Architecture Hunter Awards 2026 opens submissions
The international award returns with new opportunities for architects, designers, and students — with DesignWanted among the media partners supporting the initiative.
Architecture Hunter has officially announced the 2026 edition of the Architecture Hunter Awards (AHA), an international prize dedicated to recognizing innovative and impactful work across architecture and design. The award continues its mission of highlighting both emerging talents and established studios whose projects contribute to shaping the present and future of the built environment.
The initiative aims to connect voices from different regions of the world, creating a platform where diverse perspectives and architectural cultures can converge. Through a rigorous and inclusive evaluation process, the award celebrates projects that resonate beyond geographical boundaries. Following a pre-launch on March 3, the official launch is scheduled for March 18, with submissions open until August 2026.
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Over the past editions, the Architecture Hunter Awards have received more than 1,500 project submissions from 61 countries, consolidating the program as a global platform for visibility and exchange among professionals in architecture and design. More than simply recognizing excellence, the award positions itself as a space for dialogue around projects that define contemporary architecture and anticipate future directions.
Categories reflecting the diversity of contemporary architecture
The 2026 edition is structured into nine groups and 33 categories, covering a wide range of disciplines and scales — from architecture and interior design to product design, urban planning, and architectural representation through photography, renders, and video.
Among the notable categories is “Emerging Firms,” which highlights studios with up to ten years of activity, recognizing creativity and portfolio consistency. Another key distinction, “Firm of the Year,” celebrates practices whose recent projects have had a significant impact on the architectural debate. In this case, nominees are selected by a specialized jury composed of leading figures from international media, while the winner is decided through public vote.
The award also maintains a strong social commitment through the Social Architecture category, allocating 100% of its submission fees to the NGO Construíde, which promotes dignified housing through renovations and improvements for families in vulnerable conditions. Additionally, 5% of the total revenue from all submissions will be directed to the organization.
Students are also encouraged to participate, with free submissions in the Student Projects category, reinforcing the award’s role in supporting the next generation of architects and designers.
A global jury and an international platform
Architecture Hunter Awards 2026 will be evaluated by an international jury composed of architects, designers, curators, photographers, academics, and institutional leaders from diverse cultural contexts. Confirmed representatives include professionals from organizations such as OMA, Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, Shigeru Ban Architects, Foster + Partners, MVRDV, Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, and Salone del Mobile Milano, among others.
Finalists will be announced during the second edition of the Hunter International Forum (HIF), Architecture Hunter’s debate event taking place at the Latin America Memorial in São Paulo, Brazil — a cultural complex designed by Oscar Niemeyer. The event will also host an exhibition presenting the shortlisted projects, placing the award at the center of current architectural discussions.
Expanding opportunities beyond the award
The Architecture Hunter Awards 2026 edition also introduces expanded benefits for winners, aiming to create tangible opportunities for professional development. Supported by partners such as Morpholio, v2com, and MArch Valencia, the program strengthens the educational and international outreach dimension of the awards.
The initiative is supported by Roca as Master Sponsor and Dell Anno as Premium Sponsor, alongside several industry partners. DesignWanted joins the program as one of the official media partners, helping amplify the visibility of the award and its participants within the global design and architecture community.
