes 14: Seeds of Kindness – a Call to Design Empathy
Submission deadline: August 22, 2025
Posterheroes is an international social communication contest promoted by PLUG, in collaboration with Favini, ITC-ILO, Fondazione Time2, and Torino Graphic Days®. Each year, it invites the creative community to design a 70×100 cm poster reflecting on contemporary social issues. The 14th edition, Seeds of Kindness, explores the power of empathy and kindness in shaping more inclusive, aware, and supportive societies. Participation is free and open to all, with the possibility to submit up to 3 posters through the official platform.
2025 French Design Awards Season 2
Organization: IAA
Competition name: 2025 French Design Awards Season 2
Submission deadline: August 27, 2025
The 2025 French Design Awards accepts entries from designers of all background whose designs tell a compelling story. Its categories are divided into seven award programs: architectural design, interior design, product design, packaging design, fashion design, landscape design and conceptual design. Designs must have been produced within the last five calendar years up through the final deadline (August 27, 2025).
Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge
Organization: Buildner
Competition name: Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge
Submission deadline: August 27, 2025
As part of Saudi Arabia’s broader cultural transformation, the Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge, organized by Buildner in partnership with the Mujassam Watan Initiative (an initiative by Al Fozan Social Foundation), provides a platform for architects and artists to shape the Kingdom’s evolving public spaces. Since its launch in 2018, this prestigious competition has welcomed creative minds from around the world to design sculptures that reflect Saudi Arabia’s culture, heritage, and aspirations. These works of art are envisioned as meaningful additions to the urban landscape, enhancing public spaces and celebrating the Kingdom’s identity. This edition’s theme, ‘The Inspiration Around You,’ challenges participants to reflect on their environment and create sculptures that embody Saudi Arabia’s unique story.
Organization: Enel
Competition name: Wind Design
Submission deadline: August 30, 2025
Enel SpA launch the international contest Wind Design that gives the opportunity to propose solutions to conceive, develop and implement tri-blade wind turbines with an innovative design, in compliance with technical regulations for the sector, and with the minimal landscape impact. The contest – launched through Enel’s ‘Open Innovability’ platform specifically set up to attract innovative ideas from outside the company – is open to university and doctoral students, architects, engineers, designers, research institutions, university, companies and start-ups. Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria: Design, technical and financial Feasibility, Innovation and sustainability.
FROMM.Lab Design Competition. Design for a Changing World – Bridging Cultures
Organization: FROMM.
Competition name: FROMM.Lab Design Competition. Design for a Changing World – Bridging Cultures
Submission deadline: September 1, 2025
FROMM. Lab is a co-design model that connects emerging creatives with industry experts to develop original pieces for FROMM.’s collections and projects. These collaborations are presented both locally and internationally, featured at leading design exhibitions and global industry platforms. FROMM.Lab Design Competition. Design for a Changing World – Bridging Cultures asks creatives to reinterpret Arab cultural heritage through the lens of contemporary design, creating functional and production-ready pieces.
Re:Form New Life for Old Spaces
Organization: Buildner
Competition name: Re:Form New Life for Old Spaces
Submission deadline: September 2, 2025
In a world facing urgent environmental and spatial challenges, the most sustainable solutions may come not from new construction, but from reimagining what already exists. Re:Form New Life for Old Spaces invites architects, designers, and innovators to embrace the challenge of adaptive reuse, working within spaces under 250 square meters to give them renewed purpose and relevance. Participants are free to choose any existing structure – whether currently in use, abandoned, or neglected – anywhere in the world. From unused storefronts and aging sheds to underutilized garages or portions of larger buildings, each project should demonstrate the potential to transform a limited footprint into something innovative and impactful.
MILAN DESIGN DISTRICT: Rethinking an Apartment Concept in the Heart of Isola
Organization: Terraviva
Competition name: MILAN DESIGN DISTRICT: Rethinking an Apartment Concept in the Heart of Isola
Submission deadline: September 12, 2025
Terraviva launches MILAN DESIGN DISTRICT: Rethinking an Apartment Concept in the Heart of Isola, a new architecture competition representing a unique opportunity to redefine the essence of residential design in Milan. Move beyond conventional renovation and rethink the essence of residential design in a unique metropolis like Milan. This competition is about rethinking everyday living by transforming an apartment into a masterpiece of contemporary design that embodies Milan’s avant-garde spirit. Nestled in the heart of Isola District, the flat is situated in a classic ‘Casa di Ringhiera’ – a traditional tenement-style building that symbolises the communal spirit of old Milan.
FLORENCE HILLS: Reviving a Unique Rural Heritage in Tuscany
Organization: Terraviva
Competition name: FLORENCE HILLS: Reviving a Unique Rural Heritage in Tuscany
Submission deadline: September 17, 2025
Terraviva opens FLORENCE HILLS: Reviving a Unique Rural Heritage in Tuscany, a new competition structured in two Phases. It aims to adaptively reuse Podere Santa Margherita, nestled in the heart of Chianti. Marked by the passage of time and decay, this remarkable rural complex now calls for a thoughtful and innovative revival that can honor its historical legacy while breathing new life into its enduring architectural soul. The current condition of the Tuscan ruin certainly gives Podere Santa Margherita a special appeal. Therefore, the biggest challenge will be understanding what interventions could provide a new meaning to the original constructions without affecting their authenticity.
Organization: Terraviva
Competition name: KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026
Submission deadline: October 8, 2025
KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD is an international competition for product design that aims to co-create with talented designers and support their activities. The theme for the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026 is ‘HAMON —Design that Resonates.’ This theme focuses on the power of design, where an idea born from one person’s real experiences can resonate with others, creating a chain of resonance and spreading throughout society. By digging deeper into ideas born from personal experiences and examining them from various angles, we envision the standards of the future. In addition, the ‘NEW GENERATION AWARD’ encourages unique ideas and challenges that are not bound by existing concepts, and is open only to student applicants with the expectation of future success.
Arxellence 3 International Transdisciplinary Architectural Ideas Competition
Organization: Alumil S.A.
Competition name: Arxellence 3 International Transdisciplinary Architectural Ideas Competition
Submission deadline: October 15, 2025
Arxellence 3 International Transdisciplinary Architectural Ideas Competition is an Open, One-Stage International Transdisciplinary Architectural ideas competition that seeks a holistic approach from the participants to preserve historical memory and promote sustainable development on the Cycladic island of Gyaros. It is an unpopulated island with a long and turbulent history. Gyaros is a desolate land shrouded in the remnants of its past. Today, the island has great ecological importance as it hosts the largest population of monk seals in the Mediterranean.
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