Architecture: Research Guide

Five shortlisted design proposals have been developed for the new Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design. The second stage of the international competition saw design teams build upon schemes that were initially selected for a shortlist back in December 2024.The new 100,000-square-foot museum will be built on the waterfront in Helsinki’s historic South Harbor. The central mission of the museum will be “democratizing the tools of design” and to “draw on the rich traditions and contemporary strength of design and architecture in Finland and the Nordic region.”The museum is expected to be completed by 2030, while the architects involved in the shortlist have not yet been named. In ..

The Prix Versailles has unveiled its list of the world’s most beautiful restaurants for 2025. The list of 16 newly opened restaurants is “evidence of the dominant aesthetic and cultural dynamics around the world,” according to organizers.In December, three projects from the list will be given additional titles of a World Title – Prix Versailles, Interior, or Exterior. In the meantime, June will see further lists published by Prix Versailles honoring campuses and airports, following on from the recently announced hotels and museums list.Below, we have published the 16 projects comprising the World's Most Beautiful Restaurants list 2025. You can compare the projects with thos..

The American Institute of Architects Los Angeles has honored 18 residential projects at the 2025 AIA|LA Residential Architecture Awards. The projects, based in the greater Los Angeles region and beyond, were recognized in categories comprising ADUs, Affordable Housing, Alternative Housing, Adaptive Reuse, Multi-Family, Single-Family, and a new Resilient Design category.The new Resilient Design category, making its debut at the 2025 edition, recognizes homes designed to withstand fire, earthquake, flood, and other natural hazards. “Submissions demonstrated thoughtful integration of materials, site-sensitive strategies, and systems designed for occupant safety and rapid recovery,” organize..

The American Institute of Architects has unveiled the winners of its 2025 Interior Architecture Award. A total of eight projects were honored this year, with winners ranging from a prototype for 3D-printed concrete homes to an early learning center.The awards come shortly after the AIA also honored the best in contemporary architecture at the 2025 AIA Architecture Awards and the best in small-scale architecture at the AIA Small Project Award. This week has also seen the best housing design honored at the AIA Housing Award, the best in sustainable architecture honored at the AIA COTE Top Ten Award, and the best in urban planning honored at the AIA Regional & ..

For this week's curated picks of architecture and design competitions listed on Bustler, we are featuring four calls seeking to recognize outstanding architectural achievement by an individual or a group of architects, research proposals that focus on architecture's role in producing collective forms/forums, student-led concepts that explore the use of steel as a primary structural material, and student-driven design proposals for an innovative intergenerational senior living space.For the complete directory of newly listed competitions, click here.Read the full post on Bustler

A proposal to revive Plymouth’s Union Street through affordable housing and community-led regeneration has won the 2025 Davidson Prize. Titled 300 Homes within a Union Street Mile, the project was developed by an interdisciplinary team comprising Clifton Emery Design, Nudge Community Builders, Millfields Trust, Plymouth Energy Community, and Devon and Cornwall Planning Consultants. The team was awarded the £10,000 ($13,600 USD) prize during a ceremony at Heatherwick Studio’s Making House, as part of the London Festival of Architecture.Read the full post on Bustler

The American Institute of Architects has announced the winners of its 2025 Regional & Urban Design Award. Five schemes were honored in this year's edition of the award, which are “recognized as the best in urban design, regional and city planning, and community development.”The awards come days after the AIA also honored the best in contemporary architecture at the 2025 AIA Architecture Awards and the best in small-scale architecture at the AIA Small Project Award. This week has also seen the best housing design honored at the AIA Housing Award and the best in sustainable architecture honored at the AIA COTE Top Ten Award. You can compare the p..

The American Institute of Architects has announced the winners of its 2025 COTE Top Ten Award. Ten schemes were honored in this year's edition of the award, which “highlights projects that meet the AIA Committee on the Environment's rigorous criteria for social, economic, and ecological value.”The awards come days after the AIA also honored the best in contemporary architecture at the 2025 AIA Architecture Awards, the best in small-scale architecture at the AIA Small Project Award, and the best housing design at the AIA Housing Award. You can compare the projects recognized this year to those of previous years by following our ongoing coverage of the series&..

The American Institute of Architects has announced the winners of its 2025 AIA Housing Award. Eight projects were honored in this year's edition, whose mission is to “emphasize the importance of good housing as a necessity of life, a sanctuary for the human spirit, and a valuable national resource.” The awards come days after the AIA also honored the best in contemporary architecture at the 2025 AIA Architecture Awards and the best in small-scale architecture at the AIA Small Project Award. You can compare the projects recognized this year to those of previous years by following our ongoing coverage of the series here.  In the meantime, the winners of the AIA Housing Award..

Buildner in collaboration with the Mujassam Watan Initiative, has launched the Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge, an international competition calling on architects and artists to design iconic sculptures that reflect cultural identity and creativity. With a total prize fund of €50,000, this prestigious challenge offers participants a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on urban public spaces.A Competition to Shape the Future of Public ArtThe Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge is more than just a design contest—it is a chance to contribute to an evolving urban landscape through meaningful, innovative, and striking sculptures. Participants are encouraged to c..

The American Institute of Architects has announced the winners of its 2025 AIA Small Project Award. Seven projects were honored in this year's edition, whose mission is to “raise public awareness of the value and design excellence that architects provide regardless of the limits of size and scope.” The awards come days after the AIA also honored the best in contemporary architecture at the 2025 AIA Architecture Awards. You can compare the projects recognized this year to those of previous years by following our ongoing coverage of the series here.  In the meantime, the winners of the AIA Small Project Award 2025 are as follows: 900 Wilshire Medical Office Building Ren..

The American Institute of Architects has announced the winners of the 2025 Architecture Awards, representing the best in contemporary architecture.The AIA Architecture Awards showcase exceptional architecture regardless of budget, size, style, or type. The program serves to highlight the variety of exceptional work that architects create, as well as the many ways buildings and spaces can improve lives.This year, a total of 10 projects were honored, with winners ranging from an astronomy museum in Shanghai to an affordable mixed-use housing development in California.The complete list of winners can be viewed below:11 NOHO Mixed-Use Housing, North Hollywood, CABrooks + ScarpaRead the full post..

This edition of Bustler's curated picks of noteworthy architecture and design competitions features four calls seeking proposals for a new centralized Daegu City Hall in South Korea, the best modernist homes, innovative concrete pavilion designs that explore the sensory and tactile qualities of concrete, and the strongest uses of clay brick in architecture.For the complete directory of newly listed competitions, click here.Read the full post on Bustler

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture has announced the shortlist for its 2025 award cycle. A total of 19 projects from 15 countries were selected out of 369 nominations to vie for the $1 million prize, considered one of the largest in the architecture world.Since being established in 1977, the award has honored 128 projects, with nearly another 10,000 being documented in its archive. “The AKAA’s selection process emphasises architecture that not only provides for people’s physical, social and economic needs, but that also stimulates and responds to their cultural aspirations,” organizers note.A nine-member jury, which includes Grafton Architects’ Yvonne Farrell and MI..

The Warsaw Museum of Modern Art has been awarded the Grand Prix and Public Utility building awards at the 11th Architectural Awards of the Mayor of Warsaw. Designed by Thomas Phifer and Partners in collaboration with local studio APA Wojciechowski Architekci, the museum opened earlier this year to "take on a new role as a centre for conversations animating contemporary art of all kinds.'Read the full post on Bustler

The American Institute of Architects just presented the winners of its 2025 Architecture Awards, recognizing the best in contemporary architecture. This year, a total of 10 projects were honored, with winners ranging from an astronomy museum in Shanghai to an affordable mixed-use housing development in California.The awards program aims to showcase exceptional architecture, regardless of budget, size, style, or type, and to highlight the diverse range of work that architects create.The complete list of winners can be viewed below:11 NOHO Mixed-Use Housing, North Hollywood, CABrooks + ScarpaRead the full post on Bustler

Located on the serene banks of the Vez River in northern Portugal, this competition invites architects to design a boutique wellness SPA that blends harmoniously with its natural surroundings. Nestled beside a historic watermill, the site offers a unique opportunity to create a space that reflects the tranquility and beauty of the region. The goal of the competition is to inspire designs that embrace the peaceful atmosphere of the Vez River while providing a thoughtful, intimate wellness experience. Architects are encouraged to explore concepts that celebrate the connection between nature, relaxation, and design innovation, fostering a sense of balance and harmony. This competition se..

If you're in London this weekend, don't miss the opening of Design and Disability at V&A South Kensington. The exhibition reframes disability not only as a lived experience but as a vital cultural and creative force. Read the full post on Bustler

The Prix Versailles award program is back with its annual list of the World's Most Beautiful Hotels, recognizing sixteen standout examples of hospitality design from around the globe. The jury commended the balance of heritage and innovation in this year's field of selected projects. Dubai-based Killa Design managed to place two of their projects on the list this year, with the Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab in the UAE and the Shebara resort in Saudi Arabia."The common thread between these sixteen extraordinary hotels is the fact that they all elevate expertise and local heritage," noted the Prize's Secretary General, Jérôme Gouadain.Take a look at the top hotel designs for 2025 below, and explore..

The Small Lots, Big Impacts design competition has unveiled its winners, seeking to gather "ideas for designing and building a type of housing that is sorely needed in Los Angeles today: new starter homes for the 21st century." The competition was organized by cityLAB-UCLA, LA4LA, and the City of Los Angeles, while winners were recognized in two categories: Gentle Density and Shared Future."The last time the housing industry produced small, compact homes that were attainable for everyday people was just following WWII," organizers noted. "In this competition, the submissions update that old approach by re-introducing smaller, affordable homes but doing so on infill lots that utilize recent l..

If you're in search of new, exciting architecture and design competitions, take a look at the latest curated picks of challenges listed on Bustler. Featured below are four briefs seeking innovative kitchen designs that incorporate novel technology and automation, the best small firms from the San Francisco Bay Area, exceptional achievements in architecture and design, and proposals for the redevelopment of a site in Donghae, South Korea, into a landmark destination for domestic and international visitors.For the complete directory of newly listed competitions, click here.Read the full post on Bustler

The SOM Foundation has named Rebecca Henig as the recipient of its 2025 Structural Engineering Fellowship. A recent graduate of the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Henig will receive a $20,000 grant to pursue research on coastal resilience.Henig’s project, “Reef Resilience: Designing Modular Solutions for Coastal Protection,” will involve fieldwork at seven reef sites around the world. The research aims to develop structural strategies to strengthen coastal protection while supporting marine ecosystems, in line with the Foundation’s 2024–2025 research theme, “Advancing Toward a Water-Secure Future.”Read the full post on Bustler

If you're in search of exciting architecture and design events to explore this June, check out our curated selection of recommendations, including festivals, conferences, and exhibitions taking place throughout the U.S. and abroad.From the roster of ongoing and upcoming events listed on Bustler, here are our featured picks worth checking out.UPCOMING EVENTSRead the full post on Bustler

The exhibition Constructing Hope: Ukraine has opened at the Chicago Architecture Center’s Skyscraper Gallery. Running from March 10 to September 1, 2025, the exhibition gathers more than a dozen architectural and design-led initiatives responding to the devastation caused by Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Originally presented at the Center for Architecture in New York in 2024, the exhibition focuses on decentralized reconstruction efforts, ranging from emergency housing solutions to the preservation of architectural memory, and positions architecture as a vital tool in fostering resilience, mutual aid, and hope.Read the full post on Bustler

The stair is one of the most elemental and enduring components of architecture. It is a structure in motion—a connector of levels, a sculptural form, a spatial sequence, and a symbol of ascent, descent, and transition. It guides the body and engages the mind. It is at once practical and poetic.From ancient stone steps carved into cliffs to futuristic floating staircases in contemporary design, the stair has served far more than a functional role. It punctuates the rhythm of space, dictates circulation, and often becomes a central visual and emotional anchor in architectural composition. It holds narrative power—inviting pause, procession, and perception.This competition invi..

It may not be your first instinct when entering a building to consider how it makes you feel, but architecture has always had a big impact on emotions. Different spaces are designed to make their inhabitants feel different things; offices can make you feel energised and productive, art galleries can make you feel thoughtful and curious, and museums can make you feel calm and intrigued. Each of these spaces is completely different from each other and is far more than just a building. As part of a series of annual architecture competitions, the Museum of Emotions competition is tasking participants with using architecture as a tool to bring out different emotions. They are asked to design a m..

The 10th edition of MICROHOME marks a special milestone in Buildner’s ongoing effort to explore the future of compact, sustainable living. This edition is presented in collaboration with Kingspan, a global leader in high-performance building solutions, and Hapi Homes, a company transforming the way homes are designed and built through technology, sustainability, and prefabrication. Together, they invite architects and designers from around the world to take on the challenge of shaping the next generation of micro-living. Participants are tasked with designing an off-grid modular microhome for a young professional couple, a benchmark household size used i..

This edition of Bustler's curated picks of noteworthy architecture and design competitions features four calls seeking the best real or theoretical unbuilt projects, exceptional talents in the fields of design from the Middle East and North Africa, outstanding explorations of daylight in architectural design, and sustainable and fire-resilient passive house designs that can inspire rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles.For the complete directory of newly listed competitions, click here.Read the full post on Bustler

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has unveiled the winners of its 2025 Award of Excellence. The annual award series seeks to honor built and unbuilt tall buildings that “respond to current global challenges and demonstrate the vital role of tall buildings in the 21st century.” The 2025 winners span 20 countries and 20 categories. According to the organizers, the 2025 projects “exemplify creative and technical leadership across the gamut of sustainable vertical urbanism.” “This year’s cohort demonstrates not only technical sophistication and design ingenuity but also an ability to respond to the circumstances shaping the world right now—from r..

Buildner in collaboration with the Mujassam Watan Initiative, has launched the Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge, an international competition calling on architects and artists to design iconic sculptures that reflect cultural identity and creativity. With a total prize fund of €50,000, this prestigious challenge offers participants a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on urban public spaces.A Competition to Shape the Future of Public ArtThe Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge is more than just a design contest—it is a chance to contribute to an evolving urban landscape through meaningful, innovative, and striking sculptures. Participants are encouraged to c..