Call for Proposal 2026

Competition Brief

Casa dell’Architettura di Roma has launched its international open call for 2026 through Call for Proposal 2026 which operates under the CONTEMPORANEA program. The initiative seeks a research-based architectural project to be developed in the Monitor P research and exhibition space in Rome. The call positions architecture as a cultural and critical practice which ties to existing research on speculative architectural practices and research-based design methods which architects use in competitions and experimental platforms.

The 2026 edition presents the theme “Contaminations” which invites participants from different fields to work together with professionals from architecture and art and theoretical research and urban studies. The coverage of contemporary architectural research programs in ArchUp has revealed research paths that follow similar conceptual trends.

Intent

The intent is to promote architectural research as a cultural and intellectual practice which supports experimental research methods and interdisciplinary design methods instead of traditional design processes.

Purpose

The purpose is to select one proposal that will be developed through workshops, exhibitions, lectures, and research activities over a three-month period, contributing to ongoing discourse on contemporary architectural culture.

Requirements

Participants need to submit one PDF dossier which must contain project title, author details, abstract, representative visuals, a three-month activity plan, and a cost estimate. Participants need to complete their submissions by sending digital files before the designated time limit.

Jury

1. Michela Carla Falcone — Faculty Member, Architectural Association
2. Federica Morgia — Associate Professor of Architectural Design
3. Valerio Palmieri — Full Professor of Architectural Design
4. Claudia Ricciardi — Director, Casa dell’Architettura
5. Gianpiero Venturini — Director, New Generations

Fees

Rewards

Dates

✦ ArchUp Competition Review

The call is organized by Casa dell’Architettura di Roma with a publicly disclosed academic and institutional jury, which supports transparency. The open call serves as a research-based cultural initiative instead of existing as a promotional platform or professional design commission. The €8000 implementation budget leads to limited control for organizers, which restricts research autonomy that participants have during their research process. The actual advantages include academic status, exhibition opportunities, and portfolio building, which do not lead to specific job implementation routes. The jury consists of professors and institutional directors, indicating academic credibility rather than market-driven evaluation.

Critical Conclusion

Call for Proposal 2026 reinforces the growing institutional emphasis on architectural research as a cultural practice rather than a purely production-oriented discipline. The interdisciplinary theme encourages speculative and critical inquiry, which matches academic and curatorial frameworks. The budget system, which the organizer controls, restricts participants from managing their finances, while the lack of direct monetary awards creates obstacles for independent professionals. The call primarily benefits conceptual researchers, curators, and academic practitioners rather than design studios seeking tangible implementation outcomes.

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